Khan Batu is the grandson of Timur - Genghis Khan, son of Jochi Khan. Modern historians are forced to admit this fact, since chronicles have been preserved and it is written about this in other documents.
Well, and of course, historians see him as a Mongoloid.
But let's look at it logically. Batu, or more precisely Batu Khan, belongs, like his grandfather Genghis Khan, to the Borjigin family, i.e. must have blue eyes, blond hair, be at least 1.7 m tall and other signs of belonging to the white race. However, there is no information on the portrait; it was diligently destroyed by falsifiers of Russian history.
Khan Batu - military king of the Rus
Of course, examining the bust, it is impossible to draw a conclusion about the color of the eyes and hair. This is what the false historians were counting on when they left the artifact. But the value lies elsewhere. There is not the slightest sign of a Mongoloid in the outlines of the bust - a typical European is depicted with a thick beard and Slavic eye shape!
But the second source is “Batu’s capture of Suzdal in 1238. Miniature from the “Life of Euphrosyne of Suzdal” of the 16th century. List of the 18th century":
A miniature depicting Khan Batu in a crown, who, accompanied by his army, enters the city on a white horse. His face is not Turkic at all - purely European. And all the characters in the fighting squad are somehow Slavic, isn’t it noticeable?!
So Khan Batu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, was not far from his famous grandfather in appearance.
Then why did historians pay so little attention to Bath in their chronicles?
Who really was Batu Khan? Why did his activities displease the Romanov falsifiers so much that, unable to come up with a plausible version, they decided to destroy the existing chronicles?
In another illustration from the chronicle, Batu Khan appeared in the image of a Russian Tsar with the same Russian warriors:
Batu is one of prominent politicians 13th century. He played important role in the history of many states in Asia, Eastern Europe and Rus'. Until now, few people know the description of his life. Being a significant historical figure, Batu remains unknown and forgotten.
How is it that historians and historical biographers have not paid attention to this famous figure?
Let's consider official version history, created by German specialists commissioned by the Romanovs and forcibly imposed, first on the captured Moscow Tartaria, and with the advent of the Great Jewish Revolution, extended to the entire territory of the former empire.
Information about Batu is rather superficial. Khan from Mongolia, grandson of Genghis Khan. Batu (12O8-1255) organized a large-scale campaign against Rus' and countries of Eastern Europe. This data can be found in many biographical dictionaries.
The most important thing that Batu left behind was the state. It is now known as Golden Horde. His successors in different centuries were Muscovy And Russian empire, and today this list is supplemented by Kazakhstan. Few people know that the Horde is an Army, an Army. The army of the Vedic Empire or Great Tartaria, united over the entire vast territory.
Khan's life is comparable to a political detective story. It is a series of riddles and secrets. Their discovery is new horizons for researchers.
These mysteries begin from the moment of birth and last until the end of Batu’s life. The very life of this mysterious khan can be divided into three stages. Each stage left a significant imprint on the history of many Asian, European countries, and of course, Russia.
Batu's birth occurred in the year of the earth-snake. Batu is the son of the eldest son of Genghis Khan. Father - Jochi Khan himself was a conqueror; before Batu was born, his father conquered Transbaikalia and the Kyrgyz of the Yenisei. Geographically, Batu’s birth supposedly took place on the territory of modern Altai.
According to Russian chronicles, Batu troops conquered Volga Bulgaria, destroying almost the entire population. Khan paved the way to Rus'.
Historians ask the question, why was the campaign against Rus' necessary at all? After all, the conquest of Volga Bulgaria made it possible to be secure for the rest of one’s life. But despite everything, the more dangerous and difficult hike took place. Along the way, some other peoples of the Volga region were conquered.
There is an opinion that the khan was guided not only by his own decisions. His strategies and directions were influenced by relatives and comrades in the campaign, who dreamed of military glory.
The Ryazan principality was the first to stand on Batu’s path. The invasion began with the strange murder of Ryazan ambassadors, including the prince’s son. The murder is strange because usually the Mongols left their ambassadors alive, no matter what conflicts occurred. Perhaps the ambassadors seriously offended the Mongols in some way, but a more plausible version is about a contract killing, like the murder of Prince Ferdinand to create a pretext for the start of a world war.
Domestic historians claim that the khan decided to turn around because of the stubborn struggle of the Russian people in the rear of his troops. The probability of this fact is small, because his troops left Rus', leaving no one as governors, and the Mongols did not set up garrisons. Who would the Russians have to fight? Moreover, fighters from Southern Rus' took part in the campaigns of the Mongol troops against the Ugrians and Poles.
European experts insist that the European knights, possessing excellent weapons and seriously trained, overcame the advance of the light barbarian cavalry. This is also a false statement. One need only remember the fate of the famous knighthood of Liegnitz and Chaillot and the psychological state of the knight sovereigns. Batu left Europe, since the set goals of destroying Khan Kotyan, as well as preserving his possessions in safety, were completed.
Batu died in 1256. Even his death is also shrouded in mystery. There were versions of poisoning and even death in one of the campaigns.
