The rule of the golden horde. From the golden horde to the faithful

Golden Horde(Ulus Jochi) is a medieval state in Eurasia.

The beginning of the era of the Golden Horde

The formation and formation of the Golden Horde begins in 1224. The state was founded by the Mongol Khan Batu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, and until 1266 was part of the Mongol Empire, after which it became independent, retaining only formal subordination to the Empire. The majority of the population of the state were Volga Bulgars, Mordovians, Mari. In 1312 the Golden Horde became an Islamic state. In the 15th century. the single state split into several khanates, chief among which was the Great Horde. The Great Horde existed until the middle of the 16th century, but other khanates disintegrated much earlier.

The name "Golden Horde" was first used by Russians after the fall of the state, in 1556, in one of the historical works. Prior to that, the state was designated differently in different chronicles.

Territories of the Golden Horde

The Mongol Empire, from which the Golden Horde came, occupied territories from the Danube to the Sea of ​​Japan and from Novgorod to Southeast Asia. In 1224, Genghis Khan divided the Mongol Empire between his sons, and Jochi inherited one of the parts. A few years later, the son of Jochi - Batu - undertook several military campaigns and expanded the territory of his khanate to the west, the Lower Volga region became the new center. From that moment on, the Golden Horde began to constantly conquer new territories. As a result, most of modern Russia (except for the Far East, Siberia and the Far North), Kazakhstan, Ukraine, part of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan fell under the rule of the khans of the Golden Horde during its heyday.

In the 13th century. The Mongol Empire, which seized power in Russia (), was on the verge of collapse, and Russia came under the rule of the Golden Horde. However, the Russian principalities were not ruled directly by the khans of the Golden Horde. The princes were only forced to pay tribute to the Golden Horde officials, and soon this function came under the control of the princes themselves. However, the Horde was not going to lose the conquered territories, so its troops regularly made punitive campaigns to Russia in order to keep the princes in subjection. Russia remained subject to the Golden Horde almost until the very collapse of the Horde.

State structure and management system of the Golden Horde

Since the Golden Horde withdrew from the Mongol Empire, the descendants of Genghis Khan were at the head of the state. The territory of the Horde was divided into allotments (uluses), each of which had its own khan, however, the smaller uluses were subordinate to one chief, where the supreme khan ruled. The ulus division was initially unstable and the borders of the uluses were constantly changing.

As a result of the administrative-territorial reform at the beginning of the 14th century. the territories of the main uluses were allocated and consolidated, and the positions of ulus managers - uluusbeks, to whom were subordinate to smaller officials - viziers, were also introduced. In addition to the khans and ulusbeks, there was a national assembly - kurultai, which was convened only in urgent cases.

The Golden Horde was a paramilitary state, so administrative and military positions were often combined. The most important positions were occupied by members of the ruling dynasty, who were related to the khan and owned the lands; smaller administrative positions could be occupied by feudal lords middle hand, and the army was recruited from the people.

The Horde capitals were:

• Saray-Batu (not far from Astrakhan) - during the reign of Batu;
• Saray-Berke (not far from Volgograd) - from the first half of the 14th century.

In general, the Golden Horde was a multi-structured and multinational state, therefore, in addition to the capitals, there were several large centers in each of the regions. The Horde also had trading colonies on the Sea of ​​Azov.

Trade and economy of the Golden Horde

The Golden Horde was a trading state, was actively involved in buying and selling, and also had multiple trading colonies. The main goods were: fabrics, linen canvases, weapons, jewelry and other jewelry, furs, leather, honey, timber, grain, fish, caviar, olive oil. Trade routes to Europe, Central Asia, China and India began from the territories that belonged to the Golden Horde.

In addition, the Horde received a significant part of its income from military campaigns (robberies), collection of tribute (yoke in Russia) and the conquest of new territories.

End of the era of the Golden Horde

The Golden Horde consisted of several uluses, subordinate to the power of the supreme khan. After the death of Khan Janibek in 1357, the first turmoil began, caused by the absence of a single heir and the desire of the khans to fight for power. The struggle for power was the main reason for the further disintegration of the Golden Horde.

In the 1360s. Khorezm detached itself from the state.

In 1362 Astrakhan seceded, the lands on the Dnieper were seized by the Lithuanian prince.

In 1380 the Tatars were defeated by the Russians in an attempt to attack Russia.

In 1380-1395. the turmoil ceased and the power again submitted to the great khan. During this period, the Tatars made successful campaigns against Moscow.

However, at the end of the 1380s. The horde attempted to attack the territory of Tamerlane, which were unsuccessful. Tamerlane defeated the troops of the Horde, ravaged the Volga cities. The Golden Horde received a blow, which was the beginning of the collapse of the empire.

At the beginning of the 15th century. new khanates were formed from the Golden Horde (Siberian, Kazan, Crimean, etc.). The khanates were ruled by the Big Horde, however, the dependence of the new territories on it gradually weakened, and the power of the Golden Horde over Russia was also weakened.

In 1480 Russia finally freed itself from the oppression of the Mongol-Tatars.

At the beginning of the 16th century. The Big Horde, left without small khanates, ceased to exist.

The last khan of the Golden Horde was Kichi Muhammad.

The Golden Horde (Ulus Jochi) is a Mongol-Tatars state that existed in Eurasia from the 13th to the 16th century. During its dawn, the Golden Horde, nominally part of the Mongol Empire, ruled over the Russian princes and collected tribute from them (the Mongol-Tatar yoke) for several centuries.

