Mahomet II., pursued by his indefatigable foe, fled to one of the islands of the Caspian Sea, where he perished in paroxysms of rage and despair.
Genghis Khan having thoroughly subdued this whole region, now sent a division of his army, under two of his most distinguished generals, across the Caspian Sea to subjugate the regions on the western shore.
Here, as before, victory accompanied their standards, and, with merciless severity, they swept the whole country to the sea of Azof.
The tidings of their advance, so bloody, so resistless, spread into Russia, exciting universal terror.

The conquerors, elated with success, rushed on over the plains of Russia, and were already pouring down into the valley of the Dnieper.

Mstislaf, prince of Galitch, already so renowned for his warlike exploits, was eager to measure arms with those soldiers, the terror of whose ravages now filled the world.

He hurriedly assembled all the neighboring princes at Kief, and urged immediate and vigorous cooeperation to repel the common foe.

The Russian army was promptly rendezvoused on the banks of the Dnieper, preparatory to its march.