Difficult situations in life do not change a person, but only most clearly reveal the inner qualities that already exist. The manifestations of heroism, therefore, are not something that suddenly arises in a person, but brought up by time and constituting an integral part of the personality. And, conversely, one does not become a coward by accident…
The hero of this article is Evpaty Kolovrat. The feat of this hero, tremblingly preserved by folk history, is a vivid illustration of the above thesis.
The beginning of the XIII century was a difficult test for the Russian lands. Hordes of Mongol tribes, led by the grandson of Genghis Khan - Batu Khan, invaded the Russian principalities, sweeping away everything in their path. More backward in historical development, but militant and cohesive detachments of the Mongols acted cunningly, swiftly and ruthlessly. The situation was complicated by the fragmentation of the Russian principalities, which did not allow the entire nation to unite against the enemy. Nevertheless, these gloomy pages of history are consecrated by the strength of the spirit of the Russian people, among whomKolovrat Evpatiy. But these are only single reflections of heroism that have come down to us through the centuries. The chronicler describes the events as follows.
In 1237, after the defeat of the Volga Bulgaria, a huge Batu army invaded the Ryazan principality. The Vladimir-Suzdal prince refused to help, so the Ryazan prince turned his gaze to Chernigov, from which support could be expected. Kolovrat Evpaty, a we althy boyar, a strong and courageous hero, was sent for help. But events developed much faster than our compatriots expected. It was not possible to pay off the Mongols, and the Ryazan people were not going to surrender to the enemy. Having captured the city, Batu ordered the destruction of the entire population, so that others would be discouraged. They cut out everyone from young to old, neither old people nor children were left alive, the city was burned. The news of what had happened quickly spread throughout the Russian principalities. Upon learning of what had happened, Yevpaty Kolovrat hurriedly returned to his homeland with a small squad. Ryazan lay in ashes, a crow hovered over the unburied corpses. The heart of the Russian warrior was torn with grief and longing. In this situation, he makes the only possible decision for himself - to overtake the Mongol army and engage in an unequal battle.
The rearguard of the Mongols was overtaken near Suzdal. Like a whirlwind, unexpectedly and swiftly, without fear Kolovrat Evpatiy and his fellows attacked the enemy. The effect of surprise upset the ranks of the Mongols. 1500 Russian knights swept away thousands andthousands of opponents. The help of the main forces, of course, determined the outcome of the battle. Batu ordered to take Yevpatiy alive, but the Mongols could not fulfill this order. Only by killing the hero with the help of throwing weapons, they managed to stop him. This heroic act amazed and delighted the khan, he ordered the body of Kolovrat to be handed over to the surviving associates, who were released and were able to bury their leader.
The people kept this feat in their memory, and the chronicler wrote down the story of Evpatiy Kolovrat as an example for posterity. The modern pragmatic generation can say: why did you have to die in vain? But there are circumstances with which it is impossible to live, it is impossible to realize that you did nothing where you could, showed cowardice. As long as people like the hero Kolovrat live on our land, our people will live.
