| The Mongol Invasion (trilogy) | |
| Books: | Genghis Khan Batu To the "Last Sea" |
| Author: | Vasily Yan |
| Language: | Russian |
| Country: | Soviet Union |
| Genre: | Novel (Historical novel) |
| Title Orig: | Нашествие монголов (трилогия) |
| Release Date: | 1934—1954 |
| Orig Lang Code: | ru |
| Pages: | 1056 |
| Native Wikisource: | Нашествие монголов (трилогия) |
The Mongol Invasion is a historical trilogy written by Soviet writer Vasily Yan that explores the Mongol conquests, including the Mongol conquest of Central Asia and the Western Mongol campaign, as well as the resistance of the peoples living in Central Asia and Eastern Europe during the early 13th century.[1] This trilogy is considered the author's most renowned work and comprises the novellas "Genghis Khan" (1939), "Batu" (1942), and "To the "Last Sea" (1955).[2]
Vasily Yan became interested in the theme of Genghis Khan's conquests in the early 20th century while serving in the Transcaspian region.[3] Vasiliy Yan was inspired to write after having a dream in which Genghis Khan attempted to defeat him. In 1934, after receiving a recommendation from Maxim Gorky, the publishing house Young Guard commissioned Yan to write a story about Genghis Khan.[4] However, due to various circumstances, the story was not published until 1939.
By February of 1940, the manuscript for the sequel "Batu" had already been submitted to Goslitizdat. Just two months later, the writer also offered a children's adaptation titled "Invasion of Batu" to Detgiz. As the Great Patriotic War unfolded in 1941, it became evident that his books were incredibly relevant to the current circumstances.[5] On July 21st of that year, Vasily Yan was officially admitted to the Union of Soviet Writers. Thanks to the recommendation of Alexander Fadeev, the writer was honored as the recipient of the prestigious Stalin Prize of the first degree for his work in 1941.
During the Great Patriotic War, the writer kept working on his project even while being evacuated in Uzbekistan. When he got back to Moscow, his third book, "The Golden Horde and Alexander the Restless", was officially announced in the April 22, 1945 edition of "Literaturnaya Gazeta". Excerpts from the highly anticipated book had already been published in various prominent publications. The author submitted the manuscript to Goslitizdat at the end of 1948, but faced opposition from archaeologist Artemiy Artsikhovsky and writer Alexei Yugov. This led to significant revisions to the text. The novel was eventually split into two parts in 1950, and published posthumously in 1955 after the writer passed away.
The trilogy garnered high praise from a wide range of experts such as historians specializing in Russian, medieval, and Oriental studies, as well as critics and literary scholars. As a result of the overwhelmingly positive feedback, the books gained immense popularity and were in constant demand, leading to numerous reprints.
The novel begins in Khwarazm, where a beggar dervish named Haji Rahim encounters a robbed caravan and learns it was the work of infamous robber Kara Konchar. As a dust storm rages, they seek refuge with a nomadic family, including bey Jalal al-Din, son of the powerful ruler Muhammad II of Khwarazm. Khan Jalal offers the dervish safe passage through his guard, ensuring his continued journey is safe. Upon arriving in Gurgandj, Haji Rahim discovers his father and brother have died in prison and his old house is empty. He flees to Baghdad, where Muhammad orders his guards to execute ten prisoners, but spares a boy named Tugan. A teacher-blacksmith refuses to help Rahim, so he becomes Tugan's guardian. A dervish helps Rahim make a dagger from Tugan's shackles, and merchant Mahmud-Yalvach offers financial support to Rahim.
Khorezm Shah Muhammad visits his mother to talk about his heir, Jalal al-Din, and appoints him as the governor of a remote area. He is also trying to uncover the identity of his 301st wife, Gül-Jamal, a Turkmen woman. Efforts are made to reveal her secrets by a failed sorceress tasked with the mission. Gül-Jamal faces a perilous encounter with a leopard in a small room until a young warrior arrives to rescue her. News of uprisings on the eastern borders and the plight of the Kipchaks reaches the palace. Despite peace offerings from the Mongols, Khorezm Shah chooses to attack, resulting in defeat for Timur-Melik and Jalal al-Din. Muhammad eventually flees from Genghis Khan's son, but the Mongols remain undefeated, with their camp mysteriously deserted the following day.
