How I Learnt to Speak in English First Edition Neetu Sugandh
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My Story
An Incident That Inspired Me to Write This Book
Chapter 1: How Will I Learn?
Chapter 2: Nouns and Consonant Sounds
Pronunciation Time
Chapter 3: Pronouns and Vowel Sounds
Pronunciation Time
Chapter 4: Verbs and Syllables
Pronunciation Time
Chapter 5: Subject Verb Agreement, Question Formation, Sentence Stress and Intonation
Pronunciation Time
Chapter 6: Adjectives, Adverbs and Tone
Pronunciation Time
Chapter 7: Prepositions, Articles and Fluency
Fluency Time
Chapter 8: Conjunctions, Interjections, Conditionals and Comprehension
Comprehension Time
Chapter 9: Sum It Up
My Story
I was rejected in my first job interview because of not being able to communicate fluently in English. After a few months, the same company hired me and later on promoted me as a communication trainer to train their employees on spoken English. This started my career as a communicationtrainer. Without any exaggeration, I became one of the best communication trainers in the industry. My trainees were very thankful for my methods of training because they made them learn how to communicate in English correctly throughout their lives. In addition, they knew what to do if they needed to improve further without my help.
Considering that I faced a challenge with communicating in English earlier, I had an advantage while training people on Communication as I understood the mind set and challenges of people who struggled with speaking fluently. I had faced it. So I knew the learners’ challenges. This is what made me an excellent trainer of the language. I was able to break things down to the learners’ level of understanding and grasping.
Not just this, I created as well as improved existing communication training for a number of organizations. My colleagues, bosses, and clients showed full trust in my techniques of training on communication. Native speakers of English (for whom English is their first language) used to ask me how I could speak so well even though English was not my first language. This book contains my journey of learning how to communicate in English fluently. I have shared my methods of learning English, especially spoken English. With these methods, I was able to master the language in a few months. This book also has my notes and
examples that helped me remember the concepts and guidelines easily.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning English in an easy and independent manner or refreshing their English basics quickly. Remember, you can only understand complex rules and increase your vocabulary when you know the basics. It is hard and stressful to jump to Level 2 without completing Level 1. I have explained concepts in the easiest possible manner and have consciously avoided too much information on each topic. What makes this book fun and effective are the techniques through which you will be learning each concept. If you take responsibility for improving your communication, you will automatically enjoy completing the activities. Through the activities, you will notice a change in the way you communicate in English as each day passes. The time that you will take to start showing improvement depends on your level of English as of today and the dedication you show. If you complete the recommended activities on a daily basis, you could learn in one month to three months. It could be lesser if you already know the language and are struggling only with speaking fluently or only with a few grammar rules.
This book is also very helpful for those who train on spoken English and want to understand their learners in a better way.
My journey began with being rejected. Rejection is not a good feeling. I was very demotivated and felt inferior as if I was not good enough to do anything in life. After a few days of thinking, I went into action mode and figured out what I was lacking. Even after getting a fairly decent percentage in school in my English exams, what made me get rejected?
The answer was that I never made an effort to speak in English. I could write without making too many errors but I could never express myself clearly if I were to speak only in English for more than a few seconds. I did not even have many English speakers at home .So I never felt the need to speak in English.
I am not embarrassed to share that not many people in my family know this language well; however it does not make them any less talented. My family was the biggest support system I had which encouraged me to refresh my spoken English skills rather than getting demotivated after I was rejected. If you want to communicate in English fluently, the first thing to do is to stop feeling inferior just because you don’t know the language. Then, figure out the areas in which you are lacking. For example, in my case, it was lack of effort and practice of speaking in English. Different people face a variety of challenges such as not being exposed to the language at all, not having many people around to understand the language, or not being good at Grammar, Pronunciation, or Fluency. Some people also get bored because there are so many rules in the English language and then, there are so many exceptions to the rules. I faced this challenge too. I did not know where to begin from. There were many thick books that looked scary and made me think that it would probably take a lifetime to complete those lengthy exercises. And there were way too many concepts explained in a lengthy fashion. I felt that those books were great for people who wanted to master the language or write thesis on it but I was looking for something that I could understand easily and remember for the rest of my life. I even thought of going to a language institute for practising English but the length of their training did not get me interested. I did not want to learn English to clear written exams. I wanted to learn how to speak in English fluently.
What caught my eye was a child’s English Grammar book. I started making my own notes and writing simple and limited things that I could remember. But there is a lot that I did differently than how I learnt in school. Grammar is vast and there is Pronunciation too. Therefore, I balanced it by learning minimal definitions and focussing on the correct usage. I also completed exercises verbally rather than writing everything down. Then, I started applying what I learnt by talking to people in English as much as I could.
This book is a compilation of the basic concepts of the language and effective tips on improving your English throughout life. It has the flow and methods I followed and the limited, yet effective content I used for learning. This book also has activities that focus on helping you grasp concepts in a better way. Most important, it has common errors that people make on a daily basis. When you review them, it will be easier for you to correct them.
My objective is to help you learn quickly and make you more independent in learning the language. If you follow this book the way it is written, I am sure you will have your story of learning how to speak in English very soon.
An Incident That Inspired Me to Write This Book
After training and writing for about six years, I took a break from my profession to learn makeup. Once I completed my makeup training, I started to work on fashion photoshoots as a makeup artist. There was a young boy who used to observe the shoots. He was in the learning phase of photography. He never used to talk to me much. But he was very comfortable talking to everyone else. It took me some time to figure out that he was shy to say anything to me in the fear that I would say something in English and he wouldn’t know how to respond.
Therefore, one day I decided to communicate with him in his first language, Hindi. I was amazed to see how much conversation he made with me. He spoke about his family, how much he enjoyed photography and his girlfriend. Then, he shared something in a very shy manner.
He said, “I fear talking to people who speak in English. I fear that they would make fun of me.”
He wanted to learn but could not dedicate much time to learning English. This incident made me get back to training on communication and I decided to write this book. I could see a part of the younger me in that boy. Then I thought of the many people
who have so much potential but are not progressing because they are not able to communicate in English effectively.
Don’t just learn English from this book. Create your own story of learning this language!
Chapter 1: How Will I Learn?
I say don’t worry about how you will you learn, enjoy the learning process.
Remember this statement, “Don’t just speak in English; communicate in English. And, you can only do it by thinking in English.”
The definition of Communication says, “it’s a two way process.”
This means that if you are talking to someone in English, the other person should be able to understand you and respond. If they don’t, you are only talking; you are not communicating.
One of the main reasons why we speak in English incorrectly is because we don’t think in English. When we think in our mother tongue and try to translate it into English, we are only replacing words without really understanding how their order should be. So from now, start thinking in English.
I understand that it’s not easy to start thinking in a different language all of a sudden. However, even the word impossible says, “I am possible.” Therefore, begin to think in English as much as you can. If you don’t know the language at all and find this challenging, you could start as soon as you begin to learn and understand the language a little.
Now the question arises, “Where do I begin from or how will I learn?”
To answer this, I have listed four major areas of the language that are important to speak fluently. Circle the ones you face issues with.
It could be one, two, three, or all of them. Don’t worry because we will cover all.
Grammar
Pronunciation
Fluency
Comprehension
Without complicating it too much, let me show you the topics that you will be learning under each of them. Putatickmarkonthe topicsinthetablebeloweachtimeyoucompleteachapter .
