The first Mongol-Tatar invasions of Russia began through the Black Sea steppes in the first half of the 13th century. Genghis Khan (Temuchin) intended thus to expand his vast state, which by this time extended from the shores of the Pacific Ocean to the Caspian.
At that time, tribes of the Polovtsy lived in the southern steppes off the Black Sea. They began to call for the help of the Russian princes, explaining that if today the Mongol-Tatars seize the land of Polovtsy, then tomorrow they will reach the Russian land.
The appearance of new, hitherto unknown powerful enemies, caused great fear in Russia. Only the princes of the southern lands decided to help the Polovtsians in expelling the enemy. They fought as a united army, but were completely defeated during the battle on the Kalka River. The Mongol-Tatars also suddenly decided to leave the Russian lands after their victory.
In 1227, the invincible Genghis Khan died, and previously shared his vast possessions among his sons, giving the supremacy over everyone to Udegei.
Part of the land went to the grandson of Genghis Khan, Batu. He decided to continue the aggressive policy of his grandfather and expand the boundaries of his new possessions.
In 1236, a huge army of Mongol-Tatars led by Batu easily captured the capital of the Volga-Kama Bulgarians, the city of Veliky Bulgar, and by 1237 they came close to the borders of the Ryazan principality. Batu sent his ambassadors to the local princes with a demand to recognize his authority and agree to pay tithing. Those proudly replied: "All yours, if we do not."
Ryazan princes turned to the Vladimir prince for help . But then the consequences of the long fragmentation and disunity of Russia affected. Prince Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich decided not to give help, but to prepare for battle and fight on his own.
Each Russian principality rendered desperate resistance to the enemy, but individually they could not resist the organized forces of Batu.
After the seizure of Ryazan lands, the Mongol-Tatars went to Suzdal. The capital of the principality, the city of Vladimir, was captured and burned. It was followed by Rostov, Yaroslavl, Moscow, Tver and Suzdal. There was not a single village left on this earth without a horde walking, killing and burning everything in its path. And Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich died in the battle on the City River.
For two years, the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars conquered the entire north-east of Russia. The most fierce resistance was rendered by the inhabitants of the small town of Kozelsk. For this, the invaders slaughtered them all to one, and left only ruins from the city.
By 1240, Batu’s troops also captured southwestern Russian territories. Pal Chernigov and Pereslavl. In the winter of 1240, the capture of Kiev by the Mongol-Tatars took place. Russia was conquered.
The next few years, the horde walked through the territories of Hungary, Silesia, Moravia and Poland. But for a long time the Tatars could not resist there and retreated. The extreme western borders of the conquests became the principalities of Volyn and Galitsky.
After this, the Mongol-Tatars decided to stay in the south-west of the Russian Plain and founded a new Khanate there - the Golden Horde. Legally, it was subordinate to the great Mongol Khan, but gradually became an independent state. The Golden Horde ruled all Russian lands, in the Black Sea region, the Urals and parts of the West Siberian steppes.
The Tatar Khan did not abolish the power of the Russian princes, but stood on top of it. After the princes recognized the supreme authority of the Horde, they could officially rule in their principalities, receiving the so-called "label". Batu personally judged which of the surviving princes which principality should be given to the board. The power of the Russian princes over their people at the same time only increased, since they now relied on the enormous external power of the forces of the Golden Horde.
The entire population of the principalities was carefully rewritten and imposed a heavy tribute. Initially, its collection was entrusted to the Baskans - special officials from the Horde. Sometimes the Basurman merchants did this, who from their own treasury paid the necessary amount of tribute, and then independently collected it from the local population, profiting from this.
Extortions, oppression and violence have repeatedly provoked popular uprisings against the Tatars. But the local princes tried so much to come to terms with the Horde so as not to bring re-extermination to their people. At the beginning of the XIV century, the Tatar authorities still found it more convenient to direct the collection of tribute directly to the Russian princes.
The power of the Golden Horde was gradually weakening - there were no strong rulers there, and the internecine proceedings of the khans only aggravated the situation. In November 1480, in a decisive clash on the Ugra River, the troops of the Russian princes were able to defeat the Mongol-Tatar army. As a result, the conquerors were forced to return to their historical territories. So officially ended the long-term Mongol-Tatar yoke, Russia again became free.