A Peasant's recount of a Mongol Attack

It is highly doubtful that I will live through these next few weeks. I curse the strange eastern Mongols for bringing this terrible fate upon me and my beloved city and country side. It all began 7 days ago, when I was out in the fields getting ready for the coming harvest. I was peaceful in those fields, tending my father's father's plot of land, excited to pass the farmers wisdom on to my own son, John in a few years time. All of a sudden my oxen began to fret and the sheep baaed nervously, in a few minutes the Mongols descended upon my land. I saw them coming and quickly cut my oxen lose from the plow, and then dashed for the cottage where I could hear my wife and children's screams. The strange dark warriors on horseback set fire to my home and surrounding fields. I called out my wife and children's names hopping they were not trapped by the blaze. Luckily all five of them were all right and I helped my eldest son, John salvage things before the cottage collapsed. I looked to my young children all huddled around their desperate mother, the fear and uncertainty of their faces became etched in my memory, as I swore my curses to the plundering, ruthless horsemen, who had so suddenly stolen everything from me. As the crops and homes went up in flames, we began the two days journey by foot to the nearest great walled city of Riazan. Now here I sit, in this darkened stone street my remaining family huddled around me and the Mongol invasion closing in. There were many refugees who fled to this city as the Mongols burned their villages and crops. We told stories of horror and despair to the cities inhabitants, and prayed to God for protection in these stone walls. By our prayers were not answered, as the next few days the warriors began to build a huge wooden wall around the already existing stone wall of the city. Despair encompassed everyone as we realized we were trapped, sealed with in this chaotic city as the invaders planned their next attack. Some took refuge in the Church, while some proclaimed all was lost and that God himself had sent these mysterious invaders as punishment for our sins. I say it does not matter, as I contemplate these last few hours of my life, I pray and ask for forgiveness of my sins and my families sins and pray that when our time here is ended by these nasty horrid creatures, that we will join Christ in heaven and be forgiven.

Riazan was the first European city to fall the the conquering Mongols. The Mongols did use the tactics above, burning surround villages so that the residents would flee to the city and spread rumors of despair, further decreasing morale and frightening the city in to defeat. These extra people also strained the cities resources during a potential siege. But in the case of Riazan, no siege was needed and the city fell in one day to the superior military tactics of the Great Mongol Khan.