In Russian chronicles, the Golden Horde bore different names, but most often Ulus Juchi ("Possession of Khan Juchi") and only from 1556 the state began to be called the Golden Horde.

The beginning of the era of the Golden Horde

In 1224, the Mongol Khan Genghis Khan divided the Mongol Empire between his sons, one of the parts was received by his son Jochi, then the formation of an independent state began. After him, his son, Khan Batu, became the head of the Jochi ulus. Until 1266, the Golden Horde was part of the Mongol Empire, as one of the khanates, and then became an independent state, having only a nominal dependence on the empire.

During his reign, Khan Batu made several military campaigns, as a result of which new territories were conquered, and the center of the Horde became lower Volga region... The capital was the city of Saray-Batu, located not far from modern Astrakhan.

As a result of the campaigns of Batu and his troops, the Golden Horde conquered new territories and occupied the lands during its heyday:

• Most of modern Russia, except for the Far East, Siberia and the North;
• Ukraine;
• Kazakhstan;
• Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Despite the existence of the Mongol-Tatar yoke and the power of the Mongols over Russia, the khans of the Golden Horde were not directly involved in ruling in Russia, taking only tribute from the Russian princes and making periodic punitive campaigns to strengthen their authority.

As a result of several centuries of the rule of the Golden Horde, Russia lost its independence, the economy was in decline, the lands were devastated, and the culture forever lost some types of crafts and was also in the stage of degradation. It is thanks to the long-term power of the Horde in the future that Russia has always lagged behind in development from the countries of Western Europe.

State structure and management system of the Golden Horde

The horde was a fairly typical Mongolian state, consisting of several khanates. In the 13th century, the territories of the Horde were constantly changing their borders, and the number of uluses (parts) was constantly changing, however, at the beginning of the 14th century, a territorial reform was carried out and the Golden Horde received a constant number of uluses.

At the head of each ulus was its own khan, who belonged to the ruling dynasty and was a descendant of Genghis Khan, while at the head of the state was a single khan, to whom all the rest were subordinate. Each ulus had its own manager, ulusbek, to whom lesser officials were subordinate.

The Golden Horde was a paramilitary state, so all administrative and military positions were united.

Economy and culture of the Golden Horde

Since the Golden Horde was a multinational state, the culture also absorbed much of different nations... In general, the culture was based on the way of life and traditions of the nomadic Mongols. In addition, since 1312, the Horde has become an Islamic state, which is also reflected in traditions. Scientists believe that the culture of the Golden Horde was not independent and throughout the entire period of the state's existence was in a state of stagnation, using only ready-made forms introduced by other cultures, but not inventing their own.

The Horde was a military and trading state. It was trade, along with the collection of tribute and the seizure of territories, that was the basis of the economy. Khans of the Golden Horde traded in furs, jewelry, leather, timber, grain, fish and even olive oil... Trade routes to Europe, India and China ran through the territory of the state.

End of the era of the Golden Horde

In 1357, Khan Janibek dies and a turmoil begins, caused by the struggle for power between the khans and high-ranking feudal lords. In a short period, 25 khans were replaced in the state until Khan Mamai came to power.

During this period, the Horde began to lose its political influence. In 1360, Khorezm separated, then, in 1362, Astrakhan and the lands on the Dnieper separated, and in 1380 the Mongol-Tatars were defeated by the Russians and lost their influence in Russia.

In 1380 - 1395, the turmoil subsided, and the Golden Horde began to regain the remnants of its power, but not for long. By the end of the 14th century, the state conducted a series of unsuccessful military campaigns, the power of the khan weakened, and the Horde broke up into several independent khanates, headed by the Big Horde.

In 1480, the Horde lost Russia. At the same time, the small khanates that were part of the Horde finally separated. The Big Horde existed until the 16th century, and then also disintegrated.

The last khan of the Golden Horde was Kichi Muhammad.

From the middle of the XII century. the Swedish aggression begins, the purpose of which was the territories inhabited by the Sum, Em tribes (were under the rule of Ancient Rus from the XI century. and its large center. Novgorod), Karelians. At the beginning of the XIII century. The Swedes subjugated the Sum and Em tribes, but the latter revolted and recognized the power of Novgorod. In 1240. Battle of the Neva.

In historiography, the opinion was established that as a result of victories on the Neva and on the shores of Lake Peipsi, Russia gained independence from the Swedish and German aggressors. After the death of Prince A. Nevsky in the 80s. XIII began to form the cult of the prince as a saint.

In foreign historiography, there is a different view of the assessment of the Battle of the Neva. D ... Fennell writes that the clashes on the northwestern Russian borders in the early 40s. XIII century can be called local border conflicts. These developments have slowed down a vibrant and profitable bilateral exchange between west and east. And he confirms his opinion by the fact that Swedish sources do not contain any information about this battle, and most of the ancient Russian chronicles mention only about Alexander's clash with the Swedes.

Igor Nikolaevich Danilevsky also believes that a collision with Swedish knights vryatli can be called a "battle". After analyzing the Laurentian list of the chronicle, I.N. Danilev. suggests that the bulk of the dead Swedes fell in battles with local tribes.

V.V. Tyurin about the nickname "Nevsky". In "The Tale of the Life and Courage of the Blessed and Grand Duke Oleksandr", the Novgorod prince is never named "Nevsky". For the first time this name was mentioned in the all-Russian annals of the late 15th century.

