The Mongol Invasion (trilogy)

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. This trilogy is considered the author's most renowned work and is comprised of the novellas "Genghis Khan" (1939), "Batu" (1942), and "To the "Last Sea"" (1955).

The Mongol Invasion (trilogy)

Author	Vasily Yan
Original title	Нашествие монголов (трилогия)
Language	Russian
Genre	Novel (Historical novel)
Publication date	1934—1954
Publication place	Soviet Union
Pages	1056
Original text	Нашествие монголов (трилогия) at Russian Wikisource

Vasily Yan became interested in the theme of Genghis Khan's conquests in the early 20th century while serving in the Transcaspian region. 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. 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. 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.

Books

Genghis Khan

The novel begins Gurganj in Khwarazm, a beggar dervish named Haji Rahim comes across a caravan that has been robbed and discovers that the culprit is a brigand named Kara Konchar. After a dust storm, the dervish and the wounded merchant take refuge with a nomadic family, including bey Jalal al-Din, the son of Padishah Muhammad II of Khwarazm. Kara-Konchar shares his bounty and Khan Jalal grants him a pass through the guard. Haji Rahim finds his father and brother dead in prison and his old house abandoned. He flees to Baghdad, where Muhammad executes ten convicts, but has mercy on the boy Tugan, who is recognized as his brother. Haji Rahim becomes his guardian and is ordered to forge a dagger. Merchant Mahmud-Yalvach provides financial assistance.

Khorezm Shah Muhammad visits his mother to discuss his heir, Jalal al-Din, and appoints him as governor of a distant region. He also becomes intrigued by his three hundred and first wife, Gül-Jamal. A sorceress fails to uncover her secrets, leading to Gül-Jamal being thrown to a leopard. A dzhigit kills the leopard and informs Muhammad of uprisings in Khorezm. Timur-Melik, a chief of guards, saves the dzhigit. Khorezm Shah, persuaded by his mother, leaves with an army to the East. The Mongols offer peace, but Muhammad orders an attack. Genghis Khan's son breaks through the Shah's camp, fleeing.

Shah Muhammad visits Samarkand, where Genghis Khan's envoys, including Mahmud-Yalvach, arrived with gifts. Mahmud-Yalvach, a spy for his Mongol lord, convinced Khorezm Shah of the Khagan's greatness. Muhammad secretly invited Mahmud-Yalvach to a meeting, where he revealed details about Khan and his warriors. 450 warriors disguised as merchants were exposed in Otrar, leading to their subsequent execution at the discretion of Khorezm Shah. Genghis Khan's new ambassador was also executed, and his subordinates were expelled, marking the start of a Mongol campaign against Khorezm.

The Shah orders taxes to be collected three years in advance and forces to go to war. A peasant named Kurban-Kyzyk, who has nothing to pay, rides an old horse to Bukhara and meets Haji Rahim and Tugan. His horse is stolen, and Mongols appear near Bukhara. The city is surrendered without a fight, and Kurban flees. Khorezm Shah, his son, and defending jigits flee westward to Iran. Samarkand is further destroyed, and Shah Muhammad is abandoned by everyone, including Kurban-Kizik. Later, Kurban kills the Mongol who stole his horse and returns to his village, where his mother, wife, and children are dead. Muhammad finds himself on an island of lepers, goes mad, and dies. Timur-Melik buried his senior, broke his saber, and became a dervish. Genghis Khan ordered the mother of Khorezm Shah to sit at the entrance to his yurt and throw her bones during feasts.

Jalal al-Din's army grew, but conflicts arose over booty, leaving Gurganj without support. Khan disappeared, leaving Dervish Hadji Rahim and Tugan to serve Mahmud-Yalvach. Dervish secretly sends a message to Juchi, who falls in love with Kara Konchar. The dervish learns about Gül-Jamal's life and her lover Kara-Burgut, becoming a brigand. He freed Gül-Jamal, and the Mongols flooded the city. Haji-Rahim witnessed the tragedy and became a tutor to Batu Khan. Kara-Konchar freed his beloved, and the Mongols captured Khorezm. Genghis Khan's sons killed Kara-Konchar and Gül-Jamal, while Tugan disappeared. Haji-Rahim witnessed the tragedy and tutored Juchi-khan's son Batu. Then Juchi was killed, and the dervish became free again.