Khorezm Shah visits Samarkand and meets three merchants sent by Genghis Khan, including Mahmud Yalvach, a former spy for his Mongol lord. Mahmud convinces the Shah of Genghis Khan's strength. Muhammad held a secret meeting with Mahmud, giving him a pearl and encouraging him to switch allegiance. In turn, Mahmud provides intelligence about Genghis Khan and his forces. He later shows the pearl to Genghis Khan, which prompts 450 warriors disguised as Chinese merchants to infiltrate Khwarezm. However, they are discovered, caught and executed on Otrar, sparking the Mongols' invasion.
The Shah responds by demanding taxes and conscripting men for war. Kurban-Qyzyk, a poor peasant, has no money to pay, so he asks for more time. He sets out to Bukhara and meets Haji Rahim and Tugan along the way, but his horse is stolen at night, leading to the Mongols appearing near Bukhara the next day. The city surrenders without a fight, and Kurban flees with others as the kagan feasts. Haji Rahim is wanted by Genghis Khan to be by his side. Shah Muhammad and his defending jigits flee to Iran, while Samarkand also gets wrecked. Muhammad was left alone by everyone, including Kurban-Qyzyk, who got a gold coin for helping him cross the river. The Shah meets a tragic end on an island, while Timur-Melik becomes a dervish. Genghis Khan orders the mother of Khorezm Shah to be punished during feasts with her bones thrown at her.
Jalal al-Din is the only one who resists the conquest, but his entourage's quarrels weakens Gurganj's defense. After his defeat, he manages to escape, while Dervish Haji Rahim and his brother Tugan serve Mahmud Yalvach, who becomes an adviser to Genghis Khan. Mahmud sends a secret message to Juchi through the dervish. Rahim and Tugan are captured by Kara-Konchar, to whom the dervish tells a tale that led to their liberation. The Mongols defeat the sultan of Khorezm, flooding the city after his surrender. Kara-Konchar and Gül-Jamal vanish, along with Tugan. Rahim continues on to Juchi, becoming a tutor until his mysterious death. This left Rahim free once more after witnessing the tragedy of Khorezm.
Genghis Khan commands Subutai Bagatur and Jebe Noyon to chase Shah Muhammad through Iran, Georgia, Sudak, and Kharkiv, unsuccessfully locating him. Polovtsian Khan Köten seeks aid from the Russians, resulting in a council in Kiev with princes from various lands. The Mongols trick the Russians near the Dnieper, claiming to fight the Polovtsians and Kipchaks. When their ambassadors don't get back, the Mongols retreat, causing the Russians to pursue. Commander Tohuchar Noyon brings a message from Genghis Khan after defeating the Kipchaks and Mstislav Udatny's troops. Mstislav III of Kiev's Kiev regiment fights bravely but is ultimately massacred on the princes' orders. Subutai later announces Genghis Khan's order for the Tatars to go home, followed by the princes' execution under planks.
During his campaign in India, Genghis Khan is pursued by Jalal al-Din. Mongolian ruler seeks to conquer India and eliminate the son of a former Shah of Khorezm. To aid the weakened leader, one of his wives convinces Yelui Chutsai to persuade Genghis Khan to return home. Seeking immortality due to failing health, a Taoist named Qiu Chuji is consulted but disclosed its impossibility. Genghis Khan eventually dies, and Ögedei Khan succeeds him, with his grandson Batu inheriting the former enemy's throne.
In the epilogue, Tugan discovers his brother Haji Rahim is imprisoned and facing execution. Tugan helps his brother by giving him pills to feign death, and rescues him by taking his unconscious body to safety. This act saves Haji Rahim's life and reunites the brothers, showcasing Tugan's loyalty and bravery in a time of danger.
The presentation is given by Haji Rahim, who shares his story of salvation. He recounts sheltering a fugitive claiming to be an envoy of Mahmud Yalvach, but is actually Batu Khan. The orphan Yulduz and Nazar-Karizek also encounter the fugitive, while an Arab horseman brings greetings from Khan Jalal al-Din. Khan Batu, hiding from assassins, shows his qualities as a warrior. He decides to conquer the entire universe to its edge - the last sea, as his great grandfather's testament. Genghisid princes gather for a campaign to the West, with Nazar-Karizek selling Yulduz before leaving. His son Musuk joins Batu Khan's mentor, Subudai-bagatur. Yulduz, chosen as one of Batu's wives, is accompanied by other women. Khan Bayander names Yulduz as a "working, black wife" among the seven selected wives.