The invasion of the Mongol-Tatars. The Golden Horde was one of the ancient states of the Middle Ages. Its military power constantly kept all its neighbors in suspense. In 1206. a kurultai gathered on the banks of the Central Asian River Onon. The question of choosing a ruler was decided on it. It was Temuzhin, who went down in history as Genghis Khan.

In 1219. Genghis Khan's troops invaded Central Asia. After her, Northern Iran was captured. From the south, they came to the Polovtsian steppes and defeated the Polovtsians. They asked for help from the Russian princes, who agreed to help them. The battle took place on 05/31/1223. on the river Kalke. Not all Russian princes who promised to participate in the battle fielded their troops. The battle was lost. The state of the Polovtsians was destroyed and became part of states t-m... In 1236. Batu's troops began a campaign against the Russian lands: through the Volga Bulgaria to the Ryazan principality. Capturing in 1241. Galicia-Volyn Rus, Batu invaded Poland.

Researcher A. Karimullin,Tatars Is a tribe living in northeastern Mongolia. And the name "Mongols" came into use in the 10th century. V pre-revolutionary historiography it was customary to view the history of Russia as the history of autocracy. N.M. Karamzin analyzing the Mongol invasion, he wrote that the defeat and enslavement of Russia occurred as a result of the weakening of autocratic power. At the same time, he noted that the establishment of dependence on the Mongols helped to overcome fragmentation in Russia and create a single state.

S.M.Soloviev wrote that, of course, Batu's campaigns had devastating consequences for Russia. But in the future, such campaigns were not repeated, the khans did not take any part in the internal affairs of Russia, they remained to live in the distance, they only cared about collecting tribute.

V.O.Klyuchevsky noted that the Mongol-Tatar rule led to the economic ruin of the country. But at the same time, the power of the Mongols united the Russian lands, and without it, strife in Russia would never have subsided.

V Soviet historiography dominated the thesis about "Mongol-Tatar yoke", which meant a special relationship between Russia and the Horde, which were characterized by: the collection of tribute from Russia to replenish the Mongolian treasury; periodic punitive campaigns to Russia; the receipt by Russian princes of labels for the great reign, etc. Soviet historiography mainly considered negative consequences Mongol invasion ... The Horde was presented as a barbaric state that slowed down historical development other countries.

V 90s XX v. there was a rethinking of many issues national history... Among other problems, the question was raised about the relationship between Russia and the Horde and about the so-called "Mongol yoke". A.A. Gorsky substantiated the opinion that the Mongol conquest led to a radical change in the type of state development. For pre-Mongol Russia, the traditionally European path of feudal development was inherent, albeit with its own characteristics.

V. V. Trepavlov drew attention to the point that it is impossible to use the terms "political union" or "symbiosis" to characterize the relationship between Russia and the Golden Horde. Russian princes were "built" into the system of power of the Mongolian state and paid tribute. In this way, Grand Duke occupied a certain place in the Mongolian system of power.

V.P. Darkevich wrote about the influence of the Mongol invasion on the mentality of the Russian people. It is in this period of Russian history that one should look for the roots of such qualities as political passivity, patience, and fatalism.

V modern historical science the theory of "softening social contradictions" is widespread. After the unification of all the Mongol tribes led by Genghis Khan, the rulers (noyons) could no longer enrich themselves in internecine wars, take away herds, pastures, etc. from each other. The aristocracy could no longer profit from each other, and they needed a new source of enrichment.

The relationship between Russia and the Golden Horde. The Horde khans, on the one hand, punished the disobedient princes, and on the other, tried to attract some of them to their side. The Horde authorities often pursued a policy of setting princes against each other in the struggle for the great reign of Vladimir. The princes often married the khan's daughters. As a result, a significant percentage of the boyars and other service people of the Moscow tsar were representatives of the Tatar nobility. In Russia they turned into "service princes". The Moscow princes themselves formally remained vassals of the Golden Horde khans and ruled their "fatherland" as part of the Tsar's ulus. Therefore, they could not deny the Horde a settlement and even a representation in the hereditary possession of cities and lands of their choice. So what happened "Merger of elites".

Reasons for the defeat of Russia: fragmentation, destructive military equipment of the Mongols. Consequences: 1. Destructive. 2. The disappearance of entire craft specialties. 3. The decline of the economy. 4. Reduction of trade, external economic isolation of Russia. 5. Establishment of the yoke: regular payment of tribute, etc. The conquerors often pitted the princes against each other in order to weaken and keep them in subjection (as they did in all the conquered countries). Since 1242. (A. Nevsky) until 1434 (Vasily Yurievich Kosoy) the princes regularly traveled to the Horde. The Khan of the Golden Horde was considered the master of the entire "Russian ulus". All subordinate peoples are obliged to serve in the khan's army. In 1240. the Livonians began a wide attack on the Novgorodian lands. They occupied Izborsk and Pskov, already approached Novgorod, where by that time Alexander was expelled, fearing his strengthening.

6. The main problems of the formation of a single Russian state in the XIV-early XVI centuries.

For the first time term "Russian unified centralized state" appeared in 1921, when I.V. Stalin emphasized the historical originality of Russia, saying that the interests of defense demanded the creation of a centralized state. V 1927g... lecturer at Moscow State University Verhoeven introduced the term into scientific circulation. V 90s XX century. Anna Leonidovna Khoroshkevich suggested using the concept "The formation of Russian lands", because the term had no ideological meaning.

