Indian Antiquary Vol 14

SR No.: 032506
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 418
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

Page 199

JUXE, 1885.]
CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
177
The Russians assembled their forces in large numbers from Kief, Smolensk, Putivl Kursk, and Trubtchevsk. The Volhynians and Gallicians came in a thousand boats, on which they sailed down the Dniester to the sea, and then up the Dnieper to the island Khortiza, called the Isle of St. George by Constantine Porphyrogenitas. There also came some bodies of Poloutsi. The Russians numbered some 82,000 men, and were joined by other auxiliaries whom the chroniclers call Bautii, Gangali," Uigoltzi and Gallicians. The young prince, Daniel, with a few companions rode out to reconnoitre a party of Tartars which had been seen on the other side of the river. Some reported that the enemy was contemptible but the voivode Yuri of Gallicia gave & different account, and said they were experienced soldiers. Mitislaf, with an advance guard of 10,000, impatient to meet the enemy, went on ahead, overtook a body of Mongols under Hamabeko and defeated them. Their leader was found hidden in a ditch or hole among the kurgans or mounds on the steppe, and was beheaded with the consent of Mitislaf, who by this attack secured a large number of cattle. The main body of the Russians now crossed the Dnieper, and after a nine days' march (Abulghazi says ten and Rashidu'd- din twelve) arrived at the river Kalka, the modern Kaleza, near Mariupol, in the government of Ekaterinoslaf. Mitislaf, who was probably wishful of monopolizing
he glory of the campaign, ventured to attack the main body of the Mongols with only one division. He planted his men on the left bank of the river and ordered Yarun, the chief of the Polontai, and Daniel, to advance with the Russian Guard. Daniel with Oleg of Kursk performed prodigies of valour and continued fighting although the former was badly wounded in the chest. Mitislaf, the dumb brother of Ingvar of Lutek, went to their rescue and fought desperately. Meanwhile the Poloutsi, unable to withstand the Mongol attack, turned their backs to the enemy and threw the Russian reserves under the princes of Kief and Chernigof into confusion; the precipitance of Mitislaf's attack having left them little time
for preparation. This caused their men to retire also. The Mongols pursued them mercilessly. Six princes, namely Sviatoslaf of Yanovisk, Isiaslaf Inguarovitch, Sviatoslaf of Shumak, Mitislaf of Chernigof with his song, and Yuri of Nasvigsk, together with a celebrated paladin named Alexander Popovitch, and seventy nobles perished. Of the contingent from Kief alone, 10,000, says Karamzin, were left on the field of battle, while the faithless Poloutsi used the occasion for plundering their unfortunate allies. Mitislaf, to whom reverse was something new, seemed beside himself. Having crossed the Dnieper himself, he caused the boats to be destroyed in order to prevent pursuit. In the general route one leader held his ground. This was Mitislaf Romanovitch, Prince of Kief, who had intrenched himself on the Kalka, and resisted for three days the assault of the Mongols. They at length proposed to allow him to escape on paying a ransom, and Ploskinia, voivode of Brodniks, or light troops, who was in their service, swore on their behalf to faithfully observe the convention ; but he betrayed the Russians, bound Mitislaf and two of his relatives with cords, and handed them over to the Mongols. Irritated by the prolonged resistance of Mitislaf, and furious at the slaughter of their envoys, they put to death all the Russians they met with, and smothered Mitislaf and bis sons-inlaw, Andrew and Alexander Dabrovezky, under planks, and held a feast over their bodies. The parsait was again renewed. In vain the inhabitants of the towns and villages sub. mitted, humbly going to their camp with their crosses, but no pity was shown. Their grim maxim, surely the most cynical of all ferocious war-creeds, was that "the vanquished can never be the friends of the victors, the death of the former is necessary therefore for the safety of the latter." Ibn-al-Athir speaks in lugubrious terms of the devastation they committed in Russia, killing, burning, pillaging and raining what they met with. the chief merchants and wealthier people emigrated with their property and went beyond the sea." According to the Yuan-shi, the Russian prince Mitislaf was sent by Chepe under the escort of Ho-sze-mai-la, i.e. Ismael, to Juchi, the
* i.e. Kankalis. • Called Gemiabet by Karamzin. "Karamain, Vol. III, pp. 284-291 ; Erdmann, pp. 434.
437; Von Hammer, Gesch, der Golden Horde, pp. 86-89.
" D'Ohsson, vol. I. p. 146.