Contemporaries did not even think about such a banal death of such a significant historical person - a legend was needed. Although the death of the khan was completely natural, it was due to a chronic rheumatic disease.
And yet, why did Batu receive such a small place in the annals of history? Finding an answer today is not so difficult.
Chinese and Mongolian sources contain a scanty amount of information about Batu. While he was in China, he did not show himself in any way. Mongol chroniclers considered him an enemy of the khans from Karakorum and wished to keep silent about him so as not to anger their overlords
The Persian chronicles are somewhat similar. Since the heirs of Sain Khan fought for the lands of Iran and Azerbaijan with the Persian Mongols for more than a century, the chroniclers at the palace chose to write less about the leader of their opponents.
Western diplomats who visited Batu generally refused to make any statements about him. They kept silent about their opinion about the khan. Although, according to some information, the Mongol ruler is very kind to his subordinates, he instills great fear in them, is able to hide his emotions, wants to show his unity with the rest of the Genghisids, etc. etc.
Among the chronicles of Rus' and the West, the falsifiers left only records corresponding to the version about Mongol invasions, who did not write anything good about Batu. So he entered the chronicles as the destroyer and destroyer of Rus' and Eastern Europe.
Later chronicles were based on previous records and further strengthened this status of Batu.
This position was so strong that when, already in the 20th century, orientalists from the USSR were looking for positive aspects of the khan’s activities (promoting the development of trade, cities, the ability to fairly resolve disputes between vassal rulers), the data of official history and ideology crowned these searches with failure.
Only towards the end of the 20th century did historians begin to destroy the entrenched stereotype. For example, L.N. Gumilyov put Batu on a par with Charlemagne, noting that the latter’s power did not last long after the death of the leader, and the Golden Horde had a long history after the death of its founder.
One way or another, no one has yet dedicated any serious research work. Probably, specialists are still stopped by the meager information base, rather contradictory materials that do not allow them to project a complete picture of Batu’s life, and the unspoken ban on such research plays a significant role. But the lack of a database and prohibitions do not stop falsifiers of history.
In view of all of the above, to this day Khan Batu remains a mysterious and mysterious figure. We will remove the layer of falsehood through joint efforts, but the Russian truth will still find its way.
In 1207, which the Mongols considered the year of the snake earth, Jochi, the eldest son and heir of Genghis Khan, had a son, Batu (in the Russian pronunciation tradition - Batu). Shortly before the boy was born, Jochi conquered the Transbaikal “forest peoples” and the Kyrgyz from the Yenisei, and on his campaign, apparently, he was accompanied by his family. Therefore, it is very likely that Batu’s birthplace is the territory of modern Altai Territory or Buryatia.
The famous grandfather Batu, having begun to divide his possessions between his sons, gave the largest inheritance to Jochi. This inheritance included Western Siberia, Khorezm, the Urals and the promise of all the western lands that the Mongol horses can reach. But Jochi did not have a chance to rejoice at his father’s generosity for long. Genghis Khan suspected his son of treason, and soon Jochi was killed - perhaps really on his father's orders. After the death of his son, Genghis Khan ordered his grandson Batu to be elected ruler of the Jochi ulus, which greatly surprised many noyons. Batu was about eighteen years old, he was not the eldest son of Jochi and did not have time to distinguish himself with any special merits. However, the Noyons did not dare to violate the will of Genghis Khan.
Unanimously elected as his father's successor, Batu, however, received neither real power, not even his own inheritance: he had to distribute all the regions of his father’s ulus to his brothers as a token of gratitude for his election as chief. Ordu-Ichen, the eldest brother, became the ruler of the troops, and Batu’s power was then purely symbolic.
After the death of Genghis Khan in 1227, his throne was inherited by his third son, Ogedei, who, after his election, confirmed the title of Batu and even promised to help in the conquest of the western lands. But in 1230 the Mongols set off to conquer China, and Batu, of course, accompanied his uncle on this campaign. The Qin Empire fell in 1234, and a year later it was finally decided to go to the West. The appointed group of conquerors included all the eldest grandchildren of Genghis Khan, and thus the conquest of the West became a common endeavor. The conquered lands were now to be divided among the twelve Chingizid princes.
The campaign to the West was actually commanded by Subedei-Batur, the most experienced commander of Genghis Khan, but the princes did not want to recognize him as the real leader. The cunning Ogedei left it to the nephews themselves to elect the commander-in-chief, and Batu won the victory in these elections, as he had already taken part in campaigns against the Polovtsians and Khorezm. It must be assumed that the reason for the election was not so much military experience as the fact that the troops were collected mainly in Batu’s domains.
The number of these troops was about one hundred and thirty thousand warriors. Some of them were sent to the lands of the Southern Volga region to fight the Kipchaks, Alans and other tribes. Most of the army moved in 1236 to the once powerful state of Volga Bulgaria, now consisting of semi-independent principalities. Their rulers were at enmity with each other, and some even allied with the Mongols - and a year later Volga Bulgaria became Mongol territory. Judging by Russian chronicles, Batu passed through these lands with sword and fire, mercilessly exterminating the population. Having completed the subjugation of the Bulgars, he continued his campaign to the West - and now he had to conquer Rus'.