When I started learning English, there were so many topics and areas to be learnt that I was confused about where to begin from and how to progress. This table will make the learning more organised.
Some people ask if English can be learnt without learning Grammar. My personal experience says “no.” One needs to know Grammar rules to speak grammatically correct English.
Grammar
Nouns
Pronouns
Verbs
Subject Verb
Agreement
Question
Formation
Adjectives
Adverbs
Prepositions
Articles
Conjunctions
Interjections
Conditionals
Pronunciation
Consonant Sounds
Vowel Sounds
Syllables
Sentence Stress & Intonation
Tone
Self-Practice Fluency
Treat this table like a video game. You complete each level as you complete each chapter.
For those who don’t enjoy playing video games, treat this table like your wish list. You will get an item as you complete a chapter.
You have no idea how much you will enjoy ticking these topics as you learn and how happy you will be the day you have a tick on all of them. I was jumping with joy when I completed all of these topics.
Guidelines:
Think in English.
Follow the book flow. Do not jump to Chapter 2 if you haven’t read Chapter 1.
Complete the recommended exercises; else the learning will not be as effective.
Focus on recognising the sounds we produce whenever we discuss pronunciation (not the letters from A to Z). I will explain this more when we begin pronunciation.
Notice that the topics listed under each section in the video game table or the wish list table are actually the parts that make them.
Grammar is made up of eight parts of speech written in the table – Nouns, Pronouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs, Prepositions, Conjunctions and Interjections. The rest of the topics are also important to discuss.
Pronunciation is made up of sounds, syllables, sentence stress, intonation, and tone. Fluency and Comprehension tips and exercises are given too.
Hope you enjoy the learning experience!
Chapter 2: Nouns and Consonant Sounds
Think of your favourite person. I can guess who that person is if I look at them from a Grammar perspective. That person is a noun. In this section, you will be learning nouns. Your favourite person could be your wife, husband, daughter, son, friend, mother, father, or someone unknown.
Write who the person is.
They are all common nouns.
Write the person’s name here.
The name of your favourite person is a proper noun.
Just like your favourite person, things or places that you like are all commonnouns. But their names are propernouns.
For example, I like moviesand home. These are commonnouns. Their names such as HarryPotterand Indiaare propernouns.
Write your favourite things and places. (Common nouns)
Write the names of your favourite things and places. (Proper nouns)
Notes for Reference:
Review the notes below to see examples.
Types of Nouns
Proper nouns refer to the individual name of a person, place or thing.
Common nouns refer to the rest. Proper Nouns
Ansh, Ruby, Sheru, India, boy, girl, elephant, dog,
Harry Potter, 3 Idiots, Sunday country, book, education, birthday
If you think of common nouns, there are so many of them.
Things, places, or people that you like or dislike
Things that you use
Things that you eat
Even your feelings and state of mind are nouns, for example, love, hate,happiness,pain,fear.
There are so many types of common nouns; therefore it’s a good idea to recognise how they are divided further.
Learning Tips:
Don’t focus on learning definitions. Focus on recognising each type of noun through the definitions given.
Common nouns can be divided into: abstract, collective, compound, countable and uncountable nouns.
Countable Things you can perceive with your five senses and can be counted.
Uncountable Things that cannot be counted.
Collective A group of people or things.
Compound Made up of two or more words.
Abstract Things you cannot experience with your
five senses.
Examples: Countable
photograph, book, key, phone, case, base
Uncountable butter, cheese, honey, water, wood, rice Collective
army, group, band, team, village, school, bunch
Compound keyboard, mother-in-law, makeup
Abstract
Feeling: love, hate, anger, peace
State: pain, happiness, loyalty, compassion
Events: education, reality
Ideas: truth, faith, belief
Interesting Facts about Abstract Nouns: Friendis a countable noun; however, friendshipis an abstract noun. Nouns ending with the following suffixes are often abstract. One example is given for each. Write one more that comes to your mind. -tion: pronunciation
-acy: democracy
-ity: publicity
-ship: ownership
-ism: professionalism
-age: marriage
-ment: agreement
-ence: patience
-ance: tolerance
-ness: sadness
Activity:
1. Look at the things around you and write two examples for each type of noun.
Proper nouns: Common nouns: Countable: Uncountable: Collective: Compound:
Abstract:
Now that you recognise the different types of nouns, think of what you would say if there was more than one person, place, or thing. For example, toyis a noun; what would you say if there was more than one toy?
Please write here. ________
Answer: toys
Beachis a noun; what would you say if there was more than one beach?
Please write here. ________
Answer: beaches
Ladyis a noun; what would you say if there was more than one lady?
Please write here. _________
Answer: ladies
Notes for Reference:
Forms of Nouns
Singular form of noun is used when you refer to a single person, place, thing, event, or idea.
Plural form of noun is used when you refer to more than one person, place, thing, event, or idea.
Regular nouns change into plural by:
Adding s
Examples: boy-boys, book-books
Adding es
Examples: peach-peaches, tomato- tomatoes
Adding ies
Examples: lady-ladies, butterfly-butterflies
Irregular nouns change into plural in different ways:
Man-men
Wife-wives
Tooth-teeth
Person-people
Cactus-cacti
Sheep-sheep
Deer-deer
Air-air
Makeup-makeup
The reason for learning singular and plural is to ensure that you don’t use it incorrectly in sentences. I have heard many people using noun forms incorrectly.
For example, uncountable nouns cannot be counted and will always be used in singular form. You cannot change riceto rices. Let us use it in a few sentences.
Please give me some rice. (Right)
Please give me some rices. (Wrong)
Your hairis very nice. (Right) Your hairsare very nice. (Wrong)
Similarly, some abstract nouns cannot be used in plural form. You cannot change educationto educations.
English educationis important. (Right)
English educationsare important. (Wrong)
Now, review some of the common errors made and find out why they are wrong.
Common Errors
I have manyinformationsfor you. You made me go through a lot of pains. Sarah gave me many advices.
I saw many sheepscrossing the road. He is my cousinbrother. Please include your signhere.
Wrong Right Reason
I have many informations for you. I have alotof informationfor you. You cannot count information; therefore, it will remain singular. You made me go through a lot of pains. You made me go through a lot of pain. You cannot count pain; therefore, it will remain singular.
Sarah gave me many advices.
I saw many sheeps crossing the road.
Sarah gave me someadvice. You cannot count advice; therefore, it will remain singular.
I saw many sheepcrossing the road. The plural form of nouns such as sheep, fish, and deer remains the same as their singular form.
He is my cousin brother. He is my cousin. The word he tells you that the cousin is a boy. Unnecessary
Please include your sign here.
words are not needed.
Please include your signature here. Sign and signature are different words. Please don’t use sign for signature.
Listening Activity:
One of the reasons why we speak incorrectly is when we hear incorrect English. Therefore, you need to develop a habit of recognising errors as you hear them and correcting them instantly. This activity will help you get started.
1. Read the following sentences loudly. They are wrong.
2. Correct each sentence verbally and check if you are right.
Wrong
I have to set several alarms clocks to wake up.
John is afraid of mouses.
Bobby has two foots.
I don’t like persons who don’t respect elders.
I have two sister-in-laws.
There are many beautiful womans in town.
Right
I have to set several alarmclocksto wake up.
John is afraid of mice.
Bobby has two feet.
I don’t like peoplewho don’t respect elders.
I have two sisters-in-law.
