The article deals with the medieval book miniatures illustrating the invasion of Batu’s armies in Europe in 1236–1242. Bearing in mind the postulated high symbolism of Medieval fine art, the author is interested in the figurative code of miniatures, in which the attitude of Europeans to the Mongol conquerors should be encoded. The author investigates miniatures of historical manuscripts created in three regions of Europe. The earliest manuscript is the 13th century "Chronica Majora" executed by Matthew Paris. Created in England, where the Mongols were known only by rumors, it reflects the impression of a contemporary of the invasion. Hungarian "Chronica Picta", illuminated copies of the Silesian Life of St. Hedwig, woodcuts illustrating the "Carmen Miserabile" by Master Rogerius, although created later, should convey the bitterness of the witnesses of the invasion, reflected in the texts repeatedly rewritten. Finally, the most recent miniatures included in the Illuminated Chronicle of the 16th century, originate from the Old Rus’, which suffered most of all from the invasion and for a long time was included in close relations with the Golden Horde, which also could not fail to find expression in the pictorial work of book miniature painters. However, despite the fact that, at first glance, mentioned three traditions are not genetically related to each other in any way, they demonstrate the same patterns of development. Thus, the article undertakes a study of sources created from the middle of the 13th to the 16th centuries, in a wide geographical area of Europe and Orthodox Russia.