Khan at work, the
population revolted again, and the Prince was obliged to keep guard on
the officers night and day. In vain the boyars advised the citizens to
give in: assembled around St. Sophia, the people declared they would
die for liberty and honor. Alexander then threatened to quit the city
with his men and abandon it to the vengeance of the Khan. This menace
conquered the pride of the Novgorodians. The Mongols and their agents
might go, register in hand, from house to house in the humiliated and
silent city to make the list of the inhabitants. "The boyars," says
Karamsin, "might yet be vain of their rank and their riches, but the
simple citizens had lost with their national honor their most precious
possession," 1260.

In Suzdal also Alexander found himself in the presence of insolent
victors and exasperated subjects. In 1262 the inhabitants of Vladimir,
of Suzdal, of Rostof, rose against the collectors of the Tartar
impost. The people of Yaroslavl slew a renegade named Zozimus, a
former monk, who had become a Moslem fanatic. Terrible reprisals were
sure to follow. Alexander set out with presents for the Horde at the
risk of leaving his head there. He had likewise to excuse himself for
having refused a body of auxiliary Russians to the Mongols, wishing at
least to spare the blood and religious scruples of his subjects. It is
a remarkable fact that over the most profound humiliations of the
Russian nationality the contemporary history always throws a ray of
glory.

At the moment that Alexander went to prostrate himself at Sarai, the
Suzdalian army, united to that of Novgorod, and commanded by his son
Dmitri, defeated the Livonian knights and took Dorpat by assault. The
khan Berkai gave Alexander a kind greeting, accepted his explanations,
dispensed with the promised contingent, but kept him for a year near
his court. The health of Alexander broke down; he died on his return
before reaching Vladimir. When the news arrived at his capital, the
metropolitan Cyril, who was finishing the liturgy, turned toward the
faithful and said, "Learn, my dear children, that the Sun of Russia is
set, is dead."

"We are lost," cried the people, breaking forth into sobs. Alexander,
by this policy of resignation, which his chivalrous heroism does not
permit us to despise, had secured some repose for exhausted Russia. By
his victories over his enemies of the West he had given her some
glory, and hindered her from despairing under