Six months after leaving Sighnaq, in late fall, the Mongol army arrives at the Volga in late autumn. Musuk is wounded during a meeting with Gleb Vladimirovich, the deposed Grand Duke of Principality of Ryazan, and Babila, a fisherman, helps build a ford across the river. Batu Khan camps at Urakova Mountain near Yeruslan in the autumn of 1237. Gleb Vladimirovich offers to be Batu's advisor and is hired as a nöker. At a feast, Gazuk foretells that Batu is going to lead the Mongols. In Ryazan, Prince Yuri II listens to Mongolian envoys, one of whom was a spy. When Ryazan is asked to pay tithes, Prince Yuri seeks help from other principalities. The Tatar ambassadors' discussions with Prince George are unknown to all.
In winter, Batu Khan was dissatisfied with gifts from Russian ambassadors and only received a dozen horses, including a raven horse. At a feast, Prince Feodor Yurievich refused to bow to Batu, and the Ryazan ambassadors were honored with a portion of the lowest servants. Theodore was about to leave, but all were killed by Batu Khan's order. The lord followed his tutor Subudai and teacher Haji-Rahim's advice to replenish supplies in captured Russian cities. Princess Eupraxia of Kiev learned about Theodore's death and risen with their child. Prince Yuri of Ryazan captured Musuk and Uryankh-Kadan, who was brought back to life by the old woman Baba Opalenikha. Despite Uryan-Kadan offering her a reward, she declined, demonstrating compassion and comparing her kind deed to aiding sick animals.
Despite Ryazan's brave resistance without help from other Russian lands, it is ultimately destroyed by Mongolian forces. Khan Batu quickly moves on to Kolomna, where Genghis Khan's son Kyulkan Khan dies in a failed attempt to capture the city. Moscow (Mushkaf) and Vladimir suffer the same fate. But, the Russian princes aren't backing down and decide to secretly gather a united army led by Eupaty Kolovrat to take on the Mongols. Unfortunately, a traitor tips off the Khan, and the Mongolian forces attack before the Russians can come together.
After conquering Kozelsk, Batu-khan decides to head south towards the Kipchak steppes. He brings along the Chinese architect Li Tun-po to build a campaign palace at the Ura mountain. Yülduz insists on sending Nazar-Kyarizek with him, despite their past grievances. Arapsha banishes the traitor Gleb into the steppe after he completes his treacherous task.
The conclusion of "Batu" aligned perfectly with the difficult military year of 1942, showcasing a stark difference between two important sections. The first section showed the destruction of Perun's Forest with axes, while the second section depicted a sad scene with grieving songs instead of celebration. Old Nazar-Kyarizek's return to his homeland represented the tragic loss of his sons in the war, bringing back four horses with no riders.
In the first part of the novel, Duda the Righteous, a skilled seal carver and trusted advisor to the Caliph of Baghdad, reveals that Abd-ar-Rahman, a descendant of Abd al-Rahman I and conqueror of Spain, has surfaced in the city. He is dispatched northward to Batu Khan to potentially divert the Tatar threat from Iraqi lands. Duda accompanies him as his secretary and chronicler. The envoys travel by ship from the Iron Gates to Xacitarxan, where they encounter the Byzantine princess Daphne from the House of Komnenos, who is captured by pirates. Abd-ar-Rahman remains unharmed in accordance with the Yassa (Genghis Khan's laws). The ambassador encounters a wise fortune-teller, Bi-Gunduz, who reveals that the young Arab seeks fame rather than wealth.
The story takes place in a grand palace built in the Volga steppe by Chinese architect Li Tun-po. Musuk, a taiji, serves the young and ambitious Khan Batu, who is determined to fulfill his destiny as a divine ruler and spread Genghis Khan's laws. After feeling unwell, Batu's wives and relatives attend to him, leading to a scandal. In a gesture of goodwill, Batu gifts his wives to his commanders and settles Princess Dafnia with his brother Ordu. During a meeting with Ambassador Abd-ar-Rahman, Batu declares the formation of a new state called the Blue Horde, inspired by the mercy of historical conquerors towards their conquered peoples.
