Siege of Kolomna

In Kolomna, the Vladimir-Suzdal army met some of the Ryazan survivors from the Battle of Voronezh River led by Prince Roman Ingvarevich.[2] After some heavy fighting under the walls of Kolomna, the young princes Vsevolod and Vladimir retreated to Vladimir and Moscow, respectively.[1][3] The small Russian force left in Kolomna was besieged and annihilated a few days after the destruction of Ryazan.[4] This left the capital, Vladimir, open for the next Tatar onslaught.

According to Rashid-al-Din Hamadani, the contemporary historian of the Ilkhanate, Kolomna was the fiercest battle of the entire campaign: Kulkan, son of Genghis Khan, died in battle.[5] Reasons for Mongol casualties, which were heavier than usual, might be:

• Kolomna was attacked by only a fraction of Mongol force, while the main army was occupied with the siege of Ryazan.[2]
• Russian forces at Kolomna included almost all the warriors of Vladimir-Suzdal, the strongest state of Kievan Rus' at the time. The capital city of Vladimir was probably left defencless, as it was taken after just 2 days[1]-much smaller Ryazan resisted longer, even after the defeat on the Voronezh River.[3] Soviet historians estimated the Russian army at Kolomna up to 15.000 men.[6]
• Vladimir-Suzdal army was apparently a relief force,[3] and Voivode Yeremey is specifically mentioned as "captain of the guards",[2] so it is reasonable to assume that most of Grand Prince Yuri's Druzhina was there as well. So the army had a small, but well equipped core of professional soldiers.

According to The Tale of the Destruction of Ryazan, a few days after the fall of Kolomna, the main Mongol army was suddenly attacked "in the land of Suzdal".[7] On January 11, 1238, the last remnant of Ryazan defenders, 1700 men under Evpaty Kolovrat, made a last stand for their country. Though probably fictional, the tale of their sacrifice is "one of the greatest epics in the history of Russia".[8]