Story. Who is Evpatiy Kolovrat? "He took Tatar swords and bit them": who really was the legendary defender of Russia from the Mongols Evpatiy Kolovrat "And the slaughter was evil and terrible"

Evpatiya Kolovrat is known only from one source - "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu". According to this work of Old Russian literature, after the Mongols took Ryazan in December 1237, Kolovrat led the resistance to the invaders, rallying around 1.7 thousand soldiers.

According to the chronology of the events described in the "Tale", Kolovrat died in battle in the first third of January 1238. One of the lists of this literary work states that the solemn funeral of Evpatiy took place on January 11.

According to another point of view, which is based on information about the participation of the Ryazan people in battles with the Mongols, Kolovrat (or the warrior who became his prototype) could fight the invaders until spring. It is assumed that Evpatiy died in the battle on the Sit River on March 4, 1238, fighting as part of the army of Vladimir Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich, and was buried on the left bank of the Vozha River. However, his grave was never found.

Disputes between historians about the origin of the name of the hero of the Tale do not stop. Evpatius is a modified Greek name for Hypatius, which was quite common in Ancient Rus. With the nickname Kolovrat, the story is somewhat more complicated. A nickname in Russia, as a rule, was given according to the occupation of a person. The most popular hypothesis among scientists is as follows: the hero Evpatiy became known as Kolovrat for his dexterity in battle ("kolo" - circle, "gate" - rotation).

"And there was a slaughter of evil and terrible"

In 1237-1238, Russia was subjected to a large-scale invasion of the Golden Horde. Historians have different estimates of the size of the Mongol-Tatar army (from 60 thousand to 150 thousand), but it is reliably known that the invaders were far superior in power to the squads of the Russian princes.

Due to feudal fragmentation, the Russians could not act as a single army, which made it easier for the Horde to conquer the principalities. The invasion was led by the grandson of Genghis Khan, the ruler of the Jochi ulus (Golden Horde), Batu Khan. The first city to be devastated was Ryazan, the southern outskirts of northeastern Russia.

"The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan" is one of the main sources of information about the tragedy that took place in December 1237 with a rich city on the right bank of the Oka. Sensing imminent death, Ryazan prince Yuri tried to buy off Batu. But the ruler of the Golden Horde announced his claims to "the entire Russian land" and demanded "from the princes of Ryazan daughters and sisters to his bed." The Ryazan nobility gathered an army and took an unequal battle not far from the city.

• Diorama "Capture of Old Ryazan by Batu"
• Fragment of the diorama "Defense of Old Ryazan in 1237"

“And they attacked him, and began to fight with him firmly and courageously, and the slaughter was evil and terrible. Many strong Batu regiments fell. And Tsar Batu saw that the strength of Ryazan was beating hard and courageously, and he was frightened. But who can stand against the wrath of God! Batu's forces were great and invincible: one resident of Ryazan fought with a thousand, and two with ten thousand, "the Tale says.

After the victory, Batu destroyed the villages surrounding Ryazan and took possession of the capital of the principality. The "Tale" and data from archaeological excavations indicate that the Mongols practically wiped out Ryazan from the face of the Earth and massacred all the surviving townspeople. At the end of December 1237, Batu's hordes set out to conquer the Suzdal principality.

The news of the invasion of Ryazan reached one of the “nobles of Ryazan named Yevpatiy Kolovrat,” who was at that moment in Chernigov. "With a small squad" the boyar "rushed quickly" to the Ryazan principality.

“And he came to the land of Ryazan, and saw it deserted - the cities were devastated, the churches were burnt, the people were killed. And he rushed to the city of Ryazan, and saw the city devastated, the sovereigns killed and a multitude of people who perished: some were killed and beaten, others were burned, and others were drowned in the river, ”the“ Story ”reports.

"All the Tatar regiments are mixed"

Evpatiy gathered a small squad numbering about 1.7 thousand people and suddenly attacked "the Batu camps" already on the territory of the Suzdal principality located to the north of Ryazan.

“And they began to flog without mercy, and all the Tatar regiments mixed up. And the Tatars became as if drunk or insane. And Evpatiy beat them so mercilessly that the swords were dulled, and he took the Tatar swords and whipped them. It seemed to the Tatars that the dead were in revolt. Evpatiy, passing through the strong Tatar regiments, beat them mercilessly. And he rode among the Tatar regiments so bravely and courageously that the tsar himself was intimidated, "says the Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu.

Batu sent his "Shurich" (brother-in-law's son) Khostovrul to exterminate the Russians, who promised to bring Kolovrat alive. The army of Evpatiy was surrounded by the most combat-ready Mongolian detachments. Hostovrul challenged the Ryazan boyar to a duel and died in a battle with Kolovrat.

“And Kolovrat began to whip the Tatar power, and beat many famous heroes Batyevs here - he cut some in half, and cut others to the saddle. And the Tatars got excited, seeing what Evpatiy was a strong giant. And they put a lot of vices on him (siege stone-throwing guns. - RT), and they began to beat him out of countless vices, and barely killed him "- this is how the" Story "tells about the last battle of Kolovrat.

