Siege of Moscow (1238)

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Siege of Moscow (1238)
Part of the Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus'
Date15–20 January 1238
Location
Moscow
55°45′20.999″N37°37′4.001″E / 55.75583306°N 37.61777806°E / 55.75583306; 37.61777806
Result Mongol victory
Belligerents
Mongol Empire Vladimir-Suzdal
Commanders and leaders
Batu Khan
Subutai 		Voivode Filip Nyanka  †
Prince Vladimir Yuryevich (POW)  Skull and Crossbones.svg
Strength
At least one tumen (10,000) of nomadic cavalry Few hundred militia
Casualties and losses
Moderate
  • Heavy
  • Survivors enslaved
European Russia laea location map (Crimea disputed).jpg
Red pog.svg
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Location within European Russia

The siege of Moscow in January 1238 was part of the Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus'.

Contents

Prelude

Following the destruction of Ryazan on 21 December 1237, Grand Prince Yuri II dispatched his sons Vsevolod and Vladimir with most of the Vladimir-Suzdal army to confront the Mongol forces at the Battle of Kolomna. The Suzdalian army suffered a decisive defeat, and the remaining troops retreated north toward Vladimir and Moscow.


Siege

After the destruction of Kolomna in January 1238, Prince Vladimir, the younger son of Yuri II of Vladimir, retreated to Moscow with a small contingent of survivors. [1] According to the Chronicle of Novgorod, “And the men of Moscow ran away having seen nothing”. [2] At the time, Moscow was a small fortified settlement and trading post located “on a crossroads of four rivers”. [3] The wooden fortification was captured after a five-day siege.

Aftermath

Prince Vladimir was captured by the Mongol forces and executed two weeks later in front of the defenders of Vladimir, serving as a warning to the besieged. [4]

References

  1. ↑ "Никифоровская летопись. Никифорівський літопис. Том 35. Литовсько-білоруські літописи". litopys.org.ua. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  2. ↑ Michell, Robert; Shakhmaton, A. A.; Forbes, Nevill; Beazley, C. Raymond (Charles Raymond) (1914). The chronicle of Novgorod, 1016-1471. University of California Libraries. London, Offices of the society.
  3. ↑ Grigorjevič., Jan, Vasilij (1991). Batu-kan : istorijski roman. Lobačev, Đorđe., BIGZ). Beograd: Prosveta. ISBN   8607005944. OCLC   438360055.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ "Новгородская летопись". krotov.info. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
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