Life

Kolovrat was visiting Chernigov during the Siege of Ryazan, which occurred between 16 and 21 December 1237. Learning about the tragedy he rushed back home only to find the city destroyed and most its inhabitants killed. He gathered 1700 people from his soldiers and the survivors of the siege and went after Batu Khan with a sole purpose of avenging the carnage. Kolovrat's forces suddenly attacked the rear guard of Batu Khan's army and annihilated it in a fierce battle. Perplexed, Batu Khan sent a much larger force led by his relative Khostovrul. Khostovrul promised to capture Kolovrat alive, and for this purpose challenged Kolovrat for a duel. A man of extraordinary strength, Kolovrat split his opponent in half with his sword and proceeded to kill the surrounding Mongols, splitting many of them down to the saddle. The remaining Khostovrul's soldiers retreated and killed Kolovrat from a distance using stone launchers. In a sign of respect to Kolovrat's bravery, Batu Khan returned his body to his soldiers and let them return home.

Legacy

The bravery and strength of Kolovrat were praised in the Russian literature, art and media by

• Nikolay Yazykov in "Evpaty" (1824)
• Lev Mei in the "Song about boyar Evpaty Kolovrat" (1859)
• Sergei Yesenin in The Tale of Evpaty Kolovrat (1912)
• Vasily Yan in Chapter 3 "Evpaty the Fierce" of the book Batu (1942)
• Furious (Kolovrat) film of Ivan Shuvkhovetsky (2017)
• Yevpatiy Kolovrat, an icebreaker for the Russian Navy

The tale of Kolovrat is depicted in the 1985 Soviet short animated film The Tale of Evpaty Kolovrat and is being produced as a full-length movie.

References