• Still from the film "The Legend of Kolovrat" (2017)

Batu was delighted with the courage of Kolovrat. Looking at the body of the dead boyar, he said: “Well, you treated me well with your little squad, and beat many heroes of my strong horde, and defeated many regiments. If someone like that served with me, he would have kept him close to his heart. "

The khan ordered the release of the surviving Russian soldiers and gave them the body of Kolovrat. According to the "Tale", the hero of resistance to the Mongol-Tatar invasion was buried in Ryazan along with the fallen princes and boyars.

Mysterious Kolovrat

Historians have a lot of doubts about the reliability of the events described in "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu", which was created not earlier than the end of the XIV century. For example, the work claims that Kolovrat and other deceased representatives of the nobility were buried and buried in Ryazan, although after the capture it was completely destroyed.

Researchers have noticed that the "Tale" tells about the princes, who in 1237 were no longer alive. In particular, David Muromsky (died in 1228) and Vsevolod Pronsky (died in 1208) are mentioned.

The text also says that Prince Ingvar Ingvarevich is participating in the battles with the Mongols, the discussion about whose existence is still ongoing. There are suggestions that Ingvar Ingvarevich is the Ryazan prince Ingvar Igorevich, who ruled since 1217. However, he died in 1235 - two years before the Mongol invasion.

The fact of the existence of Kolovrat is also called into question, about which nothing is reported in other works and written documents of Ancient Russia. In addition, the "Story" does not specify the origin of Evpatiy and his place in the power hierarchy of the Ryazan principality.

Kolovrat is described as a gifted commander, a courageous and professional warrior with incredible physical strength. It is customary to represent Evpatiy as a stocky man of strong physique, and by nature the Ryazan boyar is a brave and patriotic Russian warrior. Such a description makes Kolovrat similar to the heroes of the Russian epic - the heroes Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich.

Doctor of Philology, a specialist in Old Russian literature, Anatoly Demin, emphasized in an interview with RT that the nickname Kolovrat has nothing to do with the sign of the Sun, the Slavic swastika or other pagan symbols.

Demin noted that Kolovrat stands out for his humanity against the background of typical heroes from Russian epics. According to him, despite a certain exaggeration, Evpatiy is shown as a generally ordinary person, who sought to protect his land from invaders.

Folk hero

The Ryazan boyar is a fairly popular character in the works of Russian art.

The exploits of Kolovrat, in particular, were glorified by the native of the Ryazan province, Sergei Yesenin. In "The Legend of Evpatiy Kolovrat, about Batu Khan, the Three-handed Color, about the Black Idol and our Savior Jesus Christ" (1912), he described the hero as an unusually strong man who "pulled out" "peshnevy ugorin" (red-hot crowbars) with two fingers. At the same time, Kolovrat in Yesenin's poem appears not as a nobleman, as in the "Tale", but as a blacksmith - a man of the people.

Soviet writers referred to Kolovrat as a symbol of popular resistance to the invaders. The surge in popularity of the Ryazan hero took place during the Great Patriotic War. Evpatiy became the hero of the works of Sergei Markov (1941) and Vasily Yan (1942).

After the collapse of the USSR, Kolovrat was also mentioned in many works of art. In 2007, a monument to him was erected in Ryazan.

• Monument to Evpatiy Kolovrat on Postal Square in Ryazan
• Wikimedia Commons

Two more monuments to Evpatiy appeared in the village of Shilovo and the village of Frolovo.

In 2009, the Honored Artist of Russia Ivan Korzhev created a sculpture of Kolovrat from cast stone: Evpatiy sits in a thoughtful pose, easily holding a huge ax with his right hand. In the same year, Maximilian Presnyakov's canvas appeared. In the picture, Kolovrat, wounded by arrows, holds two swords in his hands, trying to rise to continue the battle with the Mongols.

In November 2017, the film "The Legend of Kolovrat" directed by Janik Fayziev was released on the screens of Russian cinemas. According to the plot, in December 1237, Evpatiy went to negotiations with other princes in order to jointly resist the Mongol invasion. However, Ryazan was burned, and Kolovrat, having gathered a detachment of avengers, began a heroic struggle against the invaders.

Fiction or legend

A significant part of historians believe that fiction and real events are intertwined in The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu, and Kolovrat is a collective image of Russian soldiers who fought against the Horde.

“What we see in this story characterizes the perception of a Russian person not at all in the 13th century. Evpatiy is described quite reliably, the motives of his soldiers are fully justified. But everything else, in particular the praise of the Russian soldiers to Batu, resembles a constructed, later legend created in the 15th-16th centuries. Therefore, experts refer to this monument more as a literary rather than documentary, ”explained Konstantin Erusalimsky, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Department of History and Theory of Culture at the Russian State Humanitarian University, in an interview with RT.

The medieval historian Klim Zhukov adheres to the same position. He believes that most of the events in The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu, including the story of Kolovrat, are untrue.