The fourth part of the narrative is told from the perspective of Hadji Rahim, who continues his "Travel Book". Batu-khan is worried about the independent nature of Veliky Novgorod and orders captives to gather information for him. Arapsha is chosen for this task and learns about Yaroslav II of Vladimir and his son Alexander Nevsky. Batu gives Alexander the rank of thousandman and appoints Arapsha as an ambassador to Novgorod. Gavrila Olexich successfully ransoms Russian prisoners and avoids humiliation. He is sent back to Novgorod with Emir Arapsha. Gavrila's wife almost enters a monastery due to rumors about him being involved with a Tatar woman, but he convinces her to stay with him.
During the lead-up to the campaign out West, Batu Khan gets pretty ticked off by the resistance from the Chingizids. Even Yulduz suggests he should spare Kiev and make it a second capital. Later, his brother Ordu complains about his Greek concubine being taken by Iesun-Nokhai, who ends up being the troublemaking son of Tatar Khan. Batu and Subudai set a trap for him and assign him to the "wild" squad, made up of all sorts of characters like the Kurdish hunter Utboy. There's a mix-up with a horse blanket made from a concubine's skin, which leads to some drama with Iesun and Mengu Khan. The story then moves to Khan Kotyan's camp, where a Hungarian monk named Julian delivers a message from Batu to the king. Abd-ar-Rahman reports back to Baghdad throughout the events.
Vadim, a dreamer of becoming an icon painter, finds himself in the entourage of Alexander Nevsky's wife. Father Makari accuses him of demonic temptation, leading Vadim to seek mentorship at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Despite initial progress, he falls during the Siege of Kiev (1240) as the city stands in the way of the Mongols' path to the Western Sea. The King of France prepares to receive a martyr's crown, while the German Emperor flees to Palestine. Batu, a depleted army, hesitates to move on after the massacre. At home, he receives news of a "black" child, but his favorite, Yulduz, is mourned by Hadji Rahim and Lee Tun-po. The city grows and thrives, becoming a powerful state shaped by war, shaping the destinies of its neighbors for centuries. Haji Rahim hopes future readers will not endure the devastating impact of war.
The debate over whether Vasily Yan's extensive fiction works should be classified as novels or not raged on, with his trilogy The Invasion of the Mongols serving as a focal point. While the author was adamant that all of his extensive works of fiction were novellas and not novels, critics and literary scholars argued otherwise, labeling works such as "Genghis Khan", "Batu", and "To the "Last Sea"" as novels. In the realm of literary analysis, Vasily Yan was identified as a key figure in the Soviet historical novel genre, known for his depiction of pivotal moments in history and prominent historical figures. Lydia Alexandrova noted the unique aspect of Yan's writing, pointing out that his protagonists often portrayed negative historical figures.[6] Ultimately, the classification and interpretation of Vasily Yan's works continued to spark discussion and debate within literary circles.
The trilogy is seen as a cohesive whole by both the author and critics, characterized by consistent literary techniques and methods of portraying historical events. Vasily Yan found valuable insights into the life of the Tuvans in the 1920s while working on historical novels about the Mongols. The character of Baba Opalenikha in the novel "Batu" was based on a real resident of Uyuk.[7]
A central theme in "Genghis Khan" is the strained relationship between father and son, specifically the conflict between the great kagan and his eldest son Jochi, who governs in Khorezm. Jochi is portrayed as a distorted reflection of Genghis Khan, sharing his father's intimidating presence and penetrating gaze. As a result, in Vasily Yan's work, Jochi was brutally killed by mercenaries on his father's orders, with his spine broken as per Mongolian tradition.[8] Vasily Yan fearlessly exposed the tyrant Genghis Khan with accusatory descriptions, depicting his appearance as unaesthetic and repulsive. He described how Khan clapped his hands on his belly when happy, with a smile resembling a semblance, and laughter akin to a wolfhound's howl. In anger, Khan ordered the feeding of a swift dog with a defeated boy's heart, and upon receiving the heart, he grunted like an old boar. Yan's straightforwardness in presenting these details emphasized the tyrant's cruelty and brutality.[9]
The composition of the trilogy was based on the chronicle of the Mongol campaign to the West. Consequently, the culmination and finale of the first book is the death of the "Shaker of the Universe". In the second part, his grandson Batu acts, with whom his grandfather had hopes of continuing the great cause. The plot of the trilogy is determined by the history and geography of the conquering campaigns of Genghis Khan and Batu. In the two parts of the trilogy, a harmonious unity of content and form was achieved, based on a deep knowledge of historical reality. For example, when Subutai and Jebe send a messenger to Mongolia after the Battle of the Kalka River, not knowing how to write, they compose a message in the form of a song and make the messenger sing it "nine times nine", because the number nine was a sacred number for the Mongols. Similarly, describing the first appearance of the young Batu-khan, Yan notes that three arrows with red feathers were sticking out of his quiver, given to him according to his rank.
