This Day in History: 1240-11-28

The siege of Kyiv by Batu Khan’s Mongol army began on the 28th of November 1240 and was a pivotal event in the Mongol invasion of Kyivan Rus, part of the broader expansion of the Mongol Empire across Eastern Europe. Batu Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, led the invasion as the commander of the Golden Horde, a division of the Mongol Empire.

In late 1240, Batu Khan’s forces arrived at the gates of Kyiv, one of the most important and heavily fortified cities of Kyivan Rus’. Despite the city’s impressive defences and its historical significance as a cultural and religious centre, it was ill-prepared for the Mongol assault. The Mongol army, equipped with siege engines and skilled in psychological warfare, systematically destroyed the city’s fortifications.

After a protracted and brutal siege, the Mongols breached Kyiv’s walls in December. Contemporary accounts describe the destruction as catastrophic; much of the city was razed, and its population was decimated. Churches, monasteries, and homes were looted and destroyed. Kyiv, once a thriving metropolis, was left in ruins, marking the end of its era as a major centre of power.

The fall of Kyiv was a major turning point in the history of Eastern Europe. It symbolized the collapse of the Kyivan Rus federation and ushered in a period of Mongol domination known as the “Mongol Yoke”. Many principalities of Rus’ became vassal states of the Mongols, paying tribute to the Golden Horde for the next two centuries.

The destruction of Kyiv also contributed to the rise of other centres of power, particularly Moscow, which eventually emerged as the leading force in the region and played a key role in resisting and ultimately overthrowing Mongol rule in later centuries.