“Kolovrat should be treated as a legendary, epic hero. There are several more characters in whose fates there is an almost similar plot of the heroic struggle against the invaders. One of them is Mercury of Smolensky, whose description of the feat belongs to the historical monuments of literature of the 15th century, "Zhukov said in an interview with RT.

However, there is also an alternative point of view. Its essence lies in the fact that Kolovrat was a real warrior who rallied a small detachment around himself, but the author of The Tale attributed to him some qualities of epic characters.

This approach is based on facts indicating stubborn resistance to the Mongol Tumens (a tactical unit of the Mongol army), which the Ryazan people continued to provide after the fall of the capital of their principality.

“Many researchers believe that the monument is based on real events, and a number of names in it are absolutely reliable,” stressed Erusalimsky.

According to the chronicles, Batu really ravaged the Ryazan principality, but one of the surviving princes, Roman Ingvarevich, was able to gather warriors and took a battle with the invaders on the territory of the Suzdal principality.

It is also known that in the first half of January 1238 there was a major battle with the Mongols near Kolomna (north of Ryazan). The Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich took part in the battle, fearing that the Vladimir principality would repeat the fate of the Ryazan land. Ryazan warriors also joined his army.

It is assumed that at the time of his death, Kolovrat was about 35 years old, although there is no reliable information about when and where he was born. There is a version that Evpatiy was born in the village of Frolovo (present-day Shilovsky district of the Ryazan region) around 1200.

Historian-folklorist, Doctor of Philology Boris Putilov (1919-1997) in his scientific works argued that "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan" should not be regarded as an exclusively literary work with fictional characters. That is, he refuted the approach taken in the Soviet period to the legend of Kolovrat as an invention of the author of the Tale.

“The story of Evpatiy Kolovrat in terms of the plot is far from being as simple as it might seem at first glance. For a folk song, this plot is very complex, it contains many episodes (or motives) that easily develop within the military story, but which are much more difficult to develop within the framework of a folk song, ”says Putilov's article“ Song of Evpatiy Kolovrat ”.

According to the historian, the story of Kolovrat is characterized by sharp turns of the plot and a quick change of scene. The absence of pictorial sketches characteristic of the epic genre allows us to conclude that the Tale contains elements of documentary filmmaking. Accordingly, the story about Kolovrat itself could have a real basis.

On February 9, 2014, a young man by name entered a church in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and shot the parishioners there with a gun. This young man was fond of neo-paganism.

“… And begging him with great prayer that he should stand firmly for Orthodox Christianity against ruthlessness ". - The Tale of the Standing on the Ugra // Complete collection of Russian chronicles. T. 24: Chronicle according to the Typographic list. Pg., 1921.

In the 90s of the twentieth century, neo-pagan newspapers in large numbers circulated articles with drawings of different types of swastikas with names and descriptions of each. Names like "thunderman", "svetokrug", "Kolovrat" etc. were simply the fruit of the imagination of the authors of these articles, links to any scientific historical research were not given. In these articles, the swastika was called the original Slavic symbol, although this statement is erroneous: varieties of swastikas are known in many cultures. A kind of swastika is also used in the Christian Church; in particular, the book "How to choose a pectoral cross" (Moscow: Trifonov Pechenegsky Monastery; "Kovcheg", 2002) provides the following information: "Cross" gamma "(swastika). This cross is called “gammatic” because it consists of the Greek letter “gamma”. Already the first Christians in the Roman catacombs depicted a gamma cross. In Byzantium, this form was often used to decorate the Gospels, church utensils, temples, and were embroidered on the vestments of Byzantine saints. In the 9th century, by order of Empress Theodora, a Gospel was made, decorated with gold ornamentation from gamma crosses. The book "Matenadaran" depicts a four-pointed cross surrounded by twelve gamma crosses. And in Russia the form of this cross has long been used. He is depicted on many church objects of the pre-Mongol period, in the form of a mosaic under the dome of the Cathedral of St. Sophia of Kiev, in the ornament of the doors of the Nizhny Novgorod Cathedral. Gammatic crosses are embroidered on the phelonion of the Moscow church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhy. "

« Crossbow(old) - a bow embedded in a wooden plow (butt) with a strip (stock); the bowstring was lowered using the gate (self-firing Kolovrat)... In Western Europe it was called a crossbow. " - Small Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron. Pg .: Publishing Society "F. A. Brockhaus - I. A. Efron ", 1907-1909.

The last two concepts come from the word "chur", which, according to the Small Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron, is the proper name of the Slavic mythological deity who patronized acquisition and profit. His symbol was chocks and blocks, that is, boundary marks.

Сalendae (calendars)- the names of the first day of each month in ancient Rome. Cm.: Yu.I. Ruban What is a calendar? // Bible in Russian translation. M., 1999. It is also worth noting the fact that in our language, unlike some European ones, no pagan echoes remained even in the names of the days of the week, which undoubtedly confirms the presence of such explicit Christian names as "Saturday" and "Sunday" ...