Valentin Oskotsky believed that the most compelling aspect of this novel was the vivid depiction of Batu Khan's campaign "when the sun goes down", where Kiev defiantly stood against the Mongol forces, refusing to surrender like other cities that had fallen to the Tatars.[10] Vasily Yan aimed to contrast Batu Khan's aggressive tactics with Alexander Yaroslavich's cautious approach, as the latter strategically avoided direct conflict with the Horde despite his victories over the Swedes and Livonian knights. In the artistic world created by Vasily Yan, Genghis Khan and Batu Khan symbolized destruction, while Alexander Nevsky represented creation through his military prowess and governance. Although the author's attempt to juxtapose these contrasting figures may not have been completely successful, the novel effectively showcased their divergent qualities and ideologies.
Valentin Oskotsky, a literary critic, thought that Vasily Yan's trilogy of "main books" had some success but also had some hurdles when it came to getting published because of their controversial themes. It took five years to publish "Genghis Khan," even with support from Maxim Gorky, because it was risky to criticize tyranny in the 1930s. But once World War II started, things changed, and the novel became a groundbreaking work in Soviet literature that challenged the norms of the time.[11]
The early reviews of "Genghis Khan" from 1939-1940 weren't great. Critics like Georgy Schtorm thought Vasily Yan focused too much on traditional exoticism in the East, while Zoya Kedrina liked the colorful language but felt the plot lacked cohesion. Sergei Khmelnitsky was especially tough, saying Yan oversimplified historical events despite knowing his stuff.[12]
During the war years, the reissued novel received more positive reviews. Critics such as Leonid Volynsky and Valery Kirpotin praised Vasily Yan's novels for bringing the past to life and showing his passion for modernity and historical truth. Zoya Kedrina also complimented the writer's skill and accuracy in her review of the second novel in the trilogy. The overall message was in line with official Soviet evaluations, with A. Fadeev stating in 1942 that Yan's novels inspired patriotism and national pride in the Soviet people. Other critics agreed, emphasizing the relevancy and significance of Yan's works during that time.[13] Lev Razgon praised Yanchevetsky as a writer who carried on the compassionate traditions of Russian literature, instilling a sense of dignity and resilience in his readers.[14] Igor Kondakov observed a peak in interest for Yan's work during the tumultuous years of the 1980s-1990s, when individuals grappling with the aftermath of the empire sought solace and guidance in Yan's novels.[15]
Sergei Petrov, a Soviet literary scholar and critic, had some thoughts on the novel Genghis Khan. He mentioned how the author switches between a descriptive style and a more analytical one. On the other hand, Lydia Alexandrova liked how Vasily Yan used documentation in the novel, comparing it to Alexander Pushkin's The Captain's Daughter.[16] Yan's incorporation of historical quotes as chapter epigraphs gives the text a sense of authenticity and unity. The character of chronicler Haji-Rahim is seen as a trustworthy narrator in the trilogy, adding credibility to the events in the story.
In 2016, Russian writer Dmitry Bykov casually talked about how Vasily Yan winning the Stalin Prize was a big deal, saying his novels about the Mongol horde were like a blueprint for Stalin's empire.[17] Bykov wasn't a fan of Yan's fancy writing style, saying it was old-fashioned and lacking in new ideas. But despite that, Yan's books were a hit in both the USSR days and modern Russia. Another literary scholar, Wolfgang Kazak, mentioned in his book that Yan's novels, which focused on fighting against a stronger enemy and fighting for liberation, were super relevant before the war, which is why he got the Stalin Prize.[18]