The Ryazan principality was the first to be invaded - at the end of 1237, Batu defeated the main troops of the Ryazan princes and in two weeks captured the most important cities, including Ryazan itself. The remnants of the Ryazan army retreated to Kolomna, located on the border of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, and then Yuri Vsevolodovich, Vladimir and Suzdal, came to their aid Grand Duke.
It is curious that when Batu was crushing the Bulgars, Yuri was fighting with the Mordovian prince Purgas, the main Bulgar ally. And the ruin of the Ryazan principality was very beneficial for the Suzdal prince. But on his own territory, the Mongols, of course, were of no use to him, and therefore at Kolomna Batu’s troops met not only with the Ryazan people, but also with the squad of Yuri Vsevolodovich, reinforced by the people’s militia. Advance Detachments The Mongols were initially repulsed, and in the battle, one of his main opponents, Kulkan, the youngest son of Genghis Khan, died very successfully for Batu. But soon the main forces appeared, and the steppe cavalry defeated the Russian foot troops. Then Batu took Moscow in five days and moved on the city of Vladimir, the capital of North-Eastern Rus'.
In February 1238, Vladimir fell, and then Batu captured and burned fourteen cities. On March 4, Yuri Vsevolodovich was killed in a fierce battle on the City River, and with the defeat of this last army, Rus' could no longer resist the Mongols in an organized manner. Only Veliky Novgorod remained, and in March the Mongols took Torzhok, the Novgorod forward outpost. This was a show of force, but the Novgorod prince did not respond to the provocation, and Batu turned his troops to the south.
By mid-May, the Mongols took the border Kozelsk, and by the summer Batu was already in the Volga region, where he intended to create his own ulus, considering his campaign completed. Unfortunately, Ogedei, great khan the Mongols did not think so and demanded to continue the conquests. Batu’s comrades also desired military glory. In 1239, Batu limited himself to raids on Moksha and Mordvins, went to the devastated Ryazan principality, but by the end next summer It became impossible to postpone a serious campaign, and the Mongols invaded Southern Rus' - it was through it that the road to Hungary lay. Batu made an attempt to negotiate with Kiev, but Prince Mikhail ordered the killing of his ambassadors, for which Kyiv paid heavily. In December, after a three-month siege, Kyiv fell.
In Hungary, the Mongols wanted to settle long-standing scores with the Polovtsian khan Kotyan, who had fled there, and therefore they were in a hurry, and Galician-Volyn Rus suffered less than Northern Rus - Batu did not touch some cities at all. But he brilliantly carried out the European campaign of the Mongols, planned by Subedei. The Mongol army, reinforced, by the way, by representatives of the conquered peoples, was divided into three columns, and each of them successfully completed its task.
The northern column, commanded by Genghis Khan's grandsons Baydar and Kadan, went to Poland, where in April 1241 it defeated a combined army of Czechs, Poles and German knights, and then moved to Slovakia and further to Hungary. The second column was led by Batu himself - this part of the army, having crossed the Carpathians, entered Hungary and on April 11 defeated the Hungarian king Bela IV on the Shayo River. At this point, the king had already dealt with the Polovtsian khan, and therefore lost forty thousand Polovtsian soldiers who had left him. Subedei-Baghatur with the third column captured the territory of modern Romania, after which he joined Batu, who was pursuing the Hungarian king. However, Batu, apparently, did not intend to destroy Hungary and even ordered the restoration of the economy, but, nevertheless, this period in the history of the Hungarians is considered one of the most difficult.
Rulers Western Europe, not ready to offer resistance to the Mongols, prepared for the worst, but in the spring of 1242 Batu unexpectedly ordered to turn back. This order still remains a mystery in his biography. Some historians argue that the reason for the Mongols' departure from Europe was the Russian struggle behind Batu's rear. However, the South Russian warriors gladly went together with the Mongols against the “Poles” and “Ugrians,” their ancient enemies. Most likely, Batu simply accomplished what he intended: after all, Khan Kotyan was destroyed one way or another, and the borders of the new possessions were protected. We should not forget that Khan Ogedei died in December 1241. Having learned about this, three influential Chingizids from Batu’s army left the army and went to Mongolia to fight for the vacated throne. The greatest chances of becoming the Great Khan were with Guyuk, son of Ogedei and worst enemy Batu, and Batu preferred to meet his accession in his own ulus, and not in distant Europe.
Guyuk was elected Great Khan only five years later. Died by then last son Genghis Khan, Jaghatai, and Batu turned into the head of the Borjigin clan, from which Genghis Khan himself and all his descendants came. The authority of the head of the Genghisid clan was very great, and the new Great Khan was forced to recognize Batu as co-ruler of the western appanages. Guyuk did not like this situation very much, and in January 1248 he and a significant army went to the borders of the Golden Horde (as the Ulus of Jochi is now called). Officially, he didn’t want so much - for Batu to come to him and express his submission, since he was not present at the kurultai that elected the Great Khan. In fact, it was clear to both Guyuk and Batu that an internecine war had begun, and it would only be stopped by the death of one of the rulers. Apparently, Batu turned out to be quicker - somewhere in the Samarkand region, Khan Guyuk died very promptly, and everyone remained confident that Batu had sent the poisoners to him.