Kolovrat is not just a sacred image of the sun, but a projection of the whole universe, working in cycles, where darkness always ends with the arrival of light. The image of the sun among the Slavs is closely interconnected with the veneration of the mother earth. It is not surprising that with such a meaning, the Kolovrat symbol took a central role in the culture of our ancestors. Modern adherents of paganism, like the ancient Slavs, wear the Kolovrat solar amulet to gain the protection and support of the ancient gods.

Read more about Slavic amulets and their meaning in the article.

It is quite simple to understand the meaning of this sign. You just need to carefully read the title. "Colo" means "circle" and "gate" means repeated movement - rotation. Kolovrat personifies the cyclical nature of the entire universe - the change of seasons, the end of the night and the onset of the day, as well as the transition from troubles and misfortunes to health and prosperity. He has several hypostases, although initially the symbol had only one shape - four rays with curved ends.

Today you can find Kolovrat with six or even eight lines. The eight-pointed Kolovrat is considered to be the most harmonious among them, because the eight “peaks” combine four elements (earth, water, air and fire) and the seasons.

The image of the symbol is easy to recognize in many Slavic signs. Our ancestors, like many other peoples, worshiped the Sun, and solar - solar symbols occupy one of the central places in culture. Various variations of Kolovrat were used in the festivities dedicated, hence another name for the sign.

All types of Kolovrat carry a bright beginning, but each variation is slightly different from the others - both externally and in meaning and significance:

• Four-ray sign - the symbol of fire personifies the sun god Dazhdbog,
• The six-rayed Kolovrat is related to another Slavic deity - the Thunderer.
• Kolovrat with eight rays - the most common option, is associated with many gods, including Svarog. It was this god who created the earth and all life on it, therefore this sign symbolizes the power of the sun and rebirth and is of paramount importance in relation to other alternatives.

Some call this sign "swastika", certainly remembering Hitler and Nazism. Yes, indeed, Kolovrat and the swastika are essentially the same thing, but you should not be afraid of swastika images. Tainted by fascism, initially the swastika symbol meant only light and good. For a long time, the Slavs and other peoples used it as a talisman, and of course, no one had heard of the Fuhrer at that time.

The Kolovrat amulet is one of the few Slavic symbols that take various forms. He plays with the number and direction of the rays, which means he can modify his meaning.

"Salting" means movement in the direction of the sun, and "anti-salinity" - accordingly, has the opposite meaning. Looking at the swastika images, it is easy to get confused, which of them is directed towards the sun, and which is against. Let's figure out how to read these signs correctly. In simple words "Salting" is a clockwise movement, and "anti-salting" - in the opposite direction. But even realizing this, people still make a mistake when it comes to the direction of Kolovrat.

This sign symbolizes rotation: with the right-sided rays are directed to the left, and with the left-sided - vice versa. It is not difficult to understand this by imagining tongues of flame, or comets, continuously moving in a circle. Obviously, their "tails" in this case will be directed in the opposite direction.

The video, which clearly demonstrates the "salting" movement, will help to better understand this principle.

The left-sided Kolovrat has another name, derived from the name of the goddess of love and beauty - Ladinets, and has its own meaning. This symbol is feminine and, unlike the right-sided Kolovrat, which signifies prosperity, purity and connection with supreme entities, it helps to reveal the secret sides of human nature - intuition, clairvoyance and other magical abilities. As a nice addition, the Lada amulet helps to develop femininity.

Who and how should wear the amulet

All Slavic symbols can be roughly divided into general and narrow-profile ones. The latter often have one interpretation and belong only to a specific deity, while the general ones have a whole bunch of meanings, which is why it is realistic to compose their image only in general terms. Therefore, it will not work to describe the meaning of Kolovrat in a few words.

The image of Kolovrat stores in itself all the light that can be found in the human world. It brings purity and order, gives light and harmony, helps to achieve rebirth after decline and embark on the path of truth. The sun sign is suitable for anyone who is mired in poverty, problems or negativity and wants to complete this stage as soon as possible, not just starting a new cycle, but starting with steps in the right direction.

A ring with Kolovrat is a good talisman for men.

The most versatile way to wear the amulet is considered to be a pendant, but in fact there are no restrictions here.

The Kolovrat ring is most often chosen by men, because such a massive symbol is difficult to place on a miniature female ring, but on a ring it is quite possible. Women, on the other hand, prefer pendants, and sometimes even, paying tribute to the ancient Slavic needlewomen, they apply the solar symbol on clothes and accessories as embroidery.

Men

Kolovrat for men will give health, optimism and help to achieve success in moving up the career ladder. Wearing an amulet with this sign, you will become stronger, you will begin to look at life easier, worry less about trifles and see opportunities where you have not noticed them before. With such protection, neither someone else's envy nor black magic rituals will be afraid. Another type of Kolovrat is - it has a similar meaning and symbolizes the triumph of good over darkness. The amulet can only be worn by men.

Women

Kolovrat embroidery will be an excellent amulet for women.

For women, it will help improve flair, helping to solve problems on a subconscious level and even anticipate them in advance, protecting themselves and loved ones from danger. This sign will assist in the search for femininity, therefore, even the fair sex, who do not have strong magical potential, can wear a ladinet to develop sophistication and sophistication in character.

