Using the accounts of the Russian chronicles, the author examines the history of relations between the Russian princes - Daniel Romanovich, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich and Rostislav Mikhailovich - with the Mongols (Tartars) after their return from a raid in Central Europe. It is established that the Chernigov princes were defeated in the struggle for Kiev and Galich, unable to prove their loyalty to Batu. The main rivals in the fight for political leadership in Rus' became the Galician-Volhynian and Vladimir-Suzdal princes, by all means endeavoring to secure support of the Mongols.