There are many beautiful womenin town.
Now that you know the common errors associated with nouns, let’s find out where we should place the noun while forming sentences. If you noticed, we used nouns mostly at the beginning and end of sentences in the examples given above.
What Is a Sentence Made Up of?
Sentence = Subject + Verb + Object
For example, Ram reads books. (Ramis the subject, readsis the verb and booksis the object.)
Notice, the different topics that you will be learning in Grammar are actually parts that make up a sentence. That’s why it’s important to understand them.
Take a look at the table below.
Subject Verb Object
Who performs the action?
What is the action? Who receives the action?
Ram (noun) Reads Books (noun)
Interesting Facts:
Sometimes the same word can be used as a noun and verb.
If it is used as a verb, it means action. If it is used as a noun, it means the name of an activity. For example, in Ram reads books, readsis an action. Therefore, it is a verb.
If we say, Ram likes reading, readingis the name of an activity. Therefore, it is a noun.
Let’s review a few more examples.
He plays games. (Playis a verb, gamesis a noun.) He enjoys playing. (Playingis a noun.)
She selects fruits. (Selectis a verb, fruitsis a noun.)
Fruit selection is her job. (Fruitselectionis a noun; jobis a noun.)
Learning Tips:
In Grammar, the same word can be a noun or verb depending on how we are using it. Remember these simple rules. If a word is showing an action, it is a verb. If a word is naming an activity, it is a noun.
Activity:
Keeping the Subject + Verb + Object rule in mind, form one simple sentence with the following nouns. An example is given.
Job: I love my job.
Child: That childis very talented.
Education: Basic educationis needed to do anything in life.
Email: Your emailwas rude.
People: The peoplein this house are very caring.
English: I can speak in English.
Paper: I need a blank sheet of paper.
Learning Tips:
Think and speak in English as much as you can. There are many nouns. It’s not possible to cram each of them along with their plural forms. You will learn more with time as you begin to communicate in English. Whenever you find a noun for which you do not know the plural form, make a note of it here. Find out its plural using
an online dictionary. You can also listen to how the word is pronounced.
Personal Notes:
Pronunciation Time
If you want to effectively communicate in English, grammar should go hand in hand with pronunciation. In addition, it’s very boring to learn only grammar without knowing how the words are pronounced. Therefore, you will be applying concepts you learn in grammar in the pronunciation section.
I mentioned earlier to follow the flow of the book. It will help you learn faster and make you confident in your overall English.
Letters Versus Sounds
The letters in the English alphabet are given below.
How many are letters are there?_____
How many of them are consonants?____
How many are vowels?_____
There are 26 letters in the English alphabet out of which A, E, I, O, U are vowels. This means there are 5 vowels and 21 consonants.
Interesting Fact:
These 26 letters produce around 40 sounds (16 vowel sounds and 24 consonant sounds). Different accents many have different number of sounds. Don’t get confused with the number. Simply focus on pronouncing the sounds given correctly.
Let’s take an example of a noun to learn the difference between letters and sounds.
Note: The letters are written in capitals and the sounds are written in small case so that you can differentiate. Say matloudly. What you are producing are sounds, not letters.
In the word, mat:
The letters are: M, A, T.
The sounds are: m(ae)t. (The sound of mand tare consonant sounds. There is a vowel sound given here too. We will discuss it in the next chapter.)
Similarly, in the word, cat:
The letters are: C, A, T.
The sounds are: k(ae)t.
The consonant Cis producing the sound kand the consonant Tis producing the sound t.
Let us begin pronunciation with the 24 consonant sounds.
How Are Sounds Produced?
We use our mouth, tongue, and teeth to produce sounds.
How Is Each Sound Different?
The way we use our mouth, tongue, and teeth determines the sound we produce. When we use them in different ways, we can produce different sounds.
Take a look at the chart below.
Consonant sounds can be voiced and unvoiced. Voiced sounds occur when the vocal cords vibrate while the sound is being produced. There is no vocal cord vibration when producing unvoiced sounds.
Notice that most sounds in the chart are given in pairs: p and b, k and g, t and d, f and v, s and z, th and th(e), sh and zh, ch and j. That’s because these sounds are produced in exactly the same manner. The only difference is that one is unvoiced and the other is voiced. Therefore, it is important to test if your pronunciation is different when you pronounce these sounds. Else, they will sound the same.
Test 1: Place your hand on your throat as you say the words. When saying the voiced sounds, you should be able to feel a vibration on your throat. When saying the unvoiced sounds you sound not be able to feel a vibration.
Test 2: Put your hand in front of your mouth. You will feel a gush of air on your hand while saying the unvoiced sounds. You will not feel a gush of air while saying the voiced sounds.
Consonant Sounds Chart with Nouns as Examples
Unvoiced Voiced p (pen) b (bet) k (kite) g (gate)
t (time) d (date)
f (fox) v (voucher)
s (strand) z (zebra)
th (theory) th(e)
(father)
sh (shoe) zh (treasure)
ch (chicken) j (jet)
h (hen) l (lane)
m (mat)
n (nose)
ng (ring)
r (car)
w (water)
y (Yugoslavia)
Activity:
1. Open an online dictionary on your computer.
2. Listen to the pronunciation of each word in the chart. Try to recognise the sound when you do this.
3. Practise pronouncing the word till you master its pronunciation.
4. Go horizontally so that you can differentiate between voiced and unvoiced sounds.
My Experience: When I learnt sounds, the different phonetic symbols confused me. Therefore, I suggest that you learn using the Consonant Sounds chart given in this book. If you are confused, you can refer to the words given as examples in the chart.
Activity:
1. Once you have mastered the words in the chart, write one new word that has the sound at the beginning, one word that has the sound in the middle, and one word that has the sound at the end. Examples are given for your reference.
2. Listen to the pronunciation of the words you write using an online dictionary.
3. Practise pronouncing the words till you master their pronunciation.
p (Unvoiced)
pet, spike, keep
b (Voiced)
but, noble, rob
k (Unvoiced)
kiss, school, shock
g (Voiced)
girl, giggle, leg
t (Unvoiced)
time, strike, test
d (Voiced)
day, riddle, rod
f (Unvoiced)
v (Voiced)
fake, suffer, roof
vain, river, love
s (Unvoiced)
smart, rest, press
z (Voiced)
zodiac, reason, prize
th (Unvoiced)
thank, healthy, earth
th(e) (Voiced)
that, either, breathe
sh (Unvoiced)
shock, motion, rush
zh (Voiced)
genre, decision, beige
ch (Unvoiced)
cheap, kitchen, rich
j (Voiced)
jelly, magic, marriage
h (Unvoiced)
hike, rehearsal, ah
l (Voiced)
late, belly, tell
m (Voiced)
must, grammar, scam
n (Voiced)
noise, tender, rain
ng (Voiced)
English, reading (Note: Words do not begin with this sound.)
r (Voiced)
write, crazy, car
w (Voiced)
wake, awake (Note: Words do not end with this sound.)
y (Voiced)
yes, royal, (Note: Words do not end with this sound.)