For those who are in a position, the amulet will also demonstrate another, new, meaning - it will become an excellent protector, helping to more harmoniously spend and survive this difficult period for the body and protect the unborn child from everything dashing.

What is Kolovrat made of

Most often, the Kolovrat amulet is made of metal or wood. Brass and copper are much more "base" materials than gold and silver. Therefore, masters usually give preference to the latter. These metals have the most powerful energy, and the Kolovrat amulet, made of them, will become a stronger and more durable artifact.

However, you should not rely on other people's views in this matter, because quite often such a thing as incompatibility with one or another metal manifests itself in an unexpected way. It can be expressed not only at the physical level - in the form of redness and discomfort, but also at the mental level.

A person who has been in contact with an unsuitable metal for a long time may feel irritation from nowhere, general weakness in the body and even a severe headache.

Silver is one of the most neutral durable materials. It is also used as protection from evil forces, so in tandem, silver and Kolovrat will be excellent companions. But at the same time, Kolovrat is a symbol of the sun, and silver has a "lunar" meaning. Therefore, if you get along well with gold, it will be more logical to opt for it in order to enhance the effect of the amulet with solar meaning.

Jewelry made of animal or wood bones will also be a good option, because such an acquisition will hit your pocket much less, and the meaning of the symbol will remain the same. But in the case of wood, it is important to pay attention to what kind of wood the thing is made of. The Slavs believed that trees have an inner spirit that has its own gender.

A good option would be wood jewelry.

Some of them, such as oak, personify masculine strength and endurance and are perfect for men, but birch and mountain ash, symbolize the feminine principle and cannot find a common language with a strong half of humanity.

Choosing the right material for decoration is not enough. When choosing a pendant, it is equally important to look for the right lace - many people underestimate its importance. If you are wearing silver jewelry and are afraid of losing it when the thread comes loose, use a chain made of the same metal. But wooden amulets match well in energy with laces made from natural fabrics - like flax or cotton. Leather laces are not welcome, because they carry the energy of a dead animal.

How to clean and charge the amulet

The Kolovrat amulet, like any other artifact created by a person for a specific purpose, must be activated. Without going through a special initiation rite, the amulet will not be able to fulfill its purpose and will turn into a simple talisman that can only attract good luck - and then, if you really believe in it.

The ancient Slavs left their descendants a considerable number of guides for conducting such rituals, but not all of the available methods are universal. Some of them are ideally designed to work with some symbols, but may be completely incompatible with others. This important point should be taken into account by those who decided to purchase the Slavic amulet Kolovrat.

The solstice contains the life-giving energy of the sun, therefore, the best way to "awaken" the acquired magical attribute would be to use its native energies - sunlight and fire.

Don't wait until the summer solstice, according to some experts, is a waste of time. The day of "launch" also does not matter - only the presence of the sun is important. The procedure should be performed on the growing moon - ideally a few days before the full moon.

The energy of the sun is perfect for activating the amulet.

Waking up early in the morning, go outside and leave the object on some elevation - where the sun's rays will fall on it. Residents of apartment buildings can take out the decoration to the balcony. The number of charging hours does not play a big role - this is an individual choice. But at the same time, one should not forget that Kolovrat belongs to solar signs and it makes no sense to keep him recharged when the heavenly body began to decline or even retired to rest.

Fire activation is an even simpler procedure than sun recharge, as there is no need to wait for clear weather for this purpose. You don't have to make a fire either - just one candle is enough. Light a candle and hold Kolovrat over it, turning it over the dancing tongue in different directions for several minutes. In this case, it is best to remove the lace and keep the pendant away from flames if it is carved from wood.

Since ancient times, fire has been considered one of the most powerful means to help expel all unclean things sent not only by evil people, but also by otherworldly forces. Therefore, activation by fire here acquires a new meaning, surprisingly transforming into a ritual of purification. This technique is much more suitable for charms carved from stone, metal or other durable materials, but with due care it can also be used with wooden objects.

If you are afraid of damaging a thing dear to your heart, use a more traditional option - leave the amulet in table salt overnight. Do not forget that cleaning should be carried out before the amulet is filled with the positive energy of sunlight or cleansing fire - the procedure is very important and therefore cannot be changed.

Can Christians wear Kolovrat

The gradual revival of the cult of paganism led to the fact that people belonging to other religions began to be very interested in the traditions of the ancient Slavs and the meanings of their magical symbols. Quite often, people who have converted to Catholicism or Orthodoxy ask if they can wear the Kolovrat sign.

Of course, no one has the right to prohibit the use of pagan symbols, but the meaning of the Kolovrat amulet is incomparable with Christianity.

Jesus' disciples worship one God, while the pagans have a whole pantheon of them. The latter also have a strong connection with nature, which is not paid attention to in the younger religion, although both of them represent the world as a three-dimensional model, where there is a place not only for people and gods, but also for souls that have left the physical shell.

It is also worth mentioning the compulsory rite of the Baptism of Rus, conducted by Prince Vladimir, who replaced the Slavic pagan beliefs with Byzantine traditions. It is unlikely that the deities will appreciate the request for support from a person who reveres an "alien" God, whose religion razed the temples with wooden statues to the ground and for a long time supplanted polytheism as such.