In 1251, another coup d'etat took place: Berke, Batu's brother, and Sartak, his son, came to Mongolia with an army from the Golden Horde, gathered the Mongol Chingizids and forced them to make Monke the Great Khan, best friend Batu. The new khan, of course, recognized Batu as co-ruler. A year later, supporters of the Guyuk family tried to form a conspiracy, but Monke executed most of the conspirators, and sent some, Batu’s longtime opponents, to Ulus Jochi, so as not to deprive Batu of the pleasure of dealing with them personally. True, later Monke turned out to be not so accommodating at all; he began to strengthen the central government and limit the rights of the ulus rulers. Batu could no longer do anything about this - after all, he himself spoke for the election of Monke as the Great Khan and now could not disobey. It must be said that both rulers were, first of all, statesmen and did not want another split in the Mongol empire, and therefore managed to reach a compromise. Batu allowed a census to be carried out in the Ulus of Jochi and sent part of his army to march on Iran. In turn, Monke recognized the right of control over Russia, Volga Bulgaria and the northern Caucasus for the Ulus of Jochi. Batu’s activities for the autonomy of his possessions bore fruit very soon - already under the reign of his grandson Mengu-Timur (seventies), the Golden Horde turned into a completely independent state.
This state, stretching from the Irtysh to the Danube, was created by Batu Khan. He made Sarai-Batu, a city in the Volga delta, near modern Astrakhan, the capital of the Golden Horde. The Russian principalities became tributaries of the Golden Horde for several centuries, and labels for princely dominion were issued by the ruler of the Mongols.
Batu Khan lived, according to foreign diplomats, like an emperor, having all the required officials and developing the military art of the Mongols, famous for surprise attacks, swiftness of cavalry and evasion major battles, threatening the loss of soldiers and horses. Batu also became famous for his cruelty, which, however, was not at all surprising for that time.
The founder and first ruler of the Golden Horde died in 1255. His throne was taken by Sartak, the eldest son, confirmed in hereditary rights by the Great Khan Monke.
Information about Batu is extremely scarce, and the personality of this great Mongol is surrounded by legends and mysteries, many of which arose during his lifetime. Batu went down in history as the “filthy” and “cursed” destroyer of the lands of Rus' and Eastern Europe. But in his activities there were also positive sides- the first khan of the Golden Horde patronized trade, developed cities and, apparently, was fair in resolving disputes between his vassals. In addition, Batu was without a doubt outstanding statesman- after all, the Golden Horde did not disintegrate after his death, like many powers that lost their founders.
Genghis Khan's grandson Batu Khan is undoubtedly a fatal figure in the history of Rus' in the 13th century. Unfortunately, history has not preserved his portrait and has left few descriptions of the Khan during his lifetime, but what we know speaks of him as an extraordinary personality.
Place of birth: Buryatia?
Batu Khan was born in 1209. Most likely, this happened on the territory of Buryatia or Altai. His father was Genghis Khan's eldest son Jochi (who was born in captivity, and there is an opinion that he is not the son of Genghis Khan), and his mother was Uki-Khatun, who was related to Genghis Khan's eldest wife. Thus, Batu was the grandson of Genghis Khan and the great-nephew of his wife.
Jochi owned the largest inheritance of the Chingizids. He was killed, possibly on the orders of Genghis Khan, when Batu was 18 years old.
According to legend, Jochi is buried in a mausoleum, which is located on the territory of Kazakhstan, 50 kilometers northeast of the city of Zhezkazgan. Historians believe that the mausoleum could have been built over the khan's grave many years later.
Damned and fair
The name Batu means "strong", "strong". During his lifetime, he received the nickname Sain Khan, which in Mongolian meant “noble,” “generous,” and even “fair.”
The only chroniclers who spoke flatteringly about Batu were Persians. Europeans wrote that the khan inspired great fear, but behaved “affectionately”, knew how to hide his emotions and emphasized his belonging to the Genghisid family.
He entered our history as a destroyer - “evil,” “cursed,” and “filthy.”
A holiday that became a wake
Besides Batu, Jochi had 13 sons. There is a legend that they all gave up their father’s place to each other and asked their grandfather to resolve the dispute. Genghis Khan chose Batu and gave him the commander Subedei as his mentor. In fact, Batu did not receive power, he was forced to distribute the land to his brothers, and he himself performed representative functions. Even his father’s army was led by his elder brother Ordu-Ichen.
According to legend, the holiday that the young khan organized upon returning home turned into a wake: a messenger brought the news of the death of Genghis Khan.
Udegey, who became the Great Khan, did not like Jochi, but in 1229 he confirmed the title of Batu. Landless Bata had to accompany his uncle on the Chinese campaign. The campaign against Rus', which the Mongols began to prepare in 1235, became a chance for Batu to gain possession.