Under Genghis Khan's leadership, generals Subutai and Jebe initially set out to disrupt peace in Iran but ended up redirecting their mission towards Georgia, Sudak, and Kharkiv before ultimately defeating Kipchak warriors and Russian forces. Despite facing strong resistance from the Kiev regiment, led by Mstislav Romanovich, the Mongols emerged victorious with the help of reinforcements from new Russian troops. After their triumph, Genghis Khan ordered their return and the captured princes were killed by being crushed under planks during a celebration.

During this time, Genghis Khan fought a battle in India against Jalal ad-Din, seeking to conquer the country and defeat the son of the previous Shah of Khwarazm. His wife convinced a counselor to persuade Genghis Khan to return home due to his failing health. In his pursuit of immortality, Genghis Khan met with a Taoist named Qiu Chuji who explained that immortality was not achievable. Genghis Khan eventually died, and Ögedei Khan succeeded him. Batu, the grandson of the former Khwarazm ruler, later became known as Khan Batu.

In the conclusion, it is revealed that Tugan, against all odds, managed to survive and align himself with the esteemed Mongol warriors. Due to his strong loyalty, Tugan traveled to Khwarazm and found his brother, Hadji Rahim, unfairly imprisoned and facing death. Tugan devised a clever plan to save his brother by giving him pills to fake his death and then successfully breaking him out of prison at night. This act of brotherly love saved Hadji Rahim from a grim fate.

Batu

In this captivating narrative shared by Hadji Rahim, he recounts his own rescue before delving into his experiences as a scribe. One fateful night, he encountered a mysterious runaway in elaborate attire who claimed to be a messenger from the renowned vizier Mahmud-Yalvach. Unbeknownst to Rahim, the runaway he encountered was actually his former student, Batu Khan. Along with a young orphan named Yulduz and an old faqīh, Batu showed great intelligence, bravery, and determination as he embarked on a path to become a powerful warrior. Despite facing dangers and unexpected obstacles, Batu aims to conquer the entire universe to its edge - the last sea.

The Chinggisid princes are preparing for the Mongol invasion of Europe, with Nazar-Kyarizek asking for horses for his sons. Before leaving, he sells Yülduz to Khan Bayander's harem, causing his son Musuk to disown him. Musuk finds shelter with Arabsha after being robbed, while Yülduz is chosen to accompany Batu on the campaign. She earns the nickname "hardworking, black wife" from Khan Bayander.

About six months after leaving Sighnaq, in late fall, the Mongol army showed up at the banks of the Volga River. Musuk got injured during a meeting with a group led by the former Grand Duke of Principality of Ryazan, Gleb Vladimirovich. They were accompanied by Babila, a slave owned by the soothsayer Gazuk. Musuk's years of experience as a fisherman came in handy for crossing the river.

In the fall of 1237, Batu-Khan set up camp at Urakova Mountain near Yeruslan. Gleb Vladimirovich offered to be Batu's main adviser and guide in Russian territories, and Batu agreed, making him a nöker. One night, Gleb Vladimirovich of Ryazan shared a story about Attila with Batu, suggesting that Batu would be a leader for the Mongols. In Olden Ryazan, Prince Yuri met with Mongol envoys, including a Bulgar merchant who knew the city well. Prince Yuri II of Vladimir asked for assistance from other Russian principalities when asked to pay a tithe. The specifics of the negotiations between Tatar envoys and Prince Yuri are unclear.

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 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. Yulduz 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.