Asking the question "Is it possible for a Christian to wear a Slavic symbol?" - the same as asking if Kolovrat can be worn by a follower of Buddha or Allah. Everyone independently determines their religion. Even if your parents once made this choice for you, having performed the initiation ceremony in infancy, you can always refuse this faith to accept a new one, more in line with your worldview and what is of paramount importance to you. But first, it is important to decide - what do you still believe in?

After watching the new Russian film "The Legend of Kolovrat". Well, as far as the film is concerned, everything is there. But what kind of epic it would be nice to know in more detail.

Evpatiy Kolovrat is an epic Russian hero, a Ryazan boyar or voivode, a hero of folk tales from the time of Batu's invasion of Russia. The old Russian "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu" tells about his feat. This story has survived in lists, the oldest of which date back to the end of the 16th century. At the same time, three varieties of this text were reflected in the three oldest lists according to the classification of academician Dmitry Likhachev.

Despite the remoteness of events concerning this person, Evpatiy Kolovrat is a well-known figure who was widely represented in Russian literature, mainly in poetry, poems and ballads.

That's what it says ...

Fragment of the diorama "The Defense of Old Ryazan in 1237"

The story of Evpatiy Kolovrat is connected with one of the most tragic episodes in the history of Russia - the Mongol invasion, also known as the Invasion of Batu. This was the invasion of the troops of the Mongol Empire on the territory of the Russian principalities in 1237-1240 as part of the Western campaign of the Mongols in 1236-1242. A serious external threat came to Russia at an unsuitable moment for her, the Russian state was in a state of feudal fragmentation and could not withstand the forces of the invaders with united forces. On the other hand, the united tribes and states could not resist the Mongol army of that period, as evidenced by the conquest of the large states of China, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

The direct invasion of the Mongols into Russia began at the end of 1237. The Ryazan principality was the first to fall under the skating rink of Batu Invasion. Having defeated the united army of the Ryazan prince Yuri Igorevich and the Murom princes Yuri Davydovich and Oleg Yurievich on the Voronezh River, the Mongols moved deep into the Russian lands. The Ryazan prince himself survived this battle and returned to Ryazan, which the Mongol army began to siege on December 16, 1237. The Ryazan people were able to repulse the first attacks, however, the defenders' forces melted away, and more and more detachments approached the Mongols, returning from Pronsk, Izheslavl and other cities taken on December 16-17. It is worth noting that Ryazan was protected by ten-meter ramparts, on which there were high oak walls with loopholes. The fortifications were watered in winter, which froze, making them even more inaccessible to the storming troops.

The defenders of Ryazan heroically defended the city for five days, throwing stones, arrows, boiling tar on the heads of the Mongols, and fought in hand-to-hand combat. However, on the sixth day, their forces practically dried up, many soldiers by that time were killed and wounded, and those who remained in the ranks almost invariably fought on the walls, while the Mongols could give their troops rest, carried out rotation and received reinforcements. In addition, at the final stage of the assault, the Mongols made extensive use of battering machines. The last assault on the city began on the night of December 20-21, after a stubborn battle the Mongols rushed into the city, he fell on the sixth day. At the same time, the invaders staged a massacre in the city, destroying the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of Ryazan, including children and infants, and Ryazan Prince Yuri Igorevich also died. The fortifications were also completely destroyed, and the city itself was never rebuilt in this place. At the same time, the Mongols ruined not only Ryazan, but the entire principality, destroying a large number of cities and settlements. Some of them cannot be identified by historians today. For example, the exact location of Belgorod Ryazan is unknown, which was wiped off the face of the earth by the Tumens of Batu and was never restored.

By the time the Mongols invaded Russia, Evpatiy Kolovrat was about 35 years old. Apparently, he occupied a rather honorable place under the Ryazan prince, was a boyar, or rather a voivode. He was also a fairly experienced warrior, a talented commander and had great physical strength. Even before the fall of Ryazan, Prince Yuri Igorevich sent his people with a request for help to the princes of Vladimir and Chernigov. It was in Chernigov that Yevpatiy Kolovrat was at that time, and here he was caught by the news of the death of Ryazan and the death of the prince.

Returning to his native land, he found the city and the principality ravaged and plundered. He met only scorched earth and ashes heaped with the corpses of the dead. Kolovrat was shocked by the cruelty of the conquerors. Perhaps he returned to his native lands with a small detachment of Ryazan soldiers who were at the embassy to the Chernigov prince. On the spot, he replenished his forces with the surviving people who were outside the walls of the city and were hiding in the forests. In total, he managed to assemble a detachment with a total strength of up to 1700 people. With these small forces, Evpatiy Kolovrat set off in pursuit of the Mongols.