Activity:
1. Practise the sounds further by saying the following words loudly in pairs.
2. Stress on the highlighted sounds and pronounce them in a crisp manner.
3. Notice how the meaning changes with the change in sound.
Sounds p and b
pit, bit
pay, bay
pill, bill
pat, bat
Sounds j and z
wage, ways forge, fours
page, pays
fridge, frizz
Sounds z and th
Sounds b and v
bat, vat
berry, very
bet, vet
boat, vote
Sounds s and sh
sign, shine
sit, shit
see, she
so, show
Sounds d and j
dog, jog
dam, jam
dump, jump
paid, page
Sounds s and th
sink, think
sank, thank
sick, thick
tense, tenth
Sounds f and v Sounds f and th
close, clothes
zen, then
bays, bathe
breeze,
breathe
Sounds t and d
ten, den
mat, mad
got, god
sent, send
Sounds ch and t
chip, tip
chest, test
chill, till
beach, beat
Sounds n and ng
sin, sing
win, wing
pin, ping
thin, thing
Sounds v and w
vow, wow
vent, went
vine, wine
very, worry
fine, vine
fat, vat
fast, vast
fan, van
Sounds k and g
Kate, gate
sink, sing
came, game
coat, goat
Sounds l and r
fly, fry
lane, rain
law, raw
late, rate
Sounds t and th
tank, thank
tin, thin
team, theme
taught, thought
free, three
fought, thought
fin, thin
first, thirst
Sounds ch and j
chain, Jane
choice, Joyce
chest, jest
chill, Jill
Sounds m and n
mine, nine
am, an
lime, line
sum, sun
Sounds d and th(e)
doze, those
den, then
day, they
ladder, lather
Note: v and w are two different sounds. Many people pronounce them in the same way. Put each word in an online dictionary and recognise the difference.
Learning Tips:
Say the pairs given above out loud onadailybasistill you are very comfortable with consonant sounds. Stress on pronouncing the highlighted sounds clearly while ensuring they are crisp. Remember, consonant sounds are short and crisp sounds.
Make it a habit to pronounce consonant sounds correctly each time you communicate in English. Make a note of sounds you face a challenge with. You will be able to master them if you practise. Refer to one good online dictionary while learning pronunciation.
Self-Practice Activity:
Watch a good English movie to get comfortable with sounds. It will also help you understand the language better. Look at the sub-titles if you face a challenge with understanding the movie. If not in the first go, you will start understanding and enjoying English movies the more you watch them.
Now you can go back to the video game or wish list table given in Chapter 1 and tick Nouns and Consonant Sounds.
Chapter 3: Pronouns and Vowel Sounds
Take a look at this sentence.
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was drowned, while Sviatopolk and Vladimir saved themselves by flight. The next year’s campaign against the Polovtsi was equally disastrous, and Sviatopolk returned to Kiev with but two companions. Tortchesk was compelled to capitulate, and the nomads returned to the steppe rich with booty and prisoners. Sviatopolk now bought peace and took to wife a daughter of the Polovtsian khan. They returned, however, the same year under the leadership of Oleg, son of Sviatoslav, who had stayed till now in Tmoutorakan and thought the moment opportune for enforcing his undoubted rights upon Tchernigov, which had been the original seat of his father as the second son of Iaroslav, and which was held by Monomakh, who was the son of Iaroslav’s third son.
Oleg, was therefore, no Isgoi and would not be treated as such. When he appeared before Tchernigov, Monomakh had only a small band with him, and after a siege of eight days was compelled to evacuate the city and retire to Pereiaslavl, where he had to defend himself during the next three years against continual irruptions of the Polovtsi. The refusal of Oleg to join in a combined campaign of the princes against the Polovtsi, and the sudden capture of Smolensk by his brother David, gave the occasion for a general war that lasted two years and covered the whole territory of Russia, from Novgorod to Murom and thence to the steppe, and in course of which one son of Monomakh fell in battle, while two other sons suffered a decisive reverse at the hands of Oleg. Finally, a congress of princes was held at Lubetz, in the territory of Tchernigov, for the settlement of all
existing disputes. The result of its deliberations was that the grand prince was to retain Kiev and Turov, while to Vladimir were assigned Pereiaslavl, Smolensk, and Rostov; Novgorod to his son Mstislav, and Tchernigov with all its dependencies to the sons of Sviatoslav— Oleg, David, and Iaroslav. The latter thus gained possession of the greater part of Russia. There still remained to be satisfied the three Isgoi, Volodar, and Vassilko, sons of Rostislav, and David, son of Igor. Of the former two, Volodar received Peremishl, Vassilko received Terebovl, while Vladimir in Volhinia was given to David. Polotsk remained in the hands of Vseslav
The congress of Lubetz (1097) brought a respite to the sorely tried Russian north, but the south was soon subjected to new calamities. Vassilko, son of Rostislav, was revolving in his mind extensive plans of conquest in Poland, among the Danubian Bulgarians, and finally against the Polovtsi. He had begun making extensive preparations, and had taken into his pay several nomad hordes. David of Volhinia, who was ignorant of Vassilko’s plans, became alarmed at these warlike preparations, began to suspect a conspiracy between Monomakh and Vassilko, and succeeded in inoculating the grand prince with his own alarms and suspicions. Vassilko was allured to Kiev to attend a religious festival, and there he was captured, thrown into chains, dragged to Bielgorod, and blinded in an unspeakably cruel manner. The horror of the bloody deed resounded throughout Russia. Monomakh united his forces with those of his old enemies, the sons of Sviatoslav, and marched upon Kiev The grand prince tried to clear himself of blame and throw the guilt upon David, and peace was arranged through the mediation of the metropolitan of Kiev and of Monomakh’s mother.
[1097-1110 . .]
The grand prince took upon himself the obligation to revenge the outrage on Vassilko, who was surrendered to Volodar; and David was obliged to flee to Poland (1099). The grand prince annexed David’s territory, and then turned, most unjustifiably, against the sons of Rostislav. Defeated by Volodar, he formed an alliance with Koloman, king of Hungary. The alliances now assumed a most unexpected and distorted character. David united with the
Rostislavitchi and with Buiak, khan of the Polovtsi; and at Peremishl defeated the grand prince and his allies. The war, the horrors of which were increased by repeated raids of the Polovtsi, seemed to draw out without end or aim, when finally Monomakh convoked a second congress of the princes, which met in August, 1100, at Uvetitchi, on Kievan territory. The result of its deliberations was that only a few towns of Volhinia were left to David, the greater part of the principality being transferred to Iaroslav, son of Sviatopolk; while the Rostislavitchi were to remain in the undiminished possession of their territories.
Thus order was restored for some time, but the direction of affairs really passed out of the hands of the grand prince into those of Monomakh. Under his leadership the Russian princes were now united against the Polovtsi, and there ensued a series of campaigns of which no clear account has come down to us. The Russians generally had the upper hand, but for a long time the balance wavered, and the enemy seemed so dangerous to the princes that, following the example of Sviatopolk, they entered into matrimonial alliances with him. Thus Monomakh, as well as the two sons of Sviatoslav, David and Oleg, took Polovtsian wives for their sons. But the year 1111 witnessed a decisive campaign, in which Monomakh is again seen at the head of the Russian princes. After crossing the Dnieper and the Vorskla, the Russians pressed on into the enemy’s country as far as the Don. Two Polovtsian cities were taken, and one was reduced to ashes; the Don was crossed, and on March 24th and 26th a great battle was fought. The Russians were on the Sula, the last tributary of the Don before reaching the sea of Azov, in a most unfavourable position and surrounded from all sides by the Polovtsi. But the scales were turned when the drujinas of David and Monomakh, which had been kept all the time in the rear, made a terrific onset on the exhausted enemy, who fled in panic. According to tradition, angels preceded the Russians and smote the Polovtsi with blindness.
