Evpaty Kolovrat

The story of the Russian hero, warlord and Ryazan hero of the 13th century—Yevpaty Kolovrat—is connected with one of the most tragic episodes in the history of Rus’—the Mongol invasion, also known as the invasion of Batu. The first to fall under the oncoming roller of the enemy troops was the Principality of Ryazan. Prince Yuri Igorevich sent his people with a request for help to the Vladimir and Chernihiv princes. Precisely in Chernihiv at that time was Yevpaty Kolovrat, who with “a small retinue” hurried to Ryazan, but found the city already devastated. There, outside the city walls, he replenished his forces with surviving people who had been hiding in the woods. In total, he managed to gather a detachment of about 1,700 men. With these small forces, the voivode set out in pursuit of the Mongols. The pursuers managed to catch up with the invaders on the territory of the Suzdal lands. Attacks from the rear were not expected by the Mongols, who were sure that Ryazan’s troops had already been completely destroyed. The attacks by Yevpaty Kolovrat on the Mongol rearguards turned out to be a sudden shock for the latter. Mongols who didn’t expect an assault from the devastated Ryazan principality were horrified, thinking that the dead had risen to avenge themselves. How many battles the detachment fought is not known for certain; there is no single viewpoint on that. It is believed there might have been several, and that they were sufficiently successful, since they managed to spread real panic in the Mongol army’s rear… How this bloody confrontation between the brave Ryazan warriors and Batu’s troops ended—you’ll find out by listening to the audio book “Yevpaty Kolovrat.”