The detachment managed to overtake the conquerors already on the territory of the Suzdal lands. The Mongols did not expect an attack from the rear, confident that the Ryazan squads had already been completely destroyed. The attacks of Evpatiy Kolovrat on the rearguards of the Mongol army were sudden for the latter. Most likely, Kolovrat also used the tactics of partisan actions, attacks from ambushes, from the forest. In any case, with small forces, he inflicted serious losses on the enemy. The Mongols, who did not expect an attack from the ruined Ryazan principality, were horrified, believing that the dead had risen to avenge themselves. At the same time, it is not known for certain how many battles the detachment of Evpatiy Kolovrat fought, there is no consensus on this matter. It is believed that there could be several of them and they were quite successful, as they were able to sow real panic in the rear of the Mongol army.

What was happening in the rear agitated Batu, and he deployed significant forces against the attackers. Ultimately, the overwhelming advantage in the number of troops decided the outcome of the confrontation. The Mongols were able to impose a field battle on the detachment of Evpatiy Kolovrat, in fact, completely surrounded. At the same time, Batu sent his wife's brother Khostovrul against Kolovrat. He boasted to the khan that he would bring Kolovrat to him alive, but he himself died in battle. As noted in the chronicle "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu", Kolovrat cut him in half with his sword, right to the saddle.

According to legend, Batu, who did not want to lose his people anymore, sent an ambassador to the Russian soldiers with the question: "What do you want?" "Just die!" - came the answer. Ultimately, seeing the tenacity with which a handful of Russian soldiers fought, the Mongols used vices against them (stone-throwing machines designed to destroy fortifications). It was under the hail of stones that the last Russian soldiers from the Kolovrat squad and the hero himself died. It is believed that, admiring the courage of Evpatiy Kolovrat, and also as a sign of respect for his courage, Batu released the Ryazan warriors captured by wounded from his detachment with the body of the killed knight, so that they would bury him according to their customs.

The personality of Evpatiy Kolovrat, like many characters and events of the 13th century, is, for obvious reasons, shrouded in many questions and secrets. For example, the questions are often discussed: was Evpatiy a Christian or a pagan? Those who consider him a pagan indicate his name and surname. In their opinion, Kolovrat is a Slavic pagan symbol of the sun, and the name Evpatny is not in the Holy Calendar. Both statements are false. There is not a single ethnographic source that would confirm the ancient Slavic pagan origin of the word Kolovrat and its relation to the sun. On the contrary, it is reliably known that a self-firing rocket was called a gear device for cocking easel crossbows installed on a special machine - a frame with wheels (in Russia, crossbows were called crossbows). And the surname Evpatiya may be directly related to this device or crossbow business.

If we talk about the name Eupatius itself, then this is a modified form of the Greek estate Hypatius. In Ancient Russia, it was quite widespread, since it was associated with the revered holy martyr Hypatius of Gangrsky. In honor of him, one of the oldest Russian monasteries was even built in Kostroma. At the same time, small changes in the pronunciation and spelling of the name Hypatius are associated with the peculiarities of the linguistic tradition and do not represent something special. The same Greek name George in the Slavic tradition was transformed at once into two different derivative names - Yegor and Yuri.

Monument to Evpatiy Kolovrat in Ryazan

There is also a version that Evpatiy is a collective image that can symbolize not even different people, but all of Russia, which is dying, but does not surrender to the invaders. The same "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu" is characterized by the features of epic epic songs of the 13th-14th centuries. This work can be considered more fictional than historical. This can be indicated by the symbolism and hyperbole that are present in the narrative; there were also numerous inaccuracies associated with historical characters in the text of the story. However, even if Evpatiy Kolovrat is just a beautiful legend and he himself is a collective image of the best Russian heroes or even all of Russia, it is still important for our history. Be that as it may, during the Mongol invasion of Russia it was quite possible to meet Russian people of unprecedented strength of mind, capable of performing a variety of feats. Thanks to such people, Russian soldiers were able to gain glory in the world, and the Russians themselves are perceived as a people deserving respect.

Currently, there are three monuments in our country dedicated to Evpatiy Kolovrat. All three are located in the Ryazan region. The first was located in the city of Shilovo, according to some sources, this very settlement was the birthplace of Kolovrat. The second monument, which is also the most famous, was erected in Ryazan itself in 2007; it is located in the city center on Pochtovaya Square and is located relatively close to the Kremlin. The third monument was erected at the exit from the village of Frolovo towards the village of Ryassy (in the Shilovsky district of the region).

ADF: in the comments, many began to disassemble this legend in detail. I’m wondering, but about Ilya Muromets you won’t make out whether he fought with the Serpent Gorynych correctly? Ilya the Muromets -

In December 1237, the army of the Mongol Khan Batu invaded Russia. The Ryazan principality was the first of the Russian lands to be ruined. This event is described in many ancient chronicles. A work of art has also survived - "The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan by Batu". It contains many details that are not reported in the annals. Among other things, it tells about the feat of Evpatiy Kolovrat.

