CHAPTER XIV.
THE MONGOL DOMINATION The Conquest--Genghis Khan and his People--Creation and Rapid Disintegration of the Mongol Empire--The Golden Horde--The Real Character of the Mongol Domination--Religious Toleration--Mongol System of Government--Grand Princes--The Princes of Moscow--Influence of the Mongol Domination--Practical Importance of the Subject.
The Tartar invasion, with its direct and indirect consequences, is a subject which has more than a mere antiquarian interest.

To the influence of the Mongols are commonly attributed many peculiarities in the actual condition and national character of the Russians of the present day, and some writers would even have us believe that the men whom we call Russians are simply Tartars half disguised by a thin varnish of European civilisation.

It may be well, therefore, to inquire what the Tartar or Mongol domination really was, and how far it affected the historical development and national character of the Russian people.
The story of the conquest may be briefly told.

In 1224 the chieftains of the Poloftsi--one of those pastoral tribes which roamed on the Steppe and habitually carried on a predatory warfare with the Russians of the south--sent deputies to Mistislaf the Brave, Prince of Galicia, to inform him that their country had been invaded from the southeast by strong, cruel enemies called Tartars*--strange-looking men with brown faces, eyes small and wide apart, thick lips, broad shoulders, and black hair.

"Today," said the deputies, "they have seized our country, and tomorrow they will seize yours if you do not help us." * The word is properly "Tatar," and the Russians write and pronounce it in this way, but I have preferred to retain the better known form.
Mistislaf had probably no objection to the Poloftsi being annihilated by some tribe stronger and fiercer than themselves, for they gave him a great deal of trouble by their frequent raids; but he perceived the force of the argument about his own turn coming next, and thought it wise to assist his usually hostile neighbours.