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Post by Διαμονδ on Dec 6, 2017 11:12:24 GMT
The Siege of Kiev by the Mongols took place between November 28 and December 6, 1240, and resulted in a Mongol victory. It was a heavy moral and military blow to Halych-Volhynia the state and allowed Batu Khan to proceed westward into Europe.
BackgroundIn 1237, the Mongols began their invasion of Rus by conquering the northern principalities of Ryazan and Vladimir-Suzdal. In 1239, they advanced against southern Rus, capturing the cities of Pereyaslav and Chernihiv. When the Mongols sent several envoys to demand the city's submission, they were executed by Michael of Chernigov and later Dmytro. The next year, the Mongol general Batu Khan reached Kiev. At the time, the city was ruled by the principality of Halych-Volhynia. The chief commander in Kiev was Voivode Dmytro, while Danylo of Halych was in Hungary at that time, seeking a military union to prevent invasion. The number of defenders inside the city was only about 1,000. SiegeThe vanguard army under Batu's cousin Möngke came near the city. Möngke was apparently taken by the splendor of Kiev and offered the city terms for surrender, but his envoys were killed. The Mongols chose to assault the city. Batu Khan destroyed the forces of the Rus vassals, the Chorni Klobuky, who were on their way to relieve Kiev, and the entire Mongol army camped outside the city gates, joining Möngke's troops. On November 28 the Mongols set up catapults near Kiev's Lech gates (today - vicinity of Maidan Nezalezhnosti), one of the three gates of old Kiev and where tree cover extended almost to the city walls The Mongols then began a bombardment that lasted several days. On December 6, Kiev's walls were breached, and hand-to-hand combat followed in the streets. The Kievans suffered heavy losses and Dmytro was wounded by an arrow. When night fell the Mongols held their positions while the Kievans retreated to the central parts of the city. Many people crowded into the Church of the Tithes. The next day, as the Mongols commenced the final assault, the church's balcony collapsed under the weight of the people standing on it, crushing many. After the Mongols won the battle, they plundered Kiev. Most of the population was massacred. Out of 50,000 inhabitants before the invasion, about 2,000 survived. Most of the city was burned and only six out of forty major buildings remained standing. Dmytro, however, was shown mercy for his bravery. After their victory at Kiev, the Mongols were free to advance into Halych-Volhynia and Poland.
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mothman
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Post by mothman on Dec 8, 2017 19:39:04 GMT
Intresting topic.I'd love to know some details about the Kiev fortification system. Ps,respect for the last stand.
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Post by Διαμονδ on Dec 8, 2017 21:52:20 GMT
Intresting topic.I'd love to know some details about the Kiev fortification system. Ps,respect for the last stand. Even before the invasion of the Mongols Kiev has repeatedly been destroyed by their opponents. His fortification system were clearly retarded for its time.
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Manul
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Post by Manul on Dec 8, 2017 21:59:30 GMT
Keep in mind that to 1240 the trade route from Varangians to the Greeks already lost it's importance ("thanks" to the crusaders)
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Post by Διαμονδ on Dec 8, 2017 22:10:13 GMT
Keep in mind that to 1240 the trade route from Varangians to the Greeks already lost it's importance ("thanks" to the crusaders) Yes! But also local Russian princes also fought for Kiev and destroyed it. For Example Andrey Bogolyubsky! Saying that he was so destroy Kiev in 1169 that the Mongols in 1240 there was nothing to destroy. P.S I do not condone it nor condemn.
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mothman
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Post by mothman on Dec 9, 2017 6:02:38 GMT
Intresting topic.I'd love to know some details about the Kiev fortification system. Ps,respect for the last stand. Even before the invasion of the Mongols Kiev has repeatedly been destroyed by their opponents. His fortification system were clearly retarded for its time. Yes I agree to some extent,in eastern Europe most of the important settlements are suprisingly ill fortified compared to their western european counterparts.It allways puzzled me.I was always askin myself whether it was about the money or they just didn't realise the extent of their settlements vulnerability.
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Manul
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Post by Manul on Dec 9, 2017 8:13:09 GMT
Keep in mind that to 1240 the trade route from Varangians to the Greeks already lost it's importance ("thanks" to the crusaders) Yes! But also local Russian princes also fought for Kiev and destroyed it. For Example Andrey Bogolyubsky! Saying that he was so destroy Kiev in 1169 that the Mongols in 1240 there was nothing to destroy. P.S I do not condone it nor condemn. This was a period of feudal disunity, everybody fought for his own tiny princedom only. But Kiev would reborn fast if there was any kind of economic sense, Moscow was burned many times in history, but always reborned. Unfortunately crusaders took Constantinople in 1204 & robbed it, Greek empire Byzantium was a half dead state. Trade route from Varangians to the Greeks lost economic sense even before ~ already to the end of XI century
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2017 11:53:24 GMT
If the picture is accurate no wonder why it fell down. Wooden palisade doesn't work against catapults
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Post by Διαμονδ on Dec 9, 2017 13:23:50 GMT
If the picture is accurate no wonder why it fell down. Wooden palisade doesn't work against catapults This picture is from the Russian chronicler of the Oxford edition! They knew what to draw correctly.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2017 13:35:28 GMT
Yes, well Rus of Kiev didn't had a lot of stone querries. However in the southeastern Europe most of larger cities had stone fortifications - Roman or Slavic, doesn't matter. You can check Veliko Tarnovo, Stari Ras, Ohrid, Maglic, Skopje, Novo Brdo, Preslav etc most built between 9th and 13th century.
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Post by Διαμονδ on Dec 9, 2017 18:47:02 GMT
Yes, well Rus of Kiev didn't had a lot of stone querries. However in the southeastern Europe most of larger cities had stone fortifications - Roman or Slavic, doesn't matter. You can check Veliko Tarnovo, Stari Ras, Ohrid, Maglic, Skopje, Novo Brdo, Preslav etc most built between 9th and 13th century. These fortifications about which you write were directly under Byzantine influence! Manul Stronk, explained the reason for the degradation of fortresses in Kiev!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2017 21:16:35 GMT
Yes, well Rus of Kiev didn't had a lot of stone querries. However in the southeastern Europe most of larger cities had stone fortifications - Roman or Slavic, doesn't matter. You can check Veliko Tarnovo, Stari Ras, Ohrid, Maglic, Skopje, Novo Brdo, Preslav etc most built between 9th and 13th century. These fortifications about which you write were directly under Byzantine influence! Manul Stronk, explained the reason for the degradation of fortresses in Kiev! They were built by Serbs or Bulgarians - so South Slavs, not Romans. Western Europeans built their fortifications under Roman standards too.
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Post by Διαμονδ on Dec 9, 2017 22:34:29 GMT
But at that in Rus in some places of course was a more modern and reliable fortifications.
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