Following the

Battle of Voronezh River During the Mongol Invasion of Rus, the Principality of Ryazan was the first to be attacked. Opposing Forces ''Main articles: Mongol military tactics and organization and'' ''Medieval Russian army'' Size and composition of both armies can be e ...

in December 1237,

Yuri II of Vladimir Yuri II (russian: Ю́рий–II), also known as George II of Vladimir or Georgy II Vsevolodovich (26 November 11884 March 1238), was the fourth Grand Prince of Vladimir (1212–1216, 1218–1238) who presided over Vladimir-Suzdal ...

sent both of his sons with "all his men" and

Voivode Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the me ...

Yeremey to defend the fortress of

Kolomna Kolomna ( rus, Колóмна, p=kɐˈlomnə) is a historical types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, situated at the confluence of the Moskva River, Moskva and Oka Rivers, (by rail) southeast of Moscow. Populati ...

, which was on the border to the

Wild Fields The Wild Fields ( uk, Дике Поле, translit=Dyke Pole, russian: Дикое Поле, translit=Dikoye Polye, pl, Dzikie pola, lt, Dykra, la, Loca deserta or , also translated as "the wilderness") is a historical term used in the Polish ...

Battle

In Kolomna, the

Vladimir-Suzdal Vladimir-Suzdal (russian: Владимирско-Су́здальская, ''Vladimirsko-Suzdal'skaya''), also Vladimir-Suzdalian Rus', formally known as the Grand Duchy of Vladimir (1157–1331) (russian: Владимиро-Су́здальс ...

army met some of the Ryazan survivors from the

led by Prince Roman Ingvarevich. After some heavy fighting under the walls of Kolomna, the young princes Vsevolod and Vladimir retreated to Vladimir and Moscow, respectively. The small Russian force left in Kolomna was besieged and annihilated a few days after the destruction of Ryazan. This left the capital, Vladimir, open for the next Tatar onslaught.

Opposing forces

According to

Rashid-al-Din Hamadani Rashīd al-Dīn Ṭabīb ( fa, رشیدالدین طبیب;‎ 1247–1318; also known as Rashīd al-Dīn Faḍlullāh Hamadānī, fa, links=no, رشیدالدین فضل‌الله همدانی) was a statesman, historian and physician in Ilk ...

, the contemporary historian of the

Ilkhanate The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm, ...

, Kolomna was the fiercest battle of the entire campaign: Kulkan, son of

Genghis Khan ''Chinggis Khaan'' ͡ʃʰiŋɡɪs xaːŋbr />Mongol script: ''Chinggis Qa(gh)an/ Chinggis Khagan'' , birth_name = Temüjin , successor = Tolui (as regent)Ögedei Khan , spouse = , issue = , house = Borjigin , ...

, died in battle. Reasons for Mongol casualties, which were heavier than usual, might be: * Kolomna was attacked by only a fraction of Mongol force, while the main army was occupied with the siege of Ryazan. * Russian forces at Kolomna included almost all the warriors of

, the strongest state of Kievan Rus' at the time. The capital city of Vladimir was probably left defenceless, as it was taken after just 2 days-much smaller Ryazan resisted longer, even after the defeat on the Voronezh River. Soviet historians estimated the Russian army at Kolomna up to 15.000 men. *

army was apparently a relief force, and Voivode Yeremey is specifically mentioned as "captain of the guards", so it is reasonable to assume that most of Grand Prince Yuri's

Druzhina In the medieval history of Kievan Rus' and Early Poland, a druzhina, drużyna, or družyna ( Slovak and cz, družina; pl, drużyna; ; , ''druzhýna'' literally a "fellowship") was a retinue in service of a Slavic chieftain, also called ''knyaz ...

was there as well. So the army had a small, but well equipped core of professional soldiers.

Aftermath

According to

The Tale of the Destruction of Ryazan ''The Tale of the Destruction of Riazan'' (russian: Повесть о разорении Рязани Батыем) is an early Russian work about the capture of the city of Ryazan by the Mongols in 1237. Historical background Before the events ...

, a few days after the fall of Kolomna, the main Mongol army was suddenly attacked "in the land of Suzdal". On January 11, 1238, the last remnant of Ryazan defenders, 1700 men under

Evpaty Kolovrat Evpaty Kolovrat ( rus, Евпатий Коловрат, Yevpatiy Kolovrat, ; c.1200 – 1238) is a Russian bogatyr described in ''The Tale of the Destruction of Ryazan''. According to the tale he died while fighting the vastly superior army of ...

, made a last stand for their country. Though probably fictional, the tale of their sacrifice is "one of the greatest epics in the history of Russia".

References

{{coord missing, Russia

1238 in Europe

13th century in Russia