The topic of the formation of a centralized state is studied by Cherepnin, Sakharov, Zimin, Kobrin, Limonov, Alekseev, Fedotov and others.

Fedotov in the article "Vesiya and Freedom" he said that Moscow owed its rise to the Tatarophilic, treacherous actions of their first princes.

N.M. Karamzin wrote about the most progressive Russian character of the very act of unification. CM. Soloviev believed that the formation of the Russian centralized state was a historically prepared phenomenon. Cherepnin in the monograph "Formation of the Russian centralized state in the XIV-XV centuries." consider the formation of a single state, especially the period of Ivan III (1462 - 1480). The establishment of the Horde power stopped the struggle for Kiev, Novgorod, Galician tables.

The political situation in Russia at the end of the XIII century. In this case, we should talk about the system of two princely coalitions in Russia, which developed in connection with the disintegration of the Golden Horde itself into two parts. Russian princes began to focus on different Hordes. Hana Nogaya considered their suzerain Pereyaslavsky (aka the great Vladimirsky), Moscow, Tver, Suzdal, Yuryevsky and Dmitrovsky princes. Vassals of the Volga Khan Tokhty Yaroslavl, Smolensk, Rostov princes recognized themselves. In the first two thirds of the XIV century. in Russian history is the rivalry between Moscow and Tver. In the opinion I. N. Danilevsky the rapid transformation of the Tver principality into one of the most powerful possessions of the Suzdal land was facilitated by the fact that the Tver okrug suffered little from the Mongol-Tatars. Gradually, Moscow began to occupy a dominant position in the Nogai grouping.

The rise of Moscow begins at the end of the 13th century, when Prince Daniil Alexandrovich, the son of A. Nevsky, occupies the dominant position in North-Eastern Russia, expanding the territory of the Moscow principality.

V Soviet historiography on this issue stood the opinion A.A. Zimina. He believed that one can only talk about the relative safety of the inhabitants of the Moscow principality and that the inhabitants of the Tver, Rostov, Yaroslavl, and Kostroma principalities were in approximately the same position. The geographical position of Moscow was even less favorable than Tver, which was in a central position and actually directly on the trade routes. A.A. Zimin saw the main reason for the strengthening of Moscow in the active colonization policy of Moscow monasteries.

A.A. Gorsky believes that the main reason for the rise of Moscow is the personal qualities of the Moscow princes, their skillful policy. In addition, in his opinion, in the first quarter of the XIV century. representatives of the southern Russian nobility traveled to Moscow, bringing with them military forces from the Chernigov and Kiev principalities. Many boyars went to the Moscow principality, which was considered the head of the coalition of Khan Nogai.

L.N. Gumilyov, proceeding from his theory of ethnogenesis, he believes that one of the main reasons for the strengthening of Moscow was that the Moscow principality attracted a lot of passionate people (this is an irresistible desire of people for activities aimed at changing their life, social) (i.e. people endowed with a special biopsychic energy). Moscow managed to use and unite these people by the Orthodox faith. Mostly they were energetic and principled people who were able to lead the rest. It was the presence of such people that became a decisive factor in the process of Moscow's rise.

Thus, we can conclude that the "rise" of Moscow contributed to whole line factors.

Reasons for elevation: profitable geographical position; support of the Moscow princes from the Horde (N.I. Kostomarov), the transfer of the metropolitan's residence to Moscow, the formation of a strong military army in Moscow, an active colonization policy of Moscow monasteries. An important reason for the rise of Moscow was the activities of the Moscow princes themselves. In addition, an important reason for the rise of Moscow was the victory of Dmitry Donskoy at the Kulikovo field.

In progress unification of Russian lands around Moscow can be distinguished 3 stages:

I) 20s of the XIII century - 1380 the struggle of the Moscow principality with rivals (Tver, Lithuania) for leadership in collecting land and the beginning of the liberation of Russia from Mongol rule.

II) 1380 - 1453 - the struggle of the Moscow principality to strengthen its positions and strengthen the power of the Moscow prince.

III) second floor. XV - early XVI century - the completion of the political unification of the Russian lands around Moscow, the overthrow of Mongol rule. Huge merit in the unification of the Russian lands belongs Ivan III and Vasily III.

The meaning of the unification of Russian lands: 1) all the lands of North-Eastern Russia were united into a single state, which ended the period of feudal fragmentation; 2) the strengthening of the power of the Moscow princes made it possible to free themselves from the Horde dependence; 3) the international authority of the Russian state has grown.

Russia under the Mongol-Tatar yoke existed extremely humiliatingly. She was completely subordinate both politically and economically. Therefore, the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke in Russia, the date of standing on the Ugra River - 1480, is perceived as major event in our history. Although Russia became politically independent, the payment of tribute in a smaller amount continued until the times of Peter the Great. The complete end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke - the year 1700, when Peter the Great canceled payments to the Crimean khans.

Mongol army

In the XII century, the Mongol nomads united under the rule of the cruel and cunning ruler Temuchin. He mercilessly suppressed all obstacles to unlimited power and created a unique army that won victory after victory. He, creating a great empire, was named by his nobility Genghis Khan.

Having conquered East Asia, the Mongol troops reached the Caucasus and Crimea. They destroyed the Alans and Polovtsians. The remnants of the Polovtsians turned to Russia for help.

