In the four years before it became the capital of an independent principality independent. It all ended with the Mongol-Tatar invasion. In 1238 the city was captured and ravaged by hordes of Batu . How did this happen? Chronicles allowed to recover only the general picture. When it became clear that the Horde attack is inevitable, in Yaroslavl has arrived with his entourage of Vladimir, Grand Duke to the city, along with adhering Yaroslavl entourage to go to the Sit River, where the expected troops and other principalities, and to give the Mongols a final rebuff.

The Battle of the Sit River was lost, killed, and Prince George and the young Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavl. And what was with the city itself? The town was burned. And its residents? In 2004, Arrow on the most ancient territory of Yaroslavl, instead of blown up in 1937 it was decided to build the new Assumption Cathedral. Before the construction of such historic sites need to excavate. Excavations conducted in 2005, and told us about the details of the time. In the basement a small farm buildings have found remains of 97 people – all bearing signs of violent death.

The find, dating back to xiii century, was so important that it was sent to Moscow for further research. This cross-sectional burial, that is, a mass grave, people of different sex and age who went to the other world together – a rarity. They were 22 men, 44 women and 31 children. Why do so few men? They were killed in another place? Or were at that time away from home? If many children, it means that before these events, the city was vibrant and growing.