battle battle river russian ukrainian fought empire armies led coalition including joint command bold battle fought banks present day ukraine ended victory following invasion subsequent collapse force command generals advanced iraq requested permission emperor continue conquests years returning main army waiting reply duo set raid attacked georgia killed king granted duo permission undertake expedition making way defeated coalition tribes defeating fled court son law prince bold convinced help fight formed alliance princes including combined army defeated rearguard pursued retreat days spread armies stopped assumed battle formation banks bold allies attacked waiting rest army defeated ensuing confusion princes defeated forced retreat fortified camp holding days surrendered return promise safe conduct men surrendered slaughtered executed bold escaped went asia joined background retaliation murders ambassadors khan invaded campaign lasted years generals destroyed armies caused empire sultan din muhammad succumbed disease island leaving son din generals pursuing muhammad heard din muhammad death asked year continue conquests returning awaiting reply general pursuing muhammad led army men general commanding left trail destruction moved persian iraq iraq cities city surrendered struggle saved capital prevented country destruction offering large money clothing horses best weapons advanced north winter base army strengthened arrival offered services raid time attention turned january february reconnaissance entering goal conquer country sent vanguard advanced men drove near withdrew continued launch counter attacks georgian army launched scale attack defeated georgian army states men march returned besieged prisoners vanguard assault city end month captured city population death planned advance south capture baghdad capital hold ransom iraq small army instead turned time city leaders failed surrender defenders inflicted casualties forces capture city late advanced north georgia entering georgian army waiting near advanced retreat point georgian cavalry followed army ambush set georgian army suffered heavy defeat king george mortally wounded proceeded southern georgia prelude eventually granted permission second command advanced city refused surrender promised spare city return services guides warn guides playing tricks executed crossing costly abandon siege engines lost hundreds men cold making met alliance consisting tribes living north mustered army men joined people owned expansive stretching lake black_sea convinced join placed army command brother son daniel battle league managed persuade abandon alliance reminding friendship promising share booty gained tribes arrangement settled attacked alliance army routed proceeded attack split separate groups returning home destroying armies executing prisoners began pursuing fled north westerly direction sent delegation concluded alliance agreed destroy european trading post came pursued sent detachment trading stations captured plundered city fled court son law prince bold warned today taken land tomorrow ignored year suffered raids decades news reached marching responded gathered alliance princes including promised support princes began armies going rendezvous point battle initial moves number men present battle disputed major factor fact primary sources number men present battle leaves modern historians estimate number men gives size army claim size army estimates size army estimates men historian expert early russian history primary sources calls figures doubt saying numbers given russian sources sources survived sources cultures exist dubious formulaic exaggerated chronicles army detected east waiting reinforcements eldest son campaigning ill meant reinforcements coming time attempted trap princes transported armies south river princes advanced north river army advanced time attempted attack army rear learned sent envoys prince envoys stated feud attacking added marching east away cities envoys executed responded sending set ambassadors declared war heard movements began moving east away direction left rearguard command officer report movements soon bold reached river opposite rearguard apparent prince appointed commander chief princes act pleased eventually crossed river heavy arrow fire landed numbers great killed man attack drawing armies days retreat army turned face river location currently unknown thought flows russian primary sources general account battle pursuit princes chronicles princes took died terms size armies casualties actual battle chronicles report broke ran having fought flight russian ranks led mass confusion resulted slaughter defeat armies gap line fleeing retreat heavy cavalry charged newly formed gap army aware battle started advancing collided head retreating cavalry took advantage confusion line attacked causing line collapse turn led death prince time wings closed shattered army cutting retreat surrounded hit volley volley accompanied occasional cavalry charges carrying army led bold managed cut way ring escape arrived remained army fleeing contingent men retreated camp hill pursuing army caught forces started camp intervention army managed hold days eventually forced surrender gave initially allied leader people territory today romania control camp slaughtered army including nobles prisoners aftermath battle costly defeat princes claiming lost men losses minimal primary sources gives number killed later reliable cites killed reliable contemporary battle gives figures princes wounded bold managed escape battle battle significant defeat given lost armies notable exception describes raid follows rest campaign entered annals military history greatest adventures cavalry warfare executed nobles traditional reserved royalty nobility blood nobles buried general victory platform victory feast bold managed reach western remained army stop crossing western destroyed boats find feared happen pursued plundered towns south turning army crossed near modern day passed defeated ambush army encountered battle routed followed attacking supported fellow year fought army near defeating killing khan making pay tribute following victory turned east met rest army east showed great appreciation general achievements praise survive campaign long died soon importance expedition immense expedition history longest cavalry raid riding miles years stationed numerous spies russia provided frequent reports happening europe russia led attack men conquered printed sources cross trans john crisis medieval russia london new_york isbn richard khan greatest general isbn leo world isbn jackson peter west isbn marshall robert storm east khan isbn martin medieval russia isbn robert trans chronicle london rise russian empire wallace robert rise russia isbn online sources chronicle online texts morris october khan horses columbia_university
Battle of the Kalka River