First meeting

There were 20 or 30 thousand soldiers in the Mongol army, it is not precisely established. They were led by Jebe and Subedei. They stopped at the Dnieper. And at this time, Khotyan persuaded the Galich prince Mstislav Udaliy to oppose the invasion of the terrible cavalry. He was joined by Mstislav Kievsky and Mstislav Chernigovsky. By different sources, the total Russian army numbered from 10 to 100 thousand people. A council of war took place on the banks of the Kalki River. A single plan was not worked out. made one. He was supported only by the remnants of the Polovtsi, but during the battle they fled. The princes who did not support Galician still had to fight the Mongols who attacked their fortified camp.

The battle lasted three days. Only by cunning and a promise not to take anyone prisoner did the Mongols enter the camp. But they did not keep their words. The Mongols tied the Russian governors and the prince alive and covered them with boards and sat on them and began to feast on the victory, enjoying the groans of the dying. So they died in agony Kiev prince and his entourage. The year was 1223. The Mongols, without going into details, went back to Asia. They will be back in thirteen years. And all these years in Russia there was a fierce bickering between the princes. She completely undermined the strength of the Southwestern principalities.

Invasion

Genghis Khan's grandson Batu with a huge half-million army, having conquered the Polovtsian lands in the south in the east, approached the Russian principalities in December 1237. His tactic was not to give a big battle, but to attack individual units, smashing everyone one by one. Approaching the southern borders of the Ryazan principality, the Tatars demanded tribute from him with an ultimatum: a tenth of horses, people and princes. There were barely three thousand soldiers in Ryazan. They sent for help to Vladimir, but no help came. After six days of the siege, Ryazan was taken.

The inhabitants were destroyed, the city was destroyed. This was the beginning. The end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke will take place in two hundred and forty difficult years. Kolomna was next. There the Russian army was almost all killed. Moscow lies in the ashes. But before that, someone, who dreamed of returning to their native places, buried it in a treasure of silver jewelry. It was found by accident when construction was underway in the Kremlin in the 90s of the XX century. Vladimir was next. The Mongols did not spare either women or children and destroyed the city. Then Torzhok fell. But spring was coming, and, fearing the thaw, the Mongols moved south. Northern swampy Russia did not interest them. But on the way was a tiny defending Kozelsk. The city fiercely resisted for almost two months. But reinforcements came to the Mongols with battering machines, and the city was taken. All the defenders were cut out and left no stone unturned from the town. So, all of Northeastern Russia by 1238 lay in ruins. And who can have doubts as to whether there was a Mongolian Tatar yoke in Russia? From brief description it follows that there was a wonderful good neighborly relationship, isn't it?

Southwest Russia

Her turn came in 1239. Pereyaslavl, Chernigov principality, Kiev, Volodymyr-Volynsky, Galich - everything is destroyed, not to mention the smaller towns and villages. And how far is the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke! How much horror and destruction his beginning brought. The Mongols went to Dalmatia and Croatia. Western Europe trembled.

However, news from distant Mongolia forced the invaders to turn back. And they did not have enough strength for a second trip. Europe was saved. But our Motherland, lying in ruins, bleeding, did not know when the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke would come.

Russia under the yoke

Who suffered the most from the Mongol invasion? Peasants? Yes, the Mongols did not spare them. But they could hide in the woods. Townspeople? Certainly. There were 74 cities in Russia, and 49 of them were destroyed by Batu, and 14 were never recovered. Craftsmen were turned into slaves and taken out. There was no continuity of skills in crafts, and the craft fell into decay. They have forgotten how to pour glass dishes, cook glass for the manufacture of windows, there are no more multicolored ceramics and jewelry with cloisonné enamel. Masons and carvers disappeared, and stone construction was suspended for 50 years. But the hardest of all was for those who, with weapons in their hands, repelled the attack - the feudal lords and warriors. Out of 12 Ryazan princes, three survived, out of 3 Rostov princes - one, out of 9 Suzdal princes - 4. And no one calculated the losses in the squads. And there were no less of them. Professionals in military service replaced by other people who are used to being pushed around. So the princes began to possess all the fullness of power. This process subsequently, when the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke comes, will deepen and lead to the unlimited power of the monarch.

Russian princes and the Golden Horde

After 1242, Russia fell under the complete political and economic oppression of the Horde. So that the prince could legally inherit his throne, he had to go with gifts to the "free king", as our princes of the khans called, to the capital of the Horde. I spent quite a long time there. The Khan slowly considered the lowest requests. The whole procedure turned into a chain of humiliations, and after long deliberations, sometimes for many months, the khan gave a "shortcut", that is, permission to reign. So, one of our princes, having arrived to Batu, called himself a slave in order to keep his possessions.

The tribute to be paid by the principality was necessarily negotiated. At any moment, the khan could summon the prince to the Horde and even execute the unwanted in it. The Horde led a special policy with the princes, diligently fanning their feuds. The disunity of the princes and their principalities played into the hands of the Mongols. The Horde itself gradually became a colossus with feet of clay. In herself, centrifugal sentiments intensified. But this will be much later. And in the beginning, its unity is strong. After the death of Alexander Nevsky, his sons fiercely hate each other and fiercely fight for the Vladimir throne. Conventionally, the reign in Vladimir gave the prince seniority over all the others. In addition, a decent allotment of land was joined with those who bring money to the treasury. And for the great reign of Vladimir in the Horde, a struggle flared up between the princes, sometimes even to death. This is how Russia lived under the Mongol-Tatar yoke. The troops of the Horde were practically not in it. But in case of disobedience, punitive troops could always come and begin to cut and burn everything.