Tatar-Mongols against the Templars
In addition to Batu Khan, 11 other princes wanted to lead the campaign. Batu turned out to be the most experienced. As a teenager, he took part in a military campaign against Khorezm and the Polovtsians. It is believed that the khan took part in the Battle of Kalka in 1223, where the Mongols defeated the Cumans and Russians. There is another version: the troops for the campaign against Rus' were gathering in the possessions of Batu, and perhaps he simply carried out a military coup, using weapons to convince the princes to retreat. In fact, the military leader of the army was not Batu, but Subedey.
First, Batu conquered Volga Bulgaria, then devastated Rus' and returned to the Volga steppes, where he wanted to start creating his own ulus.
But Khan Udegey demanded new conquests. And in 1240, Batu invaded Southern Rus' and took Kyiv. His goal was Hungary, where the old enemy of the Genghisids, the Polovtsian Khan Kotyan, had fled.
Poland fell first and Krakow was taken. In 1241, the army of Prince Henry, in which even the Templars fought, was defeated near Legnica. Then there were Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary. Then the Mongols reached the Adriatic and took Zagreb. Europe was helpless. Louis of France was preparing to die, and Frederick II was preparing to flee to Palestine. They were saved by the fact that Khan Udegey died and Batu turned back.
Batu vs Karakorum
The election of the new Great Khan dragged on for five years. Finally, Guyuk was chosen, who understood that Batu Khan would never obey him. He gathered troops and moved them to the Jochi ulus, but suddenly died in time, most likely from poison.
Three years later, Batu carried out a military coup in Karakorum. With the support of his brothers, he made his friend Monke the Great Khan, who recognized Bata’s right to control the politics of Bulgaria, Rus' and North Caucasus.
The bones of contention between Mongolia and Batu remained the lands of Iran and Asia Minor. Batu’s efforts to protect the ulus bore fruit. In the 1270s, the Golden Horde ceased to depend on Mongolia.
In 1254, Batu Khan founded the capital of the Golden Horde - Sarai-Batu (“Batu City”), which stood on the Akhtuba River. The barn was located on the hills and stretched along the river bank for 15 kilometers. It was a rich city with its own jewelry, foundries and ceramic workshops. There were 14 mosques in Sarai-Batu. Palaces decorated with mosaics awed foreigners, and the Khan's palace, located on the highest point of the city, was lavishly decorated with gold. It was from its magnificent appearance that the name “Golden Horde” came. The city was razed to the ground by Tamrelan in 1395.
Batu and Nevsky
It is known that the Russian holy prince Alexander Nevsky met with Batu Khan. The meeting between Batu and Nevsky took place in July 1247 on the Lower Volga. Nevsky “stayed” with Batu until the fall of 1248, after which he left for Karakorum.
Lev Gumilev believes that Alexander Nevsky and Batu Khan’s son Sartak even fraternized, and thus Alexander allegedly became Batu Khan’s adopted son. Since there is no chronicle evidence of this, it may turn out that this is only a legend.
But it can be assumed that during the yoke it was the Golden Horde that prevented our western neighbors from invading Rus'. The Europeans were simply afraid of the Golden Horde, remembering the ferocity and mercilessness of Khan Batu.
The mystery of death
Batu Khan died in 1256 at the age of 48. Contemporaries believed that he could have been poisoned. They even said that he died on the campaign. But most likely he died from a hereditary rheumatic disease. Khan often complained of pain and numbness in his legs, and sometimes because of this he did not come to kurultai, where important decisions. Contemporaries said that the khan’s face was covered with red spots, which clearly indicated ill health. Considering that maternal ancestors also suffered from pain in their legs, then this version of death looks plausible.
Batu’s body was buried where the Akhtuba River flows into the Volga. They buried the khan according to Mongolian custom, building a house in the ground with a rich bed. At night, a herd of horses was driven through the grave so that no one would ever find this place.
Name: Batu (Batu)
Years of life: around 1209 - 1255/1256
State: Golden Horde
Field of activity: Army, politics
Greatest Achievement: Became the ruler of the Golden Horde. He carried out a number of conquests in the north-west, including Rus'.
Batu Khan (ca. 1205-1255) was a Mongol ruler and founder of the Blue Horde. Batu was the son of Jochi and the grandson of Genghis Khan. His (or Kipchak Khanate), which ruled Russia and the Caucasus for about 250 years, after destroying the armies of Poland and Hungary. Batu was the figurehead of the Mongol invasion of Europe, and his general Subedei is credited with being an excellent strategist. Having gained control of Russia, Volga Bulgaria and Crimea, he invaded Europe, winning the Battle of Mohi against Hungarian Army April 11, 1241. In 1246 he returned to Mongolia to elect a new Great Khan, apparently hoping for primacy. When his rival Guyuk Khan became the Great Khan, he returned to his khanate and built a capital on the Volga - Sarai, known as Sarai-Batu, which remained the capital of the Golden Horde until it disintegrated.
The role of Khan Batu in Russian and European campaigns is sometimes downplayed, giving the leading role to his general. Nevertheless, Batu's merit is that he heeded the advice of his general to gain experience in military affairs. Perhaps the most important effect of Batu Khan's Mongol invasion of Europe was that it helped draw Europe's attention to the world beyond its borders.