To the "Last Sea"

In the beginning of the book, a skilled seal carver and trusted advisor to the Caliph of Baghdad, Duda the Just, announces the arrival of Abd al-Rahman I, a noble descendant of Abd al-Rahman I who conquered Spain. They decide he should travel north to seek help from Batu Khan to protect Iraq from the Tatar threat. Duda becomes his secretary and chronicler. They sail by ship from the Iron Gates to Xacitarxan, owned by Islam-Aga who has the Byzantine princess Daphne captive. Daphne, described as stirring intense emotions, was taken by pirates on her way to marry a Georgian tsarevitch. Daphne is eventually brought to the Mongol Khan, while Abd-ar-Rahman is spared under Yassa (Genghis Khan's laws). The Arab ambassador meets Bibi-Günduz, a wise fortune-teller, who reveals that he seeks fame over wealth. He then joins a caravan of Arab merchants heading to Batu Khan's base.

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.

Language

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. Larisa Alexandrova noted the unique aspect of Yan's writing, pointing out that his protagonists often portrayed negative historical figures. 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.

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. The father sent his eldest son to the furthest corner of the kingdom, suspecting him of being a rival. This decision was influenced by the pervasive theme of violence and cruelty that had started in the "Lights on the Mounds" and had infiltrated even the family's habits in the tyrant's inner circle. As a result, Jochi u Yan was brutally killed by mercenaries sent by his father, with his spine broken according to Mongolian tradition. In this regard, Vasily Yan did not shy away from straightforwardness and, while carrying out the super-task of exposing the tyrant, he presented deliberately accusatory descriptions. Even the appearance of Genghis Khan is unaesthetic and repulsive: when he is happy, he claps "big hands on his heavy belly", and his mouth stretches "into a semblance of a smile", and his laughter resembles the howl of "a big old wolfhound". In anger, he orders to feed the swift dog "with the heart of a boy" - the son of the defeated Jalal ad-Din, and when "the Mongol executioner, smiling proudly from ear to ear", brings him "a little smoking heart", he grunts, "like an old boar".

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. 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.

Criticism

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.

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.

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. 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. 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.

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, Larisa Alexandrova liked how Vasily Yan used documentation in the novel, comparing it to Alexander Pushkin's The Captain's Daughter. 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. 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.

Bibliography

• Баскаков, Е.Н. (2019). "Средняя Азия в жизни Василия Григорьевича Янчевецкого". Форум молодых учёных. 38 (10): 76–79. ISSN 2500-4050.
• Hung, William (1951). "The Transmission of The Book Known as The Secret History of The Mongols". Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies. 14 (3/4): 433–492. doi:10.2307/2718184. JSTOR 2718184.
• Lane, George (2004). Genghis Khan and Mongol Rule. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-3133-2528-1.
• Козак, В. (1996). Ян. Лексикон русской литературы XX века = Lexikon der russischen Literatur ab 1917 / [пер. с нем.] Москва: РИК «Культура». p. 492. ISBN 5-8334-0019-8.
• Козлов, Д.В. (2013). Историческая проза в контексте советской эпохи (послевоенный советский исторический роман): учеб. пособие. Иркутск: Изд-во ИГУ. p. 98. ISBN 978-5-9624-0980-1.
• Разгон, Лев (1995). Позавчера и сегодня. Москва: Инфра-М. ISBN 5-86225-098-0.
• Razgon, Lev (1995). True stories: The memoirs of Lev Razgon. Translated by John Crowfoot. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Ardis. ISBN 0-87501-108-X.
• Янчевецкий, М. (1972). "Новое о творчестве В. Яна". Вопросы литературы (1): 222–224.
• Янчевецкий, М. (1972). "О новых изданиях и литературном наследии В. Яна". Русская литература (2): 190–191.
• Янчевецкий, М. (1977). Писатель-историк В. Ян. Очерк творчества. Москва: Детская литература. p. 192.

External links

• Dmitry Bykov (2016-07-30). "Василий Ян. «Батый»". Сто лет — сто лекций Дмитрия Быкова. Выпуск № 43. Tvrain.ru. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
• The Islamic World to 1600: The Golden Horde
• "Ян Василий Григорьевич". Проект ХРОНОС. Retrieved 2019-12-22.