, image = Sernä_animal_style_mask.jpg , alt = , caption = Moksha lion

Animal style Animal style art is an approach to decoration found from China to Northern Europe in the early Iron Age, and the barbarian art of the Migration Period, characterized by its emphasis on animal motifs. The zoomorphic style of decoration was used ...

decoration from the site. Guilded bronze. , map_type = Russia Penza Oblast#European Russia , map_caption = Location of the site within Russia , map_alt = , map_size = 250 , location =

Penza Oblast Penza Oblast (russian: Пе́нзенская о́бласть, ''Penzenskaya oblast'') is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Penza. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 1,386,186. Geogr ...

, Russia , region = Murunza , coordinates = , type = city , part_of = , length = , width = , area = 140,000 m2 , height = , builder = , material = wood , built = c.200 AD , abandoned = 1242 , epochs =

Early Middle Ages The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...

, cultures =

Saltovo-Mayaki Saltovo-Mayaki or Saltovo-Majaki is the name given by archaeologists to the early medieval culture of the Pontic steppe region roughly between the Don and the Dnieper Rivers, flourishing roughly between the years of 700 and 950. History Saltovo- ...

, dependency_of = Khazar Khaganate (since 8th c.) , occupants = , event = Mongol Destruction in 1242 , excavations = 2000 , archaeologists = Gennady Belorybkin , condition = In ruins , ownership = , management = Penza Oblast Authority , public_access = , website = geosmi.ru/2022/01/19/золотарёвское-городище/ , notes = Sernya ( mdf, ςερνια, ςερνεσ, Sernä, Sernes, Golden, The Golden, russian: Золотарёвское городище, Zolotaryovskoye gorodishche, Zolotaryovka settlement) is a site of medieval city ruins in Middle Mokshaland (modern

in Russia) that was razed by Mongols in

1242 Year 1242 ( MCCXLII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Prince Alexander Nevsky is joined by his brother Andrey II (Yaroslavic ...

battle. The city was founded c. third century AD. Total settlement area covers 14 hectares which is comparable to the cities of the Rus' principalities in 12-13th centuries. The city fortress area is 2,5 hectares (Moscow fortress 0,8-1,5 hectare appeared in 1150s).

History

The legendary Moksha city ruins were first discovered by Russian archeologist Fedor Chekalin on 22 December,

1893 Events January–March * January 2 – Webb C. Ball introduces railroad chronometers, which become the general railroad timepiece standards in North America. * Mark Twain started writing Puddn'head Wilson. * January 6 – Th ...

, but excavations started only in

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

. Askizi ( Yenisei Kyrgyz) and

Volga Bulgar Volga Bulgaria or Volga–Kama Bulgaria, was a historic Bulgar state that existed between the 7th and 13th centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama River, in what is now European Russia. Volga Bulgaria was a multi-ethnic state wit ...

traders stayed in the city. The city was famous for its jewelers.

Battle of Sernya

The city and its fortress were seized by

Subutai Subutai (Classical Mongolian: ''Sübügätäi'' or ''Sübü'ätäi''; Modern Mongolian: Сүбээдэй, ''Sübeedei''. ; ; c. 1175–1248) was a Mongol general and the primary military strategist of Genghis Khan and Ögedei Khan. He directed m ...

on return from the Mongol invasion of Europe as revenge to Mokshas that earlier joined the Mongol army. The Mokshan King Puresh and his men were fed up with fighting and suffered heavy losses during their European campaign. They planned to shift sides and had secretly discussed with Henry II the Pious that they would join Silesian army in the early morning of 9 April 1241 before the

Battle of Legnica The Battle of Legnica ( pl, bitwa pod Legnicą), also known as the Battle of Liegnitz (german: Schlacht von Liegnitz) or Battle of Wahlstatt (german: Schlacht bei Wahlstatt), was a battle between the Mongol Empire and combined European forces t ...

. Subutai discovered the plot and many Moksha warriors were shot dead in their sleep while they were waiting for new weapons to come inside the Mongol camp. Defending forces used caltrops against the cavalry. Sernya's wooden walls were attacked with Chinese catapults; the Mongols used human fat for setting fire to the fortress. All defendants were killed and civilians were slaughtered during the siege. Puresh's daughter, Queen Narchat, fled with her men out of the burning fortress and headed to Noronshasht where they could hide away in Skanda caves, but they all were slain as Mongols chased them.

References

Notes

Sources

* * * * * Based on British Library MS Royal 14.C.XIII Fol. 225r-236r and thus ends prematurely. * Penza Oblast Ruins in Russia Razed cities Archaeological parks Moksha people Khazars Medieval Russia Defunct towns in Russia Forts in Russia Geography of Penza Oblast Former populated places in Russia Archaeological sites in Russia Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Penza Oblast {{Fort-stub

History

Battle of Sernya

See also

References

Notes

Sources