Rise of Moscow

The bloody feuds of the Russian princes among themselves led to the fact that the Mongolian troops came to Russia 15 times from 1275 to 1300. Many principalities emerged from the strife weakened, from which people fled to quieter places. The small Moscow principality turned out to be such a quiet principality. It went to the inheritance of the younger Daniel. He reigned from the age of 15 and led a cautious policy, trying not to quarrel with his neighbors, because he was too weak. And the Horde didn't pay close attention to him. Thus, an impetus was given to the development of trade and enrichment in this lot.

Immigrants from troubled places poured into it. Daniel eventually managed to annex Kolomna and Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, increasing his principality. After his death, his sons continued the relatively quiet policy of their father. Only the princes of Tver saw them as potential rivals and tried, fighting for the Great Reign in Vladimir, to spoil Moscow's relations with the Horde. This hatred reached the point that when the Moscow prince and the prince of Tver were simultaneously summoned to the Horde, Dmitry of Tverskoy stabbed Yuri of Moscow. For such arbitrariness, he was executed by the Horde.

Ivan Kalita and "great silence"

The fourth son of Prince Daniel, it seemed, had no chance of the Moscow throne. But his older brothers died, and he began to reign in Moscow. By the will of fate, he also became the Grand Duke of Vladimir. Under him and his sons, the Mongol raids on the Russian lands stopped. Moscow and the people in it grew richer. Cities grew, their population increased. A whole generation grew up in North-Eastern Russia, which stopped trembling at the mention of the Mongols. This brought the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke in Russia closer.

Dmitry Donskoy

By the time of the birth of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich in 1350, Moscow is already turning into the center of the political, cultural and religious life of the northeast. The grandson of Ivan Kalita lived a short, 39 years old, but bright life. He spent it in battles, but now it is important to focus on the great battle with Mamai, which took place in 1380 on the Nepryadva River. By this time, Prince Dmitry defeated the punitive Mongol detachment between Ryazan and Kolomna. Mamai began to prepare a new campaign against Russia. Dmitry, having learned about this, in turn began to gather forces to repulse. Not all princes responded to his call. The prince had to turn to Sergius of Radonezh for help in order to gather the people's militia. And having received the blessing of the holy elder and two monks, at the end of the summer he gathered a militia and moved towards the huge army of Mamai.

September 8 at dawn took place great battle... Dmitry fought in the forefront, was wounded, he was found with difficulty. But the Mongols were defeated and fled. Dmitry returned with a victory. But the time has not yet come when the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke in Russia will come. History says that another hundred years will pass under the yoke.

Strengthening of Russia

Moscow became the center of the unification of Russian lands, but not all princes agreed to accept this fact. Dmitry's son, Vasily I, ruled for a long time, 36 years, and relatively calmly. He defended the Russian lands from the encroachments of the Lithuanians, annexed the Suzdal and Nizhny Novgorod principality. The Horde grew weaker and less and less reckoned with. Vasily visited the Horde only twice in his life. But there was no unity within Russia either. Riots flared up endlessly. Even at the wedding of Prince Vasily II, a scandal broke out. One of the guests was wearing Dmitry Donskoy's golden belt. When the bride found out about this, she publicly tore it off, inflicting an insult. But the belt was not just a jewel. He was a symbol of the great princely power. During the reign of Vasily II (1425-1453), feudal wars were fought. The Moscow prince was seized, blinded, wounded at the same time his entire face and all his subsequent life he wore a bandage on his face and received the nickname "Dark". However, this strong-willed prince was released, and the young Ivan became his co-ruler, who, after the death of his father, would become the liberator of the country and receive the nickname Great.

End of the Tatar-Mongol yoke in Russia

In 1462, the rightful ruler Ivan III came to the throne of Moscow, who would become a reformer and reformer. He carefully and prudently united the Russian lands. He annexed Tver, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Perm, and even obstinate Novgorod recognized him as sovereign. He made the double-headed Byzantine eagle the coat of arms and began to build the Kremlin. This is how we know him. Since 1476, Ivan III stopped paying tribute to the Horde. A beautiful but untrue legend tells how it happened. Having accepted the Horde embassy, ​​the Grand Duke trampled on the Basma and sent a warning to the Horde that the same would happen to them if they did not leave his country alone. The enraged Khan Akhmed, having collected a large army, moved to Moscow, wanting to punish her for disobedience. Approximately 150 km from Moscow near the Ugra River on the Kaluga lands in the fall, two troops stood opposite. The Russian was headed by Vasily's son, Ivan Molodoy.

Ivan III returned to Moscow and began to carry out supplies for the army - food, fodder. So the troops stood opposite each other, until early winter came with a lack of food and buried all the plans of Ahmed. The Mongols turned around and went to the Horde, admitting defeat. This is how the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke took place bloodlessly. Its date is 1480 - a great event in our history.