[1111-1116 . .]
Vladimir Monomakh (1113-1125 A.D.)
After a reign filled with civil war and misfortune Sviatopolk died (April 16th, 1113), and all eyes turned toward Monomakh. Legally, however, the throne belonged to his cousin Oleg, son of Sviatoslav, and Monomakh seemed at first resolved to recognise his superior right. But the Kievans were determined to accept no one but Monomakh, and an uprising of theirs, which was directed primarily against the Jews, whom Sviatopolk had employed for fiscal purposes, but which threatened to assume larger dimensions, induced him to yield to the universal demand. Thus the race of Sviatoslav—otherwise called the Olgovitchi—was excluded, and Monomakh succeeded in bringing a large part of Russia under his house. During his reign he continued the wars against the Polovtsi, as well as against the Finns in the north and east, and the Poles in the west. The steppe was cleared so thoroughly that tradition, with its customary exaggeration, says that he forced the Polovtsi back into the Caucasus.
His relations with the Byzantine Empire have not yet been sufficiently cleared up. He himself was the son of a Byzantine princess, and his daughter Maria was married to Leo, son of the unfortunate emperor Romanus Diogenes, who was blinded in 1071 and banished to an island. Leo then made an attempt at revolt against Alexius Comnenus, but was poisoned in 1116. Vladimir now espoused the cause of Leo’s son Basil and sent an army to the Danube, which returned without accomplishing its purpose. According to a later tradition, which arose under the influence of Moscow, the emperor Alexius Comnenus, in order to put an end to the devastation of Thrace by the Russian troops, sent to Vladimir a diadem and other imperial insignia through Neophyte, metropolitan of Ephesus, who put the diadem on Vladimir’s head and called him czar. But contemporary accounts tell us nothing of all this, and it is inherently improbable that Byzantium would bestow upon the Russian grand prince, who was no longer formidable, a title whose exclusive possession it so jealously guarded. On the other hand, it is known that in 1122, or six years after the supposed campaign to Thrace, a granddaughter of Monomakh was married to a prince of the house of Romanus.
[1122-1125 ]
But the greater portion of Monomakh’s military activity fell into the reigns of his two predecessors. He was in his sixty-first year when he became grand-prince, and he naturally avoided all fighting as far as it could be avoided, employing force only when requisite to maintain his position as overlord of Russia. As far as circumstances permitted, he was a prince of peace, and a number of most important legislative measures are attributed to him, especially the laws relating to usury and to the half-free (zakupi). Russia had suffered very severely from the civil wars and the raids of the Polovtsi, and men of small property were reduced to extreme poverty. Being unable to maintain themselves on their wasted lands, they went to live in large numbers on the estates of the rich, who sought to reduce them to absolute slavery, or else they borrowed money at usurious rates and soon sank into a servile condition. To remedy this ruinous state of affairs, Monomakh reduced the rate of interest from 120 per cent. to 20 per cent., and decreed that one who had paid one year’s interest according to the old rate, was thereby absolved from his debt. He also ordered the expulsion of the Jews from the whole of Russia.[9] But the problem of the zakupi could not be solved in this summary fashion. According to the regulations adopted they were to be regarded as free men who had become bound to the soil by contract, but who retained the right to acquire property and were not subject to the master’s jurisdiction. A half-free man loses his freedom only when he attempts to escape from his master. It was also fixed what payments and services he was to render, and it was made impossible for the lord to reduce him to a condition of unrestricted serfdom.
Monomakh died in 1125, at the ripe age of seventy-three. He has left us a curious paper of instructions to his sons, which dates from 1117, and in which he gives them much sound advice, enforced by examples from his own life.c
The “Instruction” of Vladimir Monomakh
The grand prince begins by saying that his grandfather Iaroslav gave him the Russian name of Vladimir and the Christian name of Vasili, and his father and mother that of Monomakh; either because Vladimir was really through his mother the grandson of the Greek emperor Constantine Monomachus, or because even in his tenderest youth he displayed remarkable warlike valour. “As I draw near to the grave,” writes he, “I give thanks to the Most High for the increase of my days. His hand has led me to a venerable age. And you, my beloved children and whosoever reads this writing, observe the rules set forth in it. When your heart does not approve them, do not condemn my intentions, but only say: The old man’s mind was already weakened.” Having described in their chief features, and for the greater part in the words of the Psalmist, the beauty of the works and the goodness of the Creator, Vladimir continues:
“O my children! give praise to God and love also mankind. Neither fasting, nor solitude, nor monastic life shall save you, but good deeds. Forget not the poor, feed them; and remember that every possession is God’s, and only confided to you for a time. Do not hide your riches in the bowels of the earth: this is against the law of Christianity. Be fathers to orphans; judge the widows yourselves: do not let the strong destroy the weak. Do not slay either the righteous or the guilty: the life and soul of the Christian are sacred. Do not call upon the name of God in vain; ratify your oath by kissing the cross, and do not transgress it. My brothers said to me: Let us drive out the sons of Rostislav and take their possessions, otherwise thou art no ally of ours! But I answered: I cannot forget that I kissed the cross. I turned to the Psalter and read with compunction: ‘Why art thou so vexed, O my soul? O put thy trust in God, for I will yet thank him. Fret not thyself because of the ungodly: neither be thou envious against the evil doers.’ Do not forsake the sick and do not fear to look upon the dead: for we shall all die; receive the blessing of the clergy lovingly; do not withdraw yourselves from them; do good unto them, for they shall pray to the Most High for you.
“Do not have any pride either in your mind or heart, and think: we are but mortal; to-day we live, to-morrow we are in the grave. Fear every lie, drunkenness and fornication, equally pernicious for the
body and the soul. Esteem old people as fathers, love the young as brothers. In your household see carefully to everything yourselves, do not depend either on your pages or bailiffs, that your guests may not blame either your house or your dinner. Be active in war, serve as an example to your captains—it is no time then to think of feasting and luxury. When you have set the night watch, take your rest. Man perishes suddenly, therefore do not lay aside your arms where you may meet danger; and get to horse early. When you travel in your dominions, do not let the princely pages be a cause of offence to the inhabitants, but wherever you stop give your host food and drink. Above all, respect your guests and do them honour, both the distinguished and the supplicants, both merchant and ambassador; if you cannot give them presents, at any rate regale them with food and drink, for guests spread good and evil reports of us in foreign lands. Greet every man when he passes by. Love your wives, but do not let them have an authority over you. Everything good that you learn, you must remember; what you do not know, learn. My father, sitting at home, spoke five languages, for which those of other lands praised him. Idleness is the mother of vices; beware of it. A man should ever be occupied; when you are on the road, on horseback, without occupation, instead of indulging in idle thoughts repeat prayers by heart—or the shortest, but best prayer of all, ‘Lord have mercy!’ Never sleep without bowing yourself down to the earth; and if you feel unwell, bow down to the earth three times. Let not the sun find you in your bed! Go early to church to render morning praise to God: so did my father; so did all good men. When the sun shone on them, they praised God joyfully and said: ‘Lighten mine eyes, Christ God, and give me Thy beauteous light.’ Then take counsel with the droujina, or judge the people, or go to the chase; and at midday sleep, for God has ordained that not only man but also the beasts and birds should rest at midday.
