urope.

The march of such a host could not be kept secret. When the Polovtsi,
the old enemies of Russia, heard of the approach, they sent for help
to the Christian dukes. "When they have taken our country, they will
take yours," they said. Mstislaf the Bold of Galitch, urged that the
assistance be granted, and the chief of the Polovtsi agreed to (p. 065)
enter the Greek Church. The Russians assembled on the lower Dnieper,
where they were approached by some Tatar envoys who told them that
they had "come by God's command against our slaves and grooms, the
accursed Polovtsi. Be at peace with us; we have no quarrel with you."
The envoys were arrested and put to death. The Russian army then moved
eastward, and met the Tartar host at the Kalka, a small river running
into the Sea of Azof. Instead of waiting for the troops still on the
way, Mstislaf the Bold and his friends began the battle. While it was
at its height, the Polovtsi were seized by a panic and, falling back,
threw the Russians into disorder. The Russian army was routed; six
dukes and seventy high boyards were left dead on the battlefield, and
hardly a tenth of the army escaped. The Grand Duke of Kief still
occupied a fortified camp on the Kalka. The Tartars offered to allow
him and his drujina to retire upon payment of a ransom. He accepted,
and was attacked by the Tartars after he had left his fortifications.
He and his two sons were stifled under boards, and his guard was
massacred.

The Tartars at this time needed all their men to complete the conquest
of China, and therefore the armies invading Europe were recalled,
after southern Russia was at their mercy. The Russians did not inquire
into the cause of this relief, but resumed their old life, confident
that all danger was past.

When the Tartars had made themselves masters of China, Bati, a nephew
of Genghis, was dispatched westward to mark further conquests. He did
not follow the same route but passed south of the Ural Mountains.
Thirteen years after the battle of the Kalka, Bati besieged and (p. 066)
took the capital of the Bulgars, east of the grand dukedom of Souzdal
(1237). As soon as the dukes of Central Russia heard this, they united
against the Tartars, but the Grand Duke of Souzdal refused to join
them. The Tartars sent envoys to the allied dukes. "If you want
peace," they said, "give us the tenth of your goods." "When we are
dead," was the proud reply, "you can have the whole." A battle w