As long as the Mongol Empire existed, trade as well as diplomacy developed: for example, the papal nuncio was able to attend the assembly of 1246. To some extent, the Mongol Empire and the Mongol invasion of Europe, for which Batu Khan was at least nominally responsible, served as a bridge between different cultural parts of the world.
Pedigree of Batu
Although Genghis Khan recognized Jochi as his son, his origins remain in question, as his mother Borte, Genghis Khan's wife, was captured and he was born shortly after her return. While Genghis Khan was alive, this situation was known to everyone, but it was not discussed publicly. However, she drove a wedge between Jochi and his father; Shortly before his death, Jochi almost fought with him because of the stubborn refusal of his wife, Yuki, to join military campaigns.
Jochi was also given only 4 thousand Mongol soldiers to found his own khanate. Jochi's son Batu (Batu), described as "the second and most capable son of Yuki", obtained most of his soldiers by recruiting them from among the conquered Turkic peoples, mainly from the Kipchak Turks. Batu later played an important role in winning over his uncle Udegey to the side of Tolui, his other uncle. After Jochi and Genghis Khan died, Jochi's lands were divided between Batu and his older brother Horde. The Horde ruled the lands approximately between the Volga and Lake Balkhash - the White Horde, and Batu ruled the lands west of the Volga - the Golden Horde.
After the death of Batu's heir, Sartak, Batu's brother Berke inherited the Golden Horde. Berke was unwilling to unite with his cousins in the Mongol family by going to war with Hulagu Khan, although he officially only recognized the Khanate of China as his theoretical overlord. In fact, by that time Berke was an independent ruler. Fortunately for Europe, Berke did not share Batu's interest in conquering it, but he demanded the extradition of the Hungarian king Béla IV and sent his general Boroldai to Lithuania and Poland. Batu had at least four children: Sartak, Khan of the Golden Horde from 1255-1256, Tukan, Abukan, Ulagchi (probably son of Sartak). Batu's mother Yuka-fuj-khatun belonged to the Mongolian clan Kungirat, and his chief khatun Borakchin was an Alchi-Tatar.
Batu's early years
After Jochi's death, his territory was divided among his sons; The Horde received the right bank of the Syr Darya and areas around Sari Bu, Batu, the northern coast of the Caspian Sea to the Ural River.
In 1229, Ogedei sent three tumens under Kukhdei and Sundei against the tribes in the lower Urals. Batu then joined Ogedei's military campaign in the Jin Dynasty in Northern China as they fought the Bashkirs, Cumans, Bulgars and Alans. Despite strong resistance from their enemies, the Mongols conquered many Jurchen cities and turned the Bashkirs into their allies.
Batu's invasion of Rus'
In 1235, Batu, who had previously led the conquest of Crimea, was entrusted with an army, perhaps 130,000, to oversee the invasion of Europe. His relatives and cousins Guyuk, Buri, Mongke, Khulgen, Kadan, Baydar and the famous Mongol generals Subutai (Subedei), Borodal (Boroldai) and Mengyuser (Mnkhsar) joined him on the orders of their uncle Ogedei. The army, actually under the command of Subedei, crossed the Volga and invaded Volga Bulgaria in 1236. It took them a year to crush the resistance of the Volga Bulgars, Kipchaks and Alans.
In November 1237, Batu Khan sent his envoys to the Ryazan prince Yuri Igorevich and demanded his allegiance. A month later, the hordes besieged Ryazan. After six days bloody battle the city was completely destroyed. Excited by the news, Yuri sent his sons to delay the Horde, but was defeated. Afterwards Kolomna and Moscow were burned, then on February 4, 1238, the Horde besieged Vladimir. Three days later, the capital of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was taken and burned to the ground. The princely family died in the fire, and the prince himself hastily retreated to the north. Having crossed the Volga, he gathered a new army, which was completely destroyed by the Mongols on March 4 on the Sit River.
Subsequently, Batu divided his army into several units, which devastated fourteen more cities of Rus': Rostov, Uglich, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Kashin, Kshnyatin, Gorodets, Galich, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Yuryev-Polsky, Dmitrov, Volokolamsk, Tver and Torzhok. The most difficult was the city of Kozelsk, where the young Vasily reigned - the residents resisted the Mongols for seven weeks. Only three major cities escaped destruction: Smolensk, which submitted to the Mongols and agreed to pay tribute, and Novgorod and Pskov, which were too far away, and besides, winter had begun.
In the summer of 1238, Batu Khan devastated Crimea and conquered Mordovia. In the winter of 1239 he took Chernigov and Pereyaslav. After several months of siege, in December 1239 the Horde broke into Kyiv. Despite the fierce resistance of Danila Galitsky, Batu managed to take two main capitals - Galich and Vladimir-Volynsky. The states of Rus' became vassals, and did not enter the Central Asian empire.
Batu decided to go to central Europe. Some modern historians believe that Batu was primarily concerned with ensuring that his flanks were protected from possible attack by Europeans and partly ensured further conquests. Most believe that he intended to conquer all of Europe once his flanks were strengthened and his army was ready again. He probably planned a campaign against Hungary, because Russian princes and commoners found refuge there and could pose a threat.