“Thus lived your father. I myself did all that could be ordered to a page; at the chase and at war, day and night, in the heat of summer and the cold of winter I knew no rest. I did not put my trust in burgomasters or heralds, I did not let the strong give offence to the poor and widows, I myself supervised the church and the divine service, the domestic organisation, the stables, the chase, the hawks
and the falcons.” Enumerating his military exploits, Vladimir thus writes: “My campaigns were in all eighty-three; the other smaller ones I do not remember. I concluded nineteen treaties of peace with the Polovtsi, took prisoners more than a hundred of their chief princes and let them go free, and I had more than two hundred put to death and drowned in the rivers. Who has travelled faster than I? Starting early from Tchernigov, I was at Kiev with my parents before vespers. We loved the chase, and often trapped and caught beasts with your grandfather. How many times have I fallen from my horse! Twice I broke my head, injured my arms and legs, without caring for my life in youth or sparing my head. But the Lord preserved me. And you, my children, fear neither death nor combats, nor wild beasts, but show yourselves men in every circumstance sent from God. If providence decrees that a man shall die, neither his father nor his brothers can save him. God’s protection is man’s hope.”
If it had not been for this wisely written testament, we should not have known all the beauty of Vladimir’s soul; he did not lay waste other states, but was the glory, the defender, the consolation of his own, and none of the Russian princes has a greater right to the love of posterity, for he served his country jealously and virtuously. If once in his life Monomakh did not hesitate to infringe the law of nations and perfidiously slay the Polovtsian princes, we can but apply to him the words of Cicero, “The age excuses the man.” Regarding the Polovtsi as the enemies of Christianity (they had burned the churches), the Russians thought that the destruction of them—no matter in what manner—was a work pleasing to God.d
The Fall of Kiev and the Rise of Suzdal
In the forty-four years that followed the death of Vladimir Monomakh, the over-lordship passed eighteen times from one hand to another, the average duration of governments being only two years and a half, and the dignity attaching to the grand princedom declined in rapid progression until it sank to a complete nullity. With this constant change of rulers, the devastation and barbarisation of south
[1132 ]
Russia proceeded apace, so that it soon ceased to be the centre of political life. A rapid review of these evil years will suffice for an understanding of the causes that brought about this retrogression.
We have seen that Vladimir Monomakh reached the throne of the grand princedom in violation of the superior right of the Olgovitchi. He succeeded in bringing the greater part of Russia under his sons. Mstislav, the eldest, held Kiev and southern Russia, while his sons were in Novgorod, Kursk and Smolensk; Iaropolk held Pereiaslavl; Viatcheslav, Tourov; Iuri, Suzdal; and Andrew, Vladimir in Volhinia. On the other hand, the princes of Polotsk were independent; the descendants of Rostislav ruled in Red Russia or Galicia; and the descendants of Oleg, in Tchernigov, Murom, Riazan, erstwhile the land of the Viatitchi and Radimitchi, and in the extreme southeast, Tmoutorakan. With union among the descendants of Monomakh and with strong grand princes at Kiev, south Russia might have been able to maintain its ascendancy notwithstanding its unfavourable proximity to the steppe; but these conditions did not exist. Monomakh’s first successor, Mstislav, did, indeed, maintain his position, and even annexed Polotsk, whose princes fled to Greece. But he soon died (1132), and his successor, the brave but wavering Iaropolk, sowed the seeds of discord in his family by bestowing Pereiaslavl upon the eldest son of Mstislav and naming him his successor. Therewith he offended his own younger brothers, one of whom, Iuri Dolgoruki (Longhand), sought to maintain his right by force. The prince of Pereiaslavl found support among the Olgovitchi, who were delighted at the sight of quarrels among the descendants of Monomakh. One of the Olgovitchi, Vsevolod by name, raised himself to the grand princedom by utilising these quarrels (11391146). But immediately after his death his brother was overthrown, and Iziaslav, son of Mstislav, became grand prince (1146-1154). Twice he was expelled by Iuri Dolgoruki, and only maintained himself by making one of his uncles the nominal ruler.
After his death the turbulence and confusion increased still further. His brother Rostislav of Smolensk was expelled after one week’s reign by the prince of Tchernigov, who was expelled in his turn by Iuri
[1146-1157 ]
A M W (E T )
Dolgoruki. The latter might have shared the same fate, for a confederation of the princes of Smolensk, Tchernigov, and Volhinia had already been formed against him, but for his timely death (1157). One of the confederates ruled for eight months, and then he had to make room for his successor, who ruled four months. In the eighty-three years that elapsed between the death of Iuri and the capture of Kiev by the Mongols, the government changed hands thirty times. How much the importance of Kiev and the dignity of the grand princedom had declined at this period, we can estimate from the refusal of Andrew of Suzdal, son of Iuri Dolgoruki, to take the throne, though he came next in the line of succession. He rightly comprehended that the future belonged to the Russian north, rather than to the south, and it was his constant endeavour to consolidate his power in that quarter; and when one of those powerless grand princes, Mstislav Iziaslavitch, attempted to strengthen himself by forming an alliance with Novgorod, Andrew brought about a combination of eleven princes against him. After a three days’ siege Kiev was taken by assault and plundered for two days (March, 1169), and Andrew’s brother Gleb was then installed as grand prince of Kiev. The decay of the south is attributable chiefly to the following causes:
(1) Its geographical position exposed it to the constant inroads of the nomads of the steppe. This evil, it is true, existed from remotest
times, but its seriousness was increased by the action of the Russian princes themselves, who employed the nomads in their civil wars. Many of these nomads, Torks, Berendians, and Petchenegs, settled on the Ros and Dnieper, meddled in Russian affairs, and contributed to the barbarising of the country. (2) Every new grand-prince brought with him into Kiev a new following from his own principality. These foreign elements contributed ever anew to the unsettling of existing conditions, and prevented the growth of a landed aristocracy that had its roots in the soil, and of a burgher class. The establishment of a political tradition thus became impossible. (3) The trade with Greece had greatly declined owing to the increasing dangers of the journey to the sea, and more than once the princes were obliged to defend caravans to and from Byzantium with their entire army.
But while the south was decaying, a new centre was forming in the north that was destined to gather around itself the whole of Russia, the principality of Suzdal-Rostov. The city of Rostov, situated in the country of the Finnish Merians, was one of the oldest in Russia, and it is reported that Rurik had bestowed it on one of his warriors. Suzdal also arose at an early date, at the latest toward the end of the ninth century. The early history of the region is not known to us, but we know that Iaroslav founded the city of Iaroslavl, that it was temporarily united to Novgorod, and that after the death of Sviatoslav II (1076) it was merged in the principality of Pereiaslavl. Vladimir Monomakh founded Vladimir on the Kliasma, a tributary of the Oka, and built a church at Rostov The congress of Lubetz assigned the entire territory to Monomakh’s sons, and Iuri Dolgoruki became the first independent prince of Rostov. Although this prince always looked to the south, yet the colonisation of the north made rapid progress during his reign. We know that three cities were founded by him, and the chronicle also attributes to him the foundation of Moscow in 1147. Suzdal was his capital. When he became grand-prince of Kiev he bestowed this whole country upon his son Vassilko, while he gave Vishgorod, to the north of Kiev, to his eldest son Andrew
[1157-1175 ]
But the latter had no liking for the south, and fled from Vishgorod with a miracle-working image of the Virgin, which he deposited in a church that he built at a place where he had a vision and which he called Bogolubovo (God’s love). After the death of his father, in 1157, Rostov and Suzdal refused to obey his younger brothers and called in Andrew, who was also joined by those of his father’s followers who had fled from Kiev. But it is most characteristic of the man and his far-sighted policy that he made no claims to the throne of Kiev, nor did he establish himself at Rostov or Suzdal but stayed at Vladimir, where there were no old families nor refractory citizens to deal with. His brothers, his nephews, the boyars of his father, he expelled from his dominions and made himself sole ruler. In 1169 he gave Kiev to his brother Gleb, but he took to himself the title of grand prince. To become the virtual master of the whole of Russia he only needed to subject Novgorod, and though the combination of princes that he formed against it was routed before its gates, yet he ultimately succeeded, by cutting off its supply of corn, in compelling it to acquiesce in his supremacy and to accept the prince that he chose for it.