The meaning of the fall of the yoke

Having suspended the political, economic and cultural development of Russia for a long time, the yoke pushed the country to the margins of European history. When the Renaissance began and flourished in Western Europe in all areas, when the national self-consciousness of peoples was taking shape, when countries were getting rich and flourishing in trade, they sent a ship fleet in search of new lands, darkness stood in Russia. Columbus discovered America in 1492. For Europeans, the Earth grew rapidly. For us, the end of the Mongol-Tatar yoke in Russia marked the opportunity to get out of the narrow medieval framework, change the laws, reform the army, build cities and develop new lands. In short, Russia gained independence and began to be called Russia.

In the middle of the XIII century, Russia underwent one of the most difficult trials in the history of its existence - the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars. The Golden Horde is a state entity created by the Mongol-Tatars, the purpose of which was to exploit the conquered peoples. But not all peoples have humbly resigned themselves to the heavy yoke. The liberation of Russia from the Golden Horde will be the subject of our study.

First meeting

The creator of the Mongol Empire was Genghis Khan. The great Mongol managed to rally the scattered Tatar tribes into a single powerful state. In just a couple of decades, his state grew from a small ulus to the size of the world's largest empire. He conquered China, the Tangut state, Khorezm and smaller tribes and peoples. The history of Genghis Khan was a series of wars and conquests, brilliant victories and great triumphs.

In 1223, the commanders of the great khan Subudai-Bagatur and Jebe-noyon, within the framework of reconnaissance in battle in the Black Sea steppes on the banks of the Kalka River, utterly defeated the Russian-Polovtsian army. But since this time the conquest of Russia was not included in the plans of the Mughals, they turned home. A large-scale hike was planned for the next year. But the Conqueror of the Universe died suddenly, leaving greatest empire in the world to heirs. Indeed, Genghis Khan is a great Mongol.

Batu's hike

Years have passed. The history of Genghis Khan, his great deeds inspired descendants. One of his grandchildren was Batu Khan (Batu). He was a great warrior to match his glorious grandfather. Batu belonged to Ulus Jochi, named after his father, and it was he who was bequeathed to the great western campaign, which Genghis Khan did not manage to complete.

In 1235, a general Mongol kurultai was convened in Karakorum, at which it was decided to organize a great march to the west. Batu was elected Jihangir, or the main commander, as expected.

In 1238–1240, the Mongol army marched across the lands of Rus with fire and sword. The appanage princes, between whom civil strife was constantly going on, could not rally into a single force to repel the conquerors. Having conquered Russia, hordes of Mongols rushed to central Europe, burning on their way villages and cities of Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria.

Formation of the Golden Horde

After the death of Batu, the ulus of Jochi passed into the hands of his younger brother Berke. It was he who by and large and was the real creator of the Golden Horde as a state. He founded the city of Saray, which became the capital of this nomadic empire. From here he ruled the state, went on campaigns against rebellious tribes, collected tribute.

The Golden Horde is a multinational state with a developed apparatus of oppression, consisting of many tribes and peoples, united by the power of Mongolian weapons.

Mongol-Tatar yoke

The lands of the Golden Horde stretched from the steppes of modern Kazakhstan to Bulgaria, but Russia was not directly part of it. The Russian lands were considered vassal principalities and tributaries of the Horde state.
Among the many Russian princes there was one whom the khans of the Golden Horde appointed great, giving him a label. This meant that it was to this prince that the small appanage rulers should obey. Starting with Ivan Kalita, the great reign was almost always in the hands of the Moscow princes.

Initially, the Mongols themselves collected tribute from the conquered Russian lands. The so-called baskak, who was considered the head of the Mongol administration in Russia, was in charge of the collection of taxes. He had his own army, through which he asserted the power of the Golden Horde in the conquered lands. All princes, including the great one, had to obey Baskak.

It was the Basque times that were the most difficult for Russia. After all, the Mongols took not only a heavy tribute, they trampled the Russian land with the hooves of their horses, and killed the recalcitrant or took in full.

End of Basque

But the Russians did not even think to endure the arbitrariness of the Mongol governors. They raised one rebellion after another. The largest uprising took place in 1327 in Tver, during which the brother of Uzbek khan Chol-khan was killed. The Golden Horde did not forget this, and already in next year a punitive campaign against the Tverichi was sent. Tver was plundered, but positive point in the fact that, seeing the disobedience of the Russian people, the Mongolian administration was forced to abandon the institution of Basque. From that moment on, the tribute to the khan was collected not by the Mongols, but by the great dukes. Therefore, it is from this date that the beginning of such a process as the liberation of Russia from the rule of the Golden Horde should be counted.

The Great Zamyat

As time went on, and now the khans of the Golden Horde themselves staged a bickering among themselves. This period in history was called the Great Zamyatnya. During this period of time, which began in 1359, more than 25 khans were replaced in 20 years. And some of them ruled for only a few days.

This fact influenced the further weakening of the yoke. The khans who replaced each other were simply forced to give a label to the strongest prince, who, in gratitude for this, continued to send tribute, although not in the same amount as before. The strongest, as before, remained the Moscow prince.

Battle of Kulikovo

Meanwhile, the power in the Golden Horde was usurped by the temnik Mamai, who was not a Chingizid by blood. The Moscow prince Dmitry Ivanovich considered this fact a reason to finally throw off the Tatar yoke. He refused to pay tribute, arguing that Mamai is not a legitimate khan, but controls the Horde through his henchmen.

The enraged Mamai began to gather an army for a campaign against the rebellious prince. His army included, in addition to the Tatars proper, also the Crimean Genoese. In addition, the Lithuanian prince Jagailo promised to provide assistance.

