The XIII century for the people of Russia was a period of difficult trials, a constant struggle for survival. It was at this time that the Mongol-Tatar yoke fell on the shoulders of the people with a heavy load. It was in the XIII century that Alexander Nevsky showed the west the power of Russian weapons. The result of the heroic confrontation had a significant impact on the fate of the whole people. Changes affected all spheres of life: economic, social, religious. Russia has become a kind of buffer, about which a wave of nomads broke. It was she who did not let the huge hordes of Mongol-Tatars into the vastness of Europe.
The first campaign of Batu Khan began in 1236. After the defeat of the Volga Bulgaria, his troops rushed to Ryazan. At that time, fragmentation reigned among the princes in Russia, and the Ryazans had to fight the nomads alone. As a result, the city was completely destroyed, the inhabitants were either killed or taken into slavery, only a small part of them escaped by hiding in the forests. The same fate befell Kolomna, Vladimir, Suzdal and Torzhok. Khan Batuy rushed to Novgorod, but the army, bloodless and burdened with prey, was already unfit for combat. As a result, the Mongols turned back.
But already in 1239 the Horde began a new campaign, as a result of which Kiev, Mur, Gorokhovets were captured and plundered, after which the nomads rushed first to Galicia-Volyn Rus, and then to Europe. But the Mongols had to continue the campaign bloodless in battles with the Russian army.
If Batu walked Europe through a predatory raid, then Russia was heavily taxed, and the Mongol-Tatar yoke began. This for a long time stopped the development of Russia. It caused heavy damage to agriculture and culture. The consequences of the Mongol-Tatar yoke for Russia were very difficult. During two campaigns, about 50 cities were burned and looted, of which 14 were completely wiped off the face of the Earth and were no longer reborn, 15 cities turned from small-scale developing trade and craft centers.
The Mongol-Tatar yoke completely redrawn the map of Russia. The role of Kiev has substantially decreased, in which, after plunder, no more than two hundred houses remain. The best Tatars were taken into slavery, destroying complex crafts. A heavy burden fell on the shoulders of the Russian people a tribute appointed by the Horde rulers. Russian princes had to travel to the Horde to obtain the right to reign, which increased the disunity of the principalities.
The Mongol-Tatar yoke had its own characteristics. The main one is that Russia was never included in the Horde lands. This is primarily due to the fact that Russian forests were unsuitable for nomads. The second feature is the tolerance of the Mongol Tatars. Moreover, the church was not taxed by virtually any taxes, in response, the priests supported the nomads and urged the Russian princes to tolerance.
The overthrow of the Mongol-Tatar yoke occurred already in the 15th century, after the confrontation between Russian and Horde forces at the mouth of the Ugra River. None of the parties decided on active hostilities, but Khan Akhmat had to leave with his army, and did not achieve restoration of power over Russia.