This first would-be autocrat of Russia also comprehended the importance of making the clergy subservient to his will. He tried to make his capital Vladimir independent of Kiev in church affairs by establishing in it a metropolitan, and though he failed in his object, owing to the determined refusal of the patriarch of Constantinople, yet he succeeded in obtaining the important concession that in future the Russian metropolitan was to be appointed only with the assent of the grand prince.
His despotic and cruel rule finally made him hated by his nobles, and he was assassinated on June 29th, 1175, at Bogolubovo. After a period of confusion his second brother, Vsevolod, became grand prince. During this reign the influence of Suzdal was still further increased, and the entire north, and even the Olgovitchi of Tchernigov, recognised his supremacy. In the west and south, however, Roman Mstislavitch of Volhinia, who conquered Galicia and ruled temporarily at Kiev, offered a successful resistance. But after
[1205-1221 ]
the death of the latter in battle with the Poles in 1205, Vsevolod conquered Riazan, and even deprived the Olgovitchi of Tchernigov, giving them Kiev in exchange. This prince, like his predecessor, attained his object by diplomacy rather than by the sword, and at his death in 1212 he was the most powerful prince in Russia.
His death was followed by a civil war between his two sons Constantine and Iuri. The latter, though the younger, was nominated by Vsevolod as his successor, but in 1217 he was beaten by Constantine and his allies—Novgorod amongst them—and compelled to resign the throne. But Constantine died in 1218 and Iuri reigned undisturbed till 1237. He fought with success against the Volga Bulgarians, and founded Nijni-Novgorod (1221). But his power never became as great as had been that of his father, and he exerted no influence in southern Russia, which was devastated by Petchenegs from the steppe and by Poles and Hungarians from the west. All south Russia now lay exhausted before the impending irruption of the Tatars.c
FOOTNOTES
[9] [They were during the Middle Ages the representatives of the money-power throughout Europe—a foreign element in the “natural economy” of that time. Hence the universal hatred against them.]
CHAPTER III. THE TIME OF TATAR DOMINATION
In the thirteenth century the steppes of central Asia sent forth a new conquering horde, constituting the last wave of that migration of peoples which had commenced in remote antiquity.[10] This MongolTatar horde dominated Russia for 240 years and left enduring traces of its domination. It definitively broke the bond between western and eastern Russia, and thus contributed to the formation of the principality of Lithuania in the west; while in the east it promoted the rise of the principality of Moscow, which finally absorbed all the other Russian principalities, threw off their Tatar yoke, recoiled in its turn upon the steppe, and finally, by turning Russia into an empire, made forever impossible another invasion from the steppe.
[1235-1462 ]
The cradle of the Mongolian race was in all probability the country lying at the foot of the Altai Mountains. At the time of the appearance of Jenghiz Khan the Mongols were divided into numerous tribes, which were governed by their elders and lived in mutual enmity. An unpleasing description of the exterior and life of the Mongols is given by a Chinese writer, a contemporary of Jenghiz Khan, and also by Mussulman writers:
“Their faces are wide, flat, and square, with prominent cheekbones, their eyes have no upper lashes, their beard and moustaches are of scanty growth, their general appearance is repulsive. But the present Tatar sovereign, Temuchin (Jenghiz Khan) is of enormous stature, with broad forehead and long beard, and distinguished for his valour. They reckon the year according to the growth of grass. When one of them is asked for his age, he replies—so many grasses. When asked for the number of the month, they laugh and reply that they do not know. The Tatars are born in the saddle and grow up on horseback. They learn to fight almost by instinct, for they hunt the whole year round. They have no infantry, but only cavalry, of which they can raise several hundred thousand. They hardly ever resort to writing, but all, from the commander-in-chief to the commander of ten, give their orders in person. When they want to take a big town, they first attack the small places in the vicinity, take all the inhabitants prisoners, and drive them forward to the attack. For this purpose a command is issued that every man on horseback should capture ten prisoners, and when this number is completed they are compelled to collect a certain amount of grass or wood, earth or stones. The Tatars urge them on night and day, killing those who become exhausted. Having reached the town, they are compelled to dig trenches or fill up fosses. In a siege the Tatars reck not of the loss of tens of thousands: hence they are invariably successful. When they capture a city they kill all without sparing either young or old, the beautiful or the ugly, rich or poor, those who submit or those who resist. No person, however distinguished, escapes this unrevokable penalty of death. The spoil is divided in proportionate shares among high and low. This people have no need of baggage or provision wagons; their herds of sheep, cows, horses, and other animals follow them on their marches, and they eat meat and nothing else. Their horses do not know barley, but they tear up the ground with their hoofs and live on the roots. As to their faith, the Tatars worship the sun at the time of its rising. They do not regard anything as forbidden, and eat all animals, even dogs and pigs. Marriage is unknown to them, but many men come to a woman, and when a child is born it does not know its father.”
Similar descriptions are met with in the narratives of Europeans who knew the Mongols in the days of their power.
JENGHIZ KHAN; THE TATAR INVASION
It was among this rude nomad people that Jenghiz Khan was born in 1162. The son of the chief of a tribe dwelling at the mouths of the Onon and the Ingoda, affluents of the Amur, Jenghiz was far removed from the focus of central Asian political life, and his power was originally very small. The first forty years of his life were spent in struggles with the surrounding peoples; it is even said that for ten years he was in captivity with the Nyûché, or Chûrché (the Manchurian rulers of northern China known under the name of the dynasty of Kin), during which time he became acquainted with Chinese customs and manners, and also with the weakness of the rulers of China. Having conquered various Mongolian tribes, he proclaimed himself emperor at a general assembly of the princes, which was held at the sources of the river Onon (1206).
“By thus taking the imperial title,” says V. P. Vasiliev, “he gave perfect expression to the purely Chinese conception that, as there is only one sun in the heavens, so there must be only one emperor on earth; and all others bearing this title, all states having any pretensions to independent existence thereby offend the will of heaven and invite chastisement.” His successes in Mongolia are explained by his surpassing military talent, the system of purely military organisation adopted by him, and by the fact that he gave places in his service to all those who were gifted, of whatever race they might be.[11] Jenghiz Khan’s conquests advanced rapidly; in 1206 he devastated the kingdom of Tangut (in southern Mongolia) and in 1210 he commenced a war with the Nyûché, ruling in northern China. The war dragged on, and meanwhile the shah of Khuarezm (Bokhara) gave offence to Jenghiz Khan by slaying the Mongolian ambassadors. Leaving his captains in China, the Mongolian khan marched to Bokhara (1219), whence, partly in pursuit of the shah and partly led on by the passion for pillage, the Mongolian troops directed their way to the west, doubled the southern shore of the
Caspian Sea, crossed the Caucasus, and penetrated into the steppes of the Polovtsi.