The Mongols invaded Central Europe in three groups. One group conquered Poland, defeating a combined army under the command of Henry the Pious, Duke of Silesia and Grand Master of the Teutonic Order at Legnica. The second crossed the Carpathians, and the third crossed the Danube. The armies reunited and defeated Hungary in 1241, defeating an army led by King Béla IV at the Battle of Mochy on 11 April. The troops swept across the plains of Hungary in the summer, and in the spring of 1242 they extended their control into Austria and Dalmatia, and also invaded Bohemia.
This attack on Europe was planned and carried out by Subedei, under the nominal command of Batu. During his campaign in Central Europe, Batu wrote to Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, demanding his surrender. The latter replied that he knew bird hunting well and would like to become the guardian of Batu's eagle if he ever lost his throne. The Emperor and Pope Gregory IX convened crusade against the Mongol Empire.
Subedai achieved perhaps his most lasting fame with victories in Europe and Eastern Persia. Ruining many Russian principalities, he sent spies to Poland, Hungary and Austria, preparing for an attack on the central part of Europe. Having a clear picture of the European kingdoms, he prepared an attack with two "princes of the blood" (distant descendants of the line of Genghis Khan), Kaidu and Kadan, although the actual commander on the field was again General Subedei. While in the north Kaidu won the Battle of Legnica and Kadan's army was victorious in Transylvania, Subedei was waiting for them on the Hungarian plain. The reunited army withdrew to the Sajo River, where they defeated King Béla IV at the Battle of Mohi.
Towards the end of 1241, when Batu and Subedei had completed their invasions of Austria, Italy and Germany, they were overtaken by news of the death of Ogedei Khan (died December 1241), and the Mongols withdrew in the late spring of 1242, as the "princes of the blood" and Subedei were recalled to Karakorum, where a kurultai (congress of the Mongol nobility) was held. Batu was not actually present at the kurultai; he learned that Guyuk had received enough support to become khan and remain aloof. Instead, he turned around to consolidate his conquests in Asia and the Urals. Subedei was not with him - he remained in Mongolia, where he died in 1248, and the enmity of Batu and Guyuk Khan made further European invasion impossible.
The beginning of the feud dates back to 1240: celebrating the victory over Russia, Batu declared that the winner had the right to be the first to drink from the ceremonial cup. But him cousin, apparently believed that this right belonged to General Batu. The deterioration of relations between Genghis Khan's grandchildren ultimately led to the collapse of the Mongol Empire.
After his return, Batu Khan founded the capital of his khanate in Sarai in the lower Volga. He planned new campaigns after Guyuk's death, intending to take advantage of Subedei's original plans to invade Europe, but died in 1255. The heir was his son Sartak, who decided not to invade Europe. It is speculated that if the Mongols had continued their campaign, they would have reached the Atlantic, since "no European army could have resisted the victorious Mongols."
The Kipchak Khanate ruled Russia through local princes for the next 230 years.
The Kipchak Khanate was known in Rus' and Europe as the Golden Horde. Some people think that it was named so because of the golden color of the khan’s tent. "Horde" comes from the Mongolian word "orda" (ordu) or camp. The word “golden” is believed to also have the meaning “royal”. Of all the khanates, the Golden Horde ruled the longest. After the fall of the Yuan dynasty in China and the fall of the Ilkhanate in the Middle East, the descendants of Batu Khan continued to rule the Russian steppes.
Although Subedei is described as the real mastermind of the campaigns carried out by Batu: "It is possible that Batu was only the supreme commander using his name, and that the real command was in the hands of Subedei." But Batu was wise enough to “masterfully exploit the discord between the various kingdoms of Europe” for the purposes of the Mongol campaign. And Batu’s undeniable merit was that he listened to the advice of his general and skillfully used his many years of experience in this area.
Perhaps the most significant legacy of Batu and the Mongol invasion of Europe was that it helped draw Europe's attention to the world beyond its borders, especially to China, which was effectively made available for trade as the Mongol Empire itself was held together by the Silk Road and carefully guarded his. To some extent, the Mongol Empire and the Mongol invasion of Europe served as a bridge between different cultural worlds.
Genghis Khan's grandson Batu Khan is undoubtedly a fatal figure in the history of Rus' in the 13th century. Unfortunately, history has not preserved his portrait and has left few descriptions of the Khan during his lifetime, but what we know speaks of him as an extraordinary personality.
Place of birth: Buryatia?
Batu Khan was born in 1209. Most likely, this happened on the territory of Buryatia or Altai. His father was Genghis Khan's eldest son Jochi (who was born in captivity, and there is an opinion that he is not the son of Genghis Khan), and his mother was Uki-Khatun, who was related to Genghis Khan's eldest wife. Thus, Batu was the grandson of Genghis Khan and the great-nephew of his wife.
Jochi owned the largest inheritance of the Chingizids. He was killed, possibly on the orders of Genghis Khan, when Batu was 18 years old.
According to legend, Jochi is buried in a mausoleum, which is located on the territory of Kazakhstan, 50 kilometers northeast of the city of Zhezkazgan. Historians believe that the mausoleum could have been built over the khan's grave many years later.
