An active policy to capture new lands in the 12-13th centuries was promoted by the growth of nomadic cattle breeding and the desire to capture the mythical untold wealth of neighboring more developed countries. But Batu’s campaign in Novgorod did not take place. Since the nomads did not produce anything other than food for their own needs, they were given luxury goods either in the process of trade, or (what happened more often) in the process of robbery and robbery. In the countries neighboring the Mongols, there was decline and internal strife, the possibilities to start a war of conquest were ideal. We will understand why Batu did not go to Novgorod.
Dimensions of Genghis Khan's possessions in the 13th century
The troops of the Great Khan captured the following territories:
- Central and Central Asia.
- South Siberia.
- Khorezm Shah.
- North Caucasus.
- They defeated the Georgian-Armenian troops and Alans.
- Azov region.
- They defeated the Russian-Polovtsian associations on the river. Kalka.
After the death of Genghis Khan in 1227, the possessions of the Mongol Empire were divided into several uluses. Rulers were his sons and grandchildren.
The decision of the Mongols on a trip to the West
The decision to conquer Russian territory was made by the general assembly of the Mongol nobility (kurultai) in 1235. Mongolia thoroughly prepared for war. Several princes, the best military leaders and nukers of the Mongols took part in these long-standing military operations. Since the western possessions of the nomadic empire went to Batu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, he led the campaign in these rich lands. Its purpose was Eastern Europe.
The beginning of the Batu invasion
In order to secure his rear, Batu first
defeated the Polovtsian tribes, then destroyed the
Volga Bulgaria. This state has ceased to exist. In 1237, the nomadic army went to North-Eastern Russia. The Mongols during the invasion burned and brutally ravaged the following cities:
- Ryazan fell after a week's siege.
- The cities of Kolomna, Tver, Pereyaslavl, Moscow were burned.
- After 4 days of the siege, Vladimir was stormed and burned.
- 2 weeks heroically resisted, but then Mr. Torzhok fell.
A huge number of large and small settlements of the North-East of Russia were destroyed along with the inhabitants during the autumn-winter time 1237-1238. The onset of spring, rains and the inability to move heavy wagons along the muddy ground became one of the reasons why Batu did not go to Novgorod. The Mongols did not reach the city for some 100 km.
Second invasion of Batyev’s troops
The military conquests continued a year later, again in the fall-winter. Crimea was captured, Kiev, Galich, Vladimir-Volynsky and other cities in the south and west of Russia fell and burned. Then Batu divided his army. Part went to Poland and Hungary, the other - to the Baltic coast.
Why didn’t Baty go to Novgorod? Because his troops moved in a different direction. Captured by Sandomierz, Lublin, Krakow, Wroclaw. Polish and German knights were defeated. Mongol hordes captured Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Dalmatia, the Czech Republic, approached Vienna, approached Venice. Batu interrupted the victorious capture of Europe, having received information about the death of Khan Udegei in Karakorum. However, not returning to Mongolia, Khan Batu founded the State on the lower Volga called the Golden Horde. Its borders extended from the Danube to the Irtysh.
But what about Novgorod?
The question of when Batu captured Novgorod has one answer: this did not happen. The second invasion of the Mongol troops was not a single campaign. Batu led the seizure of territories in a disparate series of attacks. Khan, demonstrating the military power of his army, urged the city to submit to its nukers. Only stubbornly resisting settlements were destroyed.
Voluntarily surrendered settlements paid the Khan an indemnity for horses, food, and fodder. In addition, the army of nomads with cattle and convoys could not normally fight in the conditions of ravines, forests, rivers and swamps. This is how the swamps and spring thaw for the second time canceled Batu’s campaign to Novgorod and helped the great city remain impregnable.
At the same time, Novgorod called for protection from the Livonian knights who invaded the North-West of Russia, Alexander Nevsky. Perhaps the presence of this young commander with the squad also played a role in saving the city from a raid by nomads.
Another version of the answer to the question of why Batu did not go to Novgorod, says that after the winter season in the Russian villages there was practically no stock of animal feed. Busting villages, picking up hay harvested by peasants for the winter, the nomads fed their horses and oxen. They had to stop military operations in this territory, since there was nothing to feed cattle.