The stone cathedral that became a furnace
Editorial contextWhen the new town fell, the bishop, the grand prince's wife, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, boyars and townspeople shut themselves in the stone Cathedral of the Mother of God, built by the Suzdal princes. The Tatars set it on fire. Then they forced the doors, killed the survivors and stripped the wonder-working icon of its gold, silver and gems. The passage shows a Rus-built stone church and who ruined it.
The Tatars forced open the church doors, and saw some who had perished by fire, and others they put to death with weapons; they plundered the holy Mother of God [cathedral], and stripped the wonderful icon adorned with gold and silver and precious stones
Working translation
Original wording
Татарове же силою отвориша двери церковныя, и видѣша овы огнемъ скончавшася, овы же оружьемъ до конца смерти предаша; святую Богородицю разграбиша, чюдную икону одраша, украшену златомъ и серебромъ и каменьемъ драгымъ
About Tatars (Mongols); Bishop Mitrofan and the princely family of Vladimir
Continue in this sourceThe Laurentian Chronicle: the Mongol storm over Suzdal Rusc. 852 to 1305 · 14 passagesThe fall of Vladimir: palisade, siege engines, a burning church
Editorial contextThe chronicle describes the Tatar method at Vladimir. They surrounded the city with a palisade (tyn), set up siege engines (poroki), took the city and set it on fire. The prince's family and the bishop, who had taken monastic vows as the end approached, shut themselves in the gallery of the cathedral. The Tatars broke down the doors, piled up timber and burned the church, suffocating everyone inside.
And the lawless Ishmaelites drew near the city, and surrounded the city in force, and fenced it all round with a palisade … having set up siege engines they took the city and set it on fire … they ran into the church of the Holy Mother of God and shut themselves in the gallery; and the pagans, breaking down the doors, set fire to the church, having piled up timber, and suffocated them all.
Working translation
Original wording
Безаконьнии же Измаильти приближишася къ граду, и оступиша градъ силою, и отыниша тыномъ всь … поставивше порокы взяша градъ и запалиша й огнемь … вбѣгоша въ святую Богородицю и затворишася въ полатѣ; погании же отбивше двьри зажгоша церковь, наволочивше лѣса, и издушиша вся.
About Tatars (Batu's army)
Keep in mind
'Ishmaelites' is a biblical label, not an ethnic name.
Vladimir besieged: scaffolds, catapults and a palisade
Editorial contextAfter parading the captured prince Vladimir Iurevich before the Golden Gate so his brothers on the walls could see him, the Tatars camped around the city. On the Saturday before Lent they built scaffolds and set up 'poroki' (stone-throwing engines), and in one night surrounded the whole city with a timber palisade. The next morning they attacked. It is a precise picture of Mongol siege method.
On Meatfare Saturday they began to prepare scaffolds and set up siege engines until evening, and in the night they fenced the whole city of Vladimir round with a palisade; on Meatfare Sunday after matins they advanced on the city, on the 7th of February, the feast of the holy martyr Theodore Stratelates.
Working translation
Original wording
Въ суботу мясопустную почаша наряжати лѣсы и порокы ставиша до вечера, а на ночь огородиша тыномъ около всего города Володимеря; въ недѣлю мясопустную по заутрени приступиша къ городу, мѣсяца февраля въ 7, на память святаго мученика Ѳеодора Стратилата.
About Tatars (Mongols under Batu)
Keep in mind
The editors note that the date and saint's day do not quite match (the feast is 8 February).
Suzdal, great Christian city, taken by trickery
Editorial contextThomas sketches the Mongol advance before Hungary: they had been held back by the Russians, circled the northern lands for twenty years, then returned with Cumans and other subject peoples. Their first great prize was 'a very great city of the Christians called Suzdal', which they besieged and took more by guile than force, killing its king George and many of his people. (Grand Prince Yuri of Vladimir-Suzdal died in 1238.)
And first they surrounded and besieged a very great city of the Christians named Suzdal, and having besieged it for a long time they took it, not so much by force as by fraud, and destroyed it, and put to death its king, named George, with a great multitude of his people.
Working translation
Original wording
Et primo quidem Civ. maximam Christianorum nomine Susdaliam circumdantes obsederunt, & obsessam, diu, non tam vi, quam fraude ceperunt, & destruxerunt, Regemque ipsius nomine Georgium cum magna multitudine sui populi neci dederunt.
About Mongols
Keep in mind
Thomas's chronology is loose; the capture of Vladimir and Suzdal and Yuri's death were in 1238.