Damned and fair
The name Batu means "strong", "strong". During his lifetime, he received the nickname Sain Khan, which in Mongolian meant “noble,” “generous,” and even “fair.”
The only chroniclers who spoke flatteringly about Batu were Persians. Europeans wrote that the khan inspired great fear, but behaved “affectionately”, knew how to hide his emotions and emphasized his belonging to the Genghisid family.
He entered our history as a destroyer - “evil,” “cursed,” and “filthy.”
A holiday that became a wake
Besides Batu, Jochi had 13 sons. There is a legend that they all gave up their father’s place to each other and asked their grandfather to resolve the dispute. Genghis Khan chose Batu and gave him the commander Subedei as his mentor. In fact, Batu did not receive power, he was forced to distribute the land to his brothers, and he himself performed representative functions. Even his father’s army was led by his elder brother Ordu-Ichen.
According to legend, the holiday that the young khan organized upon returning home turned into a wake: a messenger brought the news of the death of Genghis Khan.
Udegey, who became the Great Khan, did not like Jochi, but in 1229 he confirmed the title of Batu. Landless Bata had to accompany his uncle on the Chinese campaign. The campaign against Rus', which the Mongols began to prepare in 1235, became a chance for Batu to gain possession.
Tatar-Mongols against the Templars
In addition to Batu Khan, 11 other princes wanted to lead the campaign. Batu turned out to be the most experienced. As a teenager, he took part in a military campaign against Khorezm and the Polovtsians. It is believed that the khan took part in the Battle of Kalka in 1223, where the Mongols defeated the Cumans and Russians. There is another version: the troops for the campaign against Rus' were gathering in the possessions of Batu, and perhaps he simply carried out a military coup, using weapons to convince the princes to retreat. In fact, the military leader of the army was not Batu, but Subedey.
First, Batu conquered Volga Bulgaria, then devastated Rus' and returned to the Volga steppes, where he wanted to start creating his own ulus.
But Khan Udegey demanded new conquests. And in 1240, Batu invaded Southern Rus' and took Kyiv. His goal was Hungary, where the old enemy of the Genghisids, the Polovtsian Khan Kotyan, had fled.
Poland fell first and Krakow was taken. In 1241, the army of Prince Henry, in which even the Templars fought, was defeated near Legnica. Then there were Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary. Then the Mongols reached the Adriatic and took Zagreb. Europe was helpless. Louis of France was preparing to die, and Frederick II was preparing to flee to Palestine. They were saved by the fact that Khan Udegey died and Batu turned back.
Batu vs Karakorum
The election of the new Great Khan dragged on for five years. Finally, Guyuk was chosen, who understood that Batu Khan would never obey him. He gathered troops and moved them to the Jochi ulus, but suddenly died in time, most likely from poison.
Three years later, Batu carried out a military coup in Karakorum. With the support of his brothers, he made his friend Monke the Great Khan, who recognized Bata's right to control the politics of Bulgaria, Rus' and the North Caucasus.
The bones of contention between Mongolia and Batu remained the lands of Iran and Asia Minor. Batu’s efforts to protect the ulus bore fruit. In the 1270s, the Golden Horde ceased to depend on Mongolia.
In 1254, Batu Khan founded the capital of the Golden Horde - Sarai-Batu (“Batu City”), which stood on the Akhtuba River. The barn was located on the hills and stretched along the river bank for 15 kilometers. It was a rich city with its own jewelry, foundries and ceramic workshops. There were 14 mosques in Sarai-Batu. Palaces decorated with mosaics awed foreigners, and the Khan's palace, located on the highest point of the city, was lavishly decorated with gold. It was from its magnificent appearance that the name “Golden Horde” came. The city was razed to the ground by Tamrelan in 1395.
Batu and Nevsky
It is known that the Russian holy prince Alexander Nevsky met with Batu Khan. The meeting between Batu and Nevsky took place in July 1247 on the Lower Volga. Nevsky “stayed” with Batu until the fall of 1248, after which he left for Karakorum.
Lev Gumilev believes that Alexander Nevsky and Batu Khan’s son Sartak even fraternized, and thus Alexander allegedly became Batu Khan’s adopted son. Since there is no chronicle evidence of this, it may turn out that this is only a legend.
But it can be assumed that during the yoke it was the Golden Horde that prevented our western neighbors from invading Rus'. The Europeans were simply afraid of the Golden Horde, remembering the ferocity and mercilessness of Khan Batu.
The mystery of death
Batu Khan died in 1256 at the age of 48. Contemporaries believed that he could have been poisoned. They even said that he died on the campaign. But most likely he died from a hereditary rheumatic disease. Khan often complained of pain and numbness in his legs, and sometimes because of this he did not come to kurultai, where important decisions were made. Contemporaries said that the khan’s face was covered with red spots, which clearly indicated ill health. Considering that maternal ancestors also suffered from pain in their legs, then this version of death looks plausible.
Batu’s body was buried where the Akhtuba River flows into the Volga. They buried the khan according to Mongolian custom, building a house in the ground with a rich bed. At night, a herd of horses was driven through the grave so that no one would ever find this place.