According to the "Tale", Evpatiy Kolovrat was one of the noble boyars of the Ryazan principality. When he was caught by the news of Batu's invasion of Ryazan, he was in Chernigov with one of the Ryazan princes, Ingvar Ingvarevich. Obviously, Kolovrat was one of the boyars of the princely retinue. When Kolovrat found out about the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars, he abandoned his prince and with a small, as they say, squad (apparently, it was the boyar's own squad, not the prince) rushed from Chernigov to Ryazan. But in the place of Ryazan, Kolovrat saw only corpses and ashes. Nevertheless, he somehow managed to gather a squad of 1,700 people and follow in the footsteps of Batu. He overtook the army of the formidable conqueror already somewhere in the Suzdal land.

There Kolovrat's squad suddenly attacked “the Batyev camp. And they began to flog without mercy, and all the Tatar regiments mixed up. And the Tatars became as if drunk or insane. And Evpatiy beat them so mercilessly that the swords were dulled ... It seemed to the Tatars that the dead had risen. "

The terrified Batu sent to capture Evpatiy alive, the hero Khostovrul, the son of his brother-in-law. But Kolovrat cut Hostovrul in half. The Tatars were able to defeat the Kolovrat squad only with the help of battering catapults. Evpatiy died. His body was brought to Batu. The khan praised the bravery of the slain enemy and gave his body to his captured warriors, whom, out of respect for the valor of their leader, he released. Some editions of the "Tale" provide additional information about Evpatiy. In particular, by his patronymic he was Lvovich. The guards brought his body to Ryazan, where it was solemnly buried in January 1238.

Now let's try to understand this information and compare it with known facts. The "Tale", as befits a heroic legend, is replete with fantastic episodes and epic exaggerations. It is clear that using battering weapons against manpower in a field battle is absolutely ineffective, and that these weapons (called "vices" in Russia) are mentioned only in order to emphasize the fury of the Kolovrat squad. Apparently, it was the "vices" that most of all struck the Russians from the entire military arsenal of the Mongols, and the Russians attributed the properties of a miracle weapon to these weapons.

It is not clear where Kolovrat, upon arrival in the Ryazan land, was able to gather a squad of 1,700 brave and mighty men, if the Ryazan land had been devastated before this, and all the military people perished in battles. If this is not a complete fiction, then one involuntarily asks: where and why did they sit out at a time when their fellow countrymen were dying in an unequal struggle against the invaders?

However, ancient sources always sin with exaggerations in terms of the number of troops, the number of victims of wars, the scale of natural disasters, etc. The very mention of the fact that Kolovrat was buried in the Ryazan cathedral before his burial shows that the city was by no means completely destroyed by the Mongols, unless, of course, the episode with the solemn funeral was invented later.

But there are details that there was no need to come up with. So, the son of Batu's brother-in-law is named by name - Khostovrul. This name is clearly not Mongolian or Turkic. As far as is known, until now none of the historians have tried to explain either its origin or how the author of the Tale could have known the name of the khan's brother-in-law's son.

The "Tale" is known from several lists, the oldest of which are not earlier than the second half of the 16th century, that is, they are more than three centuries distant from the events described. True, comparing them with other monuments, connoisseurs of Old Russian literature believe that the "Tale" was composed before the end of the 13th century. But it should be borne in mind that the dating of other monuments attributed to this time is also hypothetical.

Historians doubt the existence of the prince Ingvar Ingvarevich himself, unless, of course, it is Ingvar Igorevich, the Ryazan prince, who ruled since 1217. True, he died in 1235, but the news of his death that year is sporadic, and it cannot be ruled out that he was still alive in 1237. The "Story" says that in Ryazan, princes Yuri and Oleg Ingvarevichi (that is, his sons) resisted Batu, and both died. With what kind of prince Kolovrat could be in Chernigov, it is impossible to establish exactly. But there is nothing impossible in the fact that he was there at the time of Batu's invasion. As you know, the Ryazan princes were a branch of the Olgovichi who reigned in Chernigov. Close relations were maintained between the two princely houses.

Despite the abundance of implausible details, fully explainable by the genre of the heroic work, Evpatiy Kolovrat may well be recognized as a historical figure. There are no contraindications to the fact that a Ryazan boyar with such a name really existed, that in December 1237 he was in friendly Ryazan Chernigov, that he did not have time to return to his homeland before the decisive battle between his fellow countrymen and Batu's army, that he, with a crowd of surviving soldiers, attacked some then the lagging detachments of the Mongols (partisans, in other words). Over time, popular rumor attributed to Evpatiy unprecedented feats and woven him into the plot of the heroic saga.

By the way, Kolovrat is not a surname, as for some reason many people think. There were no surnames in those days in Russia at all. According to his father, as already mentioned, Evpatiy was Lvovich. Kolovrat could be a nickname or a second name. The princes of Rurikov at that time bore Slavic and Scandinavian names at home, and they are better known under them, and not under the Christian names given to them at baptism.

Until the 17th century in Russia, even among the nobility, the tradition of being called a second name associated with some kind of human quality or feeling (Luck, Fun, Resentment, Istoma, etc.) was preserved. Kolovrat means turning, turning. Perhaps this nickname was bestowed on him for his dexterity in hand-to-hand combat. The now popular etymology of the name Kolovrat from the circulation of the sun in the firmament has no scientific confirmation.