The leaders of these troops were Chépé and Subutai Bahadar. The Polovtsi applied for help to the Russian prince Mstislav Mstislavitch, and he called together the princes of southern Russia, amongst whom the most important were Mstislav Romanovitch of Kiev and Mstislav Sviatoslavitch of Tchernigov. The armies of the princes moved to the help of the Polovtsi, and although the Tatars sent ambassadors saying, “God has permitted us to come on our steeds with our slaves against the accursed Polovtsi; come and make peace with us, for we have no quarrel with you,” the princes decided upon a battle which took place by the river Kalka in the government of Iekaterinoslav. The Russian princes, who did not act in unison, were beaten (1223), and many were killed, amongst others Mstislav of Kiev. The Tatars did not penetrate far into Russia, but turned back and were soon forgotten.[12] Meanwhile the Tatar captains returned to Jenghiz Khan, who, having definitively subdued Tangut and northern China, died in 1227. He had during his lifetime divided his possessions amongst his four sons: to the descendants of Juji (then already dead) was allotted Kiptchak (that is the steppe extending from central Asia into southern Russia); to Jagatai, Turkestan; to Okkodai (Ogdai) China; to Tuli, the nomad camps adjoining the share of Okkodai. Over these princes was to be exalted the great khan, chosen in a solemn assembly of all the princes. In 1228 Okkodai was proclaimed great khan.
[1223-1228 ]
[1237-1241 ]
At first the question of succession, then the final consolidation of the empire in northern China, and then again the commencement of the war with the south kept the princes around the great khan, and it was only in 1235 that Okkodai sent his nephew Batu, son of Juji, together with Manku, son of Tuli, and his own son Kuiuk, to conquer the western lands; to their number was added Sabutai, famous for his Kiptchak campaign. First of all they conquered the Bulgarians on the Volga, and then came to the land of Riazan. Here they exacted from the princes a tribute of a tenth of all their possessions both in
lands and in men; the courageous resistance of the Riazan princes proved unsuccessful, chiefly because the princes of northern Russia did not unite, but decided on defending themselves separately. After the devastation of Riazan and the slaughter of her princes (1237), followed that of Suzdal. Having taken Moscow, the Tatars marched to Vladimir, where they slew the family of the grand prince, while he himself was defeated and killed on the banks of the Sit (1238). Thence they were apparently going to Novgorod, but returned— probably to avoid the marshes. On their way back, Kozelsk detained them for a long time, but it was finally taken and pillaged.
The tactics of the Tatars in this war consisted in first encompassing each region as hunters do, and then joining forces at one centre, thus devastating all. In the years 1239-1240 the Tatars ravaged southern Russia, and in 1240 they took and laid waste Kiev. All Europe trembled at the horrors of the Tatar invasion; the emperor Frederick II called for a general arming, but his calls were in vain. Meanwhile the Tatars advanced to Hungary (1241) and Poland, and defeated the Polish princes at Liegnitz in Silesia; and it was only the courageous defence of Olmütz in Moravia, by the Czech voyevod Iaroslav, and the gathering of armies under the command of the Czech king and the dukes of Austria and Carinthia, that finally caused the Tatars to turn back. They then founded their chief dwelling place on the Volga, where near the present town of Tsareva (government of Astrakhan) they established a wintering place for the horde—Sarai. There the Russian princes began to arrive with tribute. At first, however, they were obliged to go to the great khan in Mongolia; for the first khans, Okkodai, Kuiuk, and Mangku, were lawfully chosen by the princes, and maintained their authority over all the empire of Jenghiz Khan; and it was only from the time of Kublai (1260), who arbitrarily took possession of the throne and removed the seat of government to China, that the bond was definitively severed.
INFLUENCES OF TATAR DOMINATION
The domination of the Tatars over Russia is regarded by historians from various points of view: some (such as Karamzin and especially N. I. Kostomarov) ascribe a decided influence to the Tatars in the development of Russian life. S. M. Soloviov, on the contrary, is of the opinion that the influence of the Tatars was not greater than that of the Polovtsi. Both these opinions are extreme: it is senseless to deny the influence of the Tatars, for the reason that Russia was long associated with them, and that, since in her intercourse with the east, Moscow employed Tatar services, much that was eastern entered into the administration, notably the financial system; traces of eastern custom may also be found in the military organisation. These are direct consequences; the indirect ones are hardly less important, because a considerable share in the interruption of civilisation and the roughening of the manners and customs of the people may be ascribed to the separation of eastern Russia from western. On the other hand, it is impossible to regard the corporal punishments as entirely Tatar, for they were known in Byzantium, and came to Russia in the manuals of church statutes; they were known also in the west, and are to be met with in places which were but little under Tatar domination, such as Pskov. The opinion that the autocratic power had its origin in the domination of the Tatars must, it would seem, be entirely rejected, especially when we call to mind the constant preaching of the clergy, and the fact that John the Terrible directly appeals to the authority of the Bible and the example of the Roman emperors.
Civilisation and letters were almost unknown to the Tatars. The writers in their chanceries were for the greater part taken from the nations they had conquered, as were also the artists who embellished the wintering places of their khans. Much luxury was to be met with amongst them, but neither elegance nor cleanliness: in this respect they kept to the very end the customs of the Mongolian steppes. Also in moral respects they showed themselves dwellers of the steppes even to the end of their career in history. Cruel and coarse though they were, they possessed, however, some good qualities. They were temperate in their lives, and their cupidity was not so great as that of other Asiatic nations; they were far less given
to deceit in trade—in general, with them, violence predominated over deceit.b
Throughout all of their conquests in Russia, they obviously acted upon a principle which was well calculated to facilitate their own complete ascendency. At first they destroyed the walled places that stood in the way of their projects, and afforded a means of defence to the people; they destroyed the population wherever they went, in order that the remnant which survived should feel the more surely the weight of their power; and, at length, as their advance became the more safe and certain, they relaxed slightly in their cruelties, enrolling under their standard the slaves they captured, thus turning their conquests into armaments. But the climate of Russia rendered it an unsuitable place for their location. As they could not remain upon the soil which they had vanquished, they established themselves on the frontiers to watch over their new possessions, leaving nominal Russian princes to fight for them against the invading tribes that continually rushed in. Those very invasions served also to strengthen the Tatar yoke, by weakening the resisting power of the natives.d
In conquering Russia they had no wish to take possession of the soil, or to take into their own hands the local administration. What they wanted was not land, of which they had enough and to spare, but movable property which they might enjoy without giving up their pastoral, nomadic life. They applied, therefore, to Russia the same method of extracting supplies as they had used in other countries. As soon as their authority had been formally acknowledged they sent officials into the country to number the inhabitants and to collect an amount of tribute proportionate to the population. This was a severe burden for the people, not only on account of the sum demanded, but also on account of the manner in which it was raised. The exactions and cruelty of the tax-gatherers led to local insurrections, and the insurrectionists were of course always severely punished. But there was never any general military occupation nor any wholesale confiscations of land, and the existing political organisation was left undisturbed. The modern method of dealing with annexed provinces was wholly unknown to the Tatars. The
