"The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu" is one of the most tragic works of Old Russian literature (most likely written at the beginning of the 16th century). The name itself speaks of its content. The chronicle story about the arrival of Batu's hordes to Russia is combined here with elements of an epic and legendary narrative. Ryazan princes perish one after another, although they fearlessly fight against the superior forces of the enemy. At the same time, they manage to destroy many Tatars. Here are some episodes of the struggle:
“And there was a slaughter of evil and terrible … Batu's forces were great and invincible; one from Ryazan fought with a thousand, and two with ten thousand … And they fought so hard and mercilessly that the earth itself groaned, and the Batu regiments all mixed up. And the strong Tatar regiments barely overpowered them. In that battle, the noble Grand Duke Yuri Ingvarevich was killed, his brother Prince Davyd Ingvarevich Muromsky, his brother Prince Gleb Ingvarevich Kolomensky, their brother Vsevolod Pronsky, and many local princes, and strong governors, and the army: daredevils and frolics, patterned and upbringing ryaz - all the same died and a single cup of death is drunk. None of them turned back, but all died together … And many townspeople were killed, and some were wounded, while others were exhausted from great labors and wounds. And on the sixth day, early in the morning, the nasty went to the city - some with lights, others with battering guns,and still others, with countless staircases, took the city of Ryazan on the 21st day of December. And they came to the cathedral church of the Most Holy Theotokos, and the Grand Duchess Agrippina, the mother of the Grand Duke, with her daughters-in-law and other princesses, were beaten with swords, and they betrayed the bishop and priests to fire - they burned them in the holy church. And in the city of many people, and wives, and children they whipped with swords, while others were drowned in the river … and they burned the whole city, and all the famous beauty, and the wealth of Ryazan … And not a single living thing remained in the city: all the same, the single cup of death also died drank. There was no tug neither moaning nor crying - neither father and mother about children, nor children about father and mother, not brother about brother, nor relatives about relatives, but all lay dead together … "information from the site https://slavyans.myfhology.infoand the Grand Duchess Agrippina, the mother of the Grand Duke, with her daughters-in-law and other princesses, was beaten with swords, and the bishop and priests were set on fire - they burned them in the holy church. And in the city of many people, and wives, and children they whipped with swords, while others were drowned in the river … and they burned the whole city, and all the famous beauty, and the wealth of Ryazan … And not a single living thing remained in the city: all the same, the single cup of death also died drank. There was no tug neither moaning nor crying - neither father and mother about children, nor children about father and mother, not brother about brother, nor relatives about relatives, but they all lay dead together … "information from the site https://slavyans.myfhology.infoand the Grand Duchess Agrippina, the mother of the Grand Duke, with her daughters-in-law and other princesses, was beaten with swords, and the bishop and priests were set on fire - they burned them in the holy church. And in the city of many people, and wives, and children they whipped with swords, while others were drowned in the river … and they burned the whole city, and all the famous beauty, and the wealth of Ryazan … drank. There was no tug neither moaning nor crying - neither father and mother about children, nor children about father and mother, not brother about brother, nor relatives about relatives, but they all lay dead together … "information from the site https://slavyans.myfhology.infowhile others were drowned in the river … and they burned the whole city, and all the famous beauty, and the Ryazan wealth … And not a single living thing remained in the city: all the same they died and drank a single cup of death. There was no tug neither moaning nor crying - neither father and mother about children, nor children about father and mother, not brother about brother, nor relatives about relatives, but they all lay dead together … "information from the site https://slavyans.myfhology.infowhile others were drowned in the river … and they burned the whole city, and all the famous beauty, and the Ryazan wealth … And not a single living thing remained in the city: all the same they died and drank a single cup of death. There was no tug neither moaning nor crying - neither father and mother about children, nor children about father and mother, not brother about brother, nor relatives about relatives, but they all lay dead together … "information from the site https://slavyans.myfhology.info
