The Battle of Samara Bend

Samara bend

The Samara bend is a large hairpin bend of the middle Volga River at the confluence of the Samara River . It is situated in Samara Oblast, Volga Federal District of Russia....

or the Battle of Kernek was the first battle between Volga Bulgaria

Volga Bulgaria

Volga Bulgaria, or Volga–Kama Bolghar, is a historic Bulgar state that existed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now Russia.-Origin:...

 and the Mongols

Mongols

Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...

, probably one of the first major battles the Mongols

Mongols

Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...

 lost. It took place in autumn 1223, at the southern border of Volga Bulgaria

Volga Bulgaria

Volga Bulgaria, or Volga–Kama Bolghar, is a historic Bulgar state that existed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries around the confluence of the Volga and Kama rivers in what is now Russia.-Origin:...

.
The Bulgars allegedly retreated and the Mongols pursued them. Then the main Bulgar forces ambushed the Mongols. After Mongols were rounded up, the Bulgars massacre

Massacre

A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...

d them and only 4,000 managed to escape, according to local traditions and proven from Arabian chronicle.

Background

The Bulgar's inflicted a defeat on the Mongols though their oral history of the event is not without some exaggeration on their part. According to historian Richard A. Gabriel, prior to this battle, Subotai's 18,000 Mongols combined with 5,000 Brodniki allies, killed over 40,000 Russians in open battle at the Kalka River. The Mongols chased the Prince of Kiev and the rest of his army for 150 miles and spent 3 days attacking the remaining 10,000 men at a fortified camp on the Dnieper River before they annihilated the Russian army to the last man. Subutai, after his victory over the Russians was instructed by Genghis Khan to search for his son Juji's army (unknown number) and link up in a effort to defeat the Volga Bulgars. The exhausted Mongols were defeated in battle shortly after linking up their armies by a well prepared Bulgar ambush, yet subsequently managed to regroup and defeat the Bulgars at the Kama River.

Numbers

The details about the Bulgar ambush and the Mongol victory at the Kama river have not survived. It is highly unlikely, that even with Jiji's reinforcements, Subotai's army numbered more than 30,000 men since Subotai and Jebe's army combined was estimated to only be between 25,000-30,000 men at the start of their western reconnaissance raid in 1220. His, and Jebe's, decisive defeats of the numerically superior Georgian, Cuman and Russian armies with less than 3 tumens (30,000), makes it reasonable to assume that Juji's reinforcements were an effort to bring back Subotai's depleted army to its original strength.

Aftermath

The Mongols reversing their defeat at "Samara Bend" soon after with only 4,000 men at the Kama River is also something to consider, since there is no mention of further reinforcements.

In 1236 the Mongols under Batu

Batu Khan

Batu Khan was a Mongol ruler and founder of the Ulus of Jochi , the sub-khanate of the Mongol Empire. Batu was a son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. His ulus was the chief state of the Golden Horde , which ruled Rus and the Caucasus for around 250 years, after also destroying the armies...

 and Subotai returned to Bulgaria

Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria

The Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria lasted from 1223 to 1236.-The Mongol campaigns:In 1223, after defeating Russian and Cuman/Kipchak armies at the Battle of Kalka, a Mongol army under the generals Subutai and Jebe was sent to subdue Volga Bulgaria. At that point in history Genghis Khan's troops...

 and made it part of the Mongol Empire

Mongol Empire

The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...

.