In the book, based on the study of Russian chronicles, the real history of the Middle Ages of Russia is restored. It is shown that there is no talk of any Mongol empire in the annals, and there was no Tatar-Mongol yoke. And there was the Horde, as a form of ancient Russian statehood. The role of the Horde in the defense of Russia and the formation of Russian statehood, in the transformation of the Horde into the Russian state and the role of Ivan the Terrible in this transformation are shown. The outstanding role of Tsar Batu in the creation of the Old Russian state of the Horde, in protecting it from Western German-papal expansion, is shown.