Dmitry also did not waste time and, knowing that Mamai would not forgive his refusal, gathered his own army. He was joined by the Suzdal and Smolensk princes, but the Ryazan ones preferred to sit out cowardly.

The decisive battle took place in 1380 on the Kulikovo field. Before the battle, a significant event took place. According to the old tradition, the heroes of the opposing sides met in the field in a duel. From the Tatars came the famous warrior Chelubey, the Russian army was represented by Peresvet. The duel did not reveal the winner, since the heroes simultaneously pierced each other's hearts.

The battle soon began. The scales tipped one or the other side, but nevertheless, in the end, Prince Dmitry won a brilliant victory, completely defeating the army of Mamai. In honor of this triumph, he was nicknamed Donskoy.

Tokhtamysh's revenge

At this time, Khan Tokhtamysh, who was a hereditary Chingizid, was significantly strengthened in the eastern steppes with the help of the great Khromts Timur. He was able to gather a large enough army to finally submit to him the entire Golden Horde. The Age of the Great Hush was over.

Tokhtamysh sent a message to Dmitry that he was grateful to him for the victory over the usurper Mamai and expects tribute from Russia as the legitimate khan of the Golden Horde. Of course, the Moscow prince, who with such difficulty won the victory on the Kulikovo field, was absolutely not satisfied with this state of affairs. He refused the demand for tribute.

Now Tokhtamysh gathered a huge army and moved it to Russia. Weakened after the Kulikovo battle, the Russian lands could not oppose anything to this army. Dmitry Donskoy was forced to flee Moscow. Tokhtamysh began a siege of the city and took it by deception. Dmitry had no choice but to agree to pay tribute again. The liberation from the Golden Horde had to be postponed indefinitely, despite the grandiose victory at the Kulikovo field.

Soon Tokhtamysh became proud of his victories to such an extent that he dared to go to war against his benefactor Timur. The Great Khromets defeated the presumptuous Khan, but this fact did not free the Russian lands from paying tribute, since another applicant for the Golden Horde throne came to Tokhtamysh's place.

Weakening the Horde

The Moscow princes did not succeed in completely throwing off the Tatar yoke, but it invariably weakened as the Horde itself lost its strength. Of course, there were still difficult times for Russia, for example, the siege of Moscow by the Tatar emir Edigey. But it often happened that the Russian princes for several years could not pay tribute, and the khans of the Golden Horde did not have the time and energy to demand it.

The Golden Horde began to fall apart before our eyes. The Crimean, Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian Khanates fell away from it in pieces. The Golden Horde was no longer the mighty state that terrified many peoples with the help of its huge army, collecting an exorbitant tribute from them. By and large, by that time it had ceased to exist, so the remnants of this once great power in modern historiography are usually called the Great Horde. The power of this formation over Russia, already united by the Moscow principality, was reduced to fiction.

Standing on the Eel

It is customary to associate the final liberation of Rus from the Golden Horde with the so-called Standing on the Ugra, which took place in 1480.

By the time of this event, Russia, united by a dynasty of Moscow princes, had become one of the most powerful states in Eastern Europe. Prince Ivan III recently annexed the rebellious Novgorod to his lands, and now ruled the entire controlled territory with absolute power. In fact, he had long been a completely independent ruler, in no way inferior to European kings, but nominally remained a vassal of the Great Horde.

However, Ivan III, back in 1472, completely stopped paying the Horde exit. And now, eight years later, Khan Akhmat felt the strength to, in his opinion, restore justice and force the rebellious prince to pay tribute.

Russian and Tatar troops went out to meet each other. They reached the opposite banks of the Ugra River, which ran right along the border of the Horde and Russia. None of the opponents was in a hurry to cross, as they understood that the side that dared to do this would be in a more disadvantageous situation in the upcoming battle.

Having stood like this for more than a month, the Russian and Horde armies finally decided to disperse without starting a decisive battle.

This was the last attempt of the Horde to force Russia to pay tribute again, therefore it is precisely 1480 that is considered the date of the overthrow of the Mongol-Tatar yoke.

Subjugating the Remnants of the Horde

But this was not the last page of Russian-Tatar interstate relations.

Soon the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey defeated the remnants of the Great Horde, after which it completely ceased to exist. But in addition to the Crimean Khanate itself, Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian were the heirs of the Golden Horde. Now Russia has already begun to treat them as subordinate territories, planting its henchmen on the throne.

However, Ivan IV the Terrible, who by that time had assumed the title of tsar, decided not to play vassal khanates anymore and, as a result of several successful campaigns, finally annexed these lands to the Russian kingdom.

The only independent heir to the Golden Horde was only Crimean Khanate... However, soon it had to recognize the vassalage from the Ottoman sultans. But the Russian Empire managed to conquer the Crimea only under the Empress Catherine II, who in 1783 removed the last Khan Shagin-Girey from power.

So the remnants of the Horde were conquered by Russia, which once suffered a yoke from the Mongol-Tatars.

Results of the confrontation

Thus, Russia, despite the fact that for several centuries it was forced to endure the exhausting Mongol-Tatar yoke, found the strength with the help of the wise policy of the Moscow princes to throw off the hated yoke. Later, she herself went on the offensive and absorbed all the remnants of the once mighty Golden Horde.

The decisive point was set in the 18th century, when the Crimean Khanate ceded to Russia under a peace treaty with the Ottoman Empire.