It was at this moment that "one of the nobles of Ryazan named Evpatiy Kolovrat" appears in the story: he was with one of the princes in Chernigov and, having learned about Batu's invasion, hurried home; "And set out from Chernigov with a small squad, and rushed quickly." "And he came to the land of Ryazan and saw it deserted, the cities were ruined, the churches were burnt, the people were killed … And Evpatiy cried out in the sorrow of his soul, burning in his heart." Let us pay attention to how the ancient Russian writer extremely succinctly conveyed the state of a person: grief and thirst for revenge cover Evpatiy at the sight of what happened. He was late for the main battle and now wants to make up for lost time, although he knows that he will have to share the fate of all Ryazan residents. The reckless desire to fulfill the military duty and the readiness to drink the "single mortal cup" are equally characteristic of the national hero and the princely voivode. “And he gathered a small squad - one thousand seven hundred people, kept by God outside the city. And they chased after the godless tsar, and barely overtook him in the land of Suzdal, and suddenly attacked Batu's camps. And they began to flog without mercy, and all the Tatar regiments mixed. And the Tatars became as if drunk or insane. And Evpatiy beat them so mercilessly that the swords were dulled, and he took Tatar swords and cut them with Tatar swords. It seemed to the Tatars that the dead had risen. Yevpatiy, passing through the strong Tatar regiments, beat them mercilessly. And he rode among the Tatar regiments so bravely and courageously that the tsar himself was intimidated. And they chased after the godless tsar, and barely overtook him in the land of Suzdal, and suddenly attacked Batu's camps. And they began to flog without mercy, and all the Tatar regiments mixed. And the Tatars became as if drunk or insane. And Evpatiy beat them so mercilessly that the swords were dulled, and he took Tatar swords and cut them with Tatar swords. It seemed to the Tatars that the dead had risen. Yevpatiy, passing through the strong Tatar regiments, beat them mercilessly. And he rode among the Tatar regiments so bravely and courageously that the tsar himself was intimidated. And they chased after the godless tsar, and barely overtook him in the land of Suzdal, and suddenly attacked Batu's camps. And they began to flog without mercy, and all the Tatar regiments mixed. And the Tatars became as if drunk or insane. And Evpatiy beat them so mercilessly that the swords were dulled, and he took Tatar swords and cut them with Tatar swords. It seemed to the Tatars that the dead had risen. Yevpatiy, passing through the strong Tatar regiments, beat them mercilessly. And he rode among the Tatar regiments so bravely and courageously that the tsar himself was intimidated.that the dead have risen. Yevpatiy, passing through the strong Tatar regiments, beat them mercilessly. And he rode among the Tatar regiments so bravely and courageously that the tsar himself was intimidated.that the dead have risen. Yevpatiy, passing through the strong Tatar regiments, beat them mercilessly. And he rode among the Tatar regiments so bravely and courageously that the tsar himself was intimidated.
And barely caught the Tatars from the Yevpatiev regiment five military men, exhausted from great wounds. And they brought them to Tsar Batu, and Tsar Batu began to ask them: "What kind of faith are you, and what kind of land, and why are you doing much harm to me?" They answered: “We are Christian faith, and we are the knights of the Grand Duke Yuri Ingvarevich of Ryazansky, and from the regiment we are Evpatiy Kolovrat. We have been sent from Prince Ingvar Ingvarevich of Ryazan to you, a strong prince, to honor and honor you, and honor you. Do not be surprised, tsar, that we do not have time to pour the cups for the great power - the Tatar army”. The tsar marveled at their wise answer "… The response of the captive soldiers makes us recall the symbolism of many folk songs, in which the battle was likened to a feast: on it, enemies were" honored "with weapons," bowls "were" offered "to them - that is, death. Batu decides to send against Evpatiy his brother-in-law, the hero Khostovrul. He boasted that he would bring the Russian governor alive. “And strong Tatar regiments surrounded Evpatiy, wishing to take him alive. And Khostovrul moved in with Eupatius. Evpatiy was full of strength and cut Khostovrul into the floors to the saddle. And he began to whip the Tatar force, and beat many famous heroes here, the Batyevs, cut some of them on the floor, and cut others to the saddle.
And the Tatars got excited, seeing what a strong giant Evpatiy was. And they pointed at him many weapons for throwing stones, and began to hit him with countless stone throwers, and barely killed him. And they brought his body to King Batu. Tsar Batu sent for the murzas, and princes, and sanchakbeys (military leaders), and everyone began to marvel at the courage, and the fortress, and the courage of the Ryazan army. And the murzas, princes and sanchakbeys said to the king: “We with many kings, in many lands, in many battles, have been, but we have not seen such daring and frolic, and our fathers did not tell us. These are winged people, they do not know death, and they fight so firmly and courageously on horses - one with a thousand, and two with ten thousand. None of them will leave the carnage alive. " And Baty said, looking at Evpatievo's body: “O Kolovrat Evpatiy! Well, you treated me well with your little squad,And he beat many heroes of my strong horde, and defeated many regiments. If such a man served me, he would have kept him close to his heart. " And he gave Evpatiy's body to the remaining people from his squad, who were taken away for the slaughter. And King Batu ordered to let them go and not harm them in any way.
Evpatiy Kolovrat, like the epic heroes, destroys the enemy force, opposing it with his heroic might. But, unlike the epics, the battle ends in the death of the hero. In addition, Yevpatiy is surrounded by a squad - these are ordinary soldiers, not heroes. And, finally, let us not forget that the feat and death of Evpatiy are inscribed in a specific historical event of 1237 and Evpatiy is spoken of as a real person - a princely voivode. This interweaving of historical specifics and epic fiction, as well as poetic elements close to late folk historical poetry, suggests that the whole story about a warrior who was late for battle, who drank his death cup, goes back to historical songs of the 13th-14th centuries, in which the tragedy was captured and the heroism of the Russian people during the Tatar-Mongol invasion.