In the winter of 1237, Batu Khan came to the frontiers of Ryazan; it is possible that Prince Yury Ingvarevich (Prince of Ryazan)|Yury Ingvarevich of Ryazan sent his brother, Ingvar II Ingvarevich (Prince of Ryazan)|Ingvar Ingvarevich to Chernihiv to seek help from Mikhail, but he sent no troops to the beleaguered princes.
On 21 December the Mongols took Ryazan, and they plundered the treasures of the inhabitants including the wealth of their relatives from Kiev and Chernihiv.

In March 1238 the Mongols, who had routed Yuri II Vsevolodovich's troops and killed him, continued their march, and in the Vyatichi lands they came upon the town of Kozelsk, and they struggled 7 weeks to crush it.
Archaeological evidence reveals that Mikhail's domains of Mosalsk and Serensk suffered the same fate.

The second phase of the Mongol invasion began early in 1239; on March 3 one contingent took Pereyaslavl and set fire to it.
Not long after Pereyaslavl fell, it would appear, Mikhail went to Kamenets, and organized a general evacuation of his retinue from Kiev.
However, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich in Suzdalia got word of his destination; he besieged Kamenets, captured Mikhail's wife, and seized much booty, but Mikhail escaped and returned to Kiev.
When Daniil Romanovich learnt that his sister (Mikhail's wife) was being held captive, he asked Yaroslav Vsevolodovich to send her to him.

In the autumn of 1239, the Mongols, who had occupied Chernihiv on October 18, sent messengers to Kiev proposing peace, but Mikhail refused to submit.
During the first half of 1240, we are told, Batu Khan sent Möngke to reconnoiter Kiev; when his messengers came to Mikhail for the second time seeking to coax him into submitting, he defied the khan by putting his envoys to deaths.
The forces in Rus' on whom Mikhail could still rely were his own druzhina and the Kievan militia, and therefore he fled to Hungary.

In the chaos that preceded the invasion of the west bank of the river Dnieper, minor princelings and boyars took advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves to seize power: Rostislav Mstislavich seized Kiev, but he was evicted by Daniil Romanovich.

Meanwhile, Mikhail had arrived in Hungary where he attempted to arrange a marriage for his son Rostislav Mikhailovich with the king's daughter.
In the light of Mikhail's plight, Béla IV saw no advantage to forming such an alliance and evicted Mikhail and his son from Hungary.
In Mazovia, Mikhail received a warm welcome from his uncle, but he decided that the expedient course of action was to seek reconciliation and sent envoys to his brother-in-law.
Mikhail pledged never again to antagonize Daniil Romanovich and forswore making any future attempts on Halych.
Daniil Romanovich invited him to Volhynia, returned his wife, and relinquished control of Kiev.
In the face of the Mongol attack, however, Mikhail did not return to Kiev but allowed his brother-in-law's men to remain there.

Towards the end of 1240, Batu Khan encircled Kiev with his troops, and the town fell on December 6.
On learning Kiev's fate, Mikhail withdrew from Volhynia and for the second time imposed himself on his maternal uncle's good graces.
When, however, the Mongols also threatened Mazovia, he traveled west to Wrocław in Silesia.
As his caravan pressed northwest, it came to Środa, where the local inhabitants attacked Mikhail's train; they plundered his goods and killed a number of his people including his granddaughter.
The Mongols invaded Silesia, and after the invaders had passed through Volhynia and the Polish lands, Mikhail returned to Mazovia.
In the winter of 1237, Batu Khan came to the frontiers of Ryazan; it is possible that Prince Yury Ingvarevich (Prince of Ryazan)|Yury Ingvarevich of Ryazan sent his brother, Ingvar II Ingvarevich (Prince of Ryazan)|Ingvar Ingvarevich to Chernihiv to seek help from Mikhail, but he sent no troops to the beleaguered princes. On 21 December the Mongols took Ryazan, and they plundered the treasures of the inhabitants including the wealth of their relatives from Kiev and Chernihiv.
In March 1238 the Mongols, who had routed Yuri II Vsevolodovich's troops and killed him, continued their march, and in the Vyatichi lands they came upon the town of Kozelsk, and they struggled 7 weeks to crush it. Archaeological evidence reveals that Mikhail's domains of Mosalsk and Serensk suffered the same fate.
The second phase of the Mongol invasion began early in 1239; on March 3 one contingent took Pereyaslavl and set fire to it. Not long after Pereyaslavl fell, it would appear, Mikhail went to Kamenets, and organized a general evacuation of his retinue from Kiev. However, Yaroslav Vsevolodovich in Suzdalia got word of his destination; he besieged Kamenets, captured Mikhail's wife, and seized much booty, but Mikhail escaped and returned to Kiev. When Daniil Romanovich learnt that his sister (Mikhail's wife) was being held captive, he asked Yaroslav Vsevolodovich to send her to him.
In the autumn of 1239, the Mongols, who had occupied Chernihiv on October 18, sent messengers to Kiev proposing peace, but Mikhail refused to submit. During the first half of 1240, we are told, Batu Khan sent Möngke to reconnoiter Kiev; when his messengers came to Mikhail for the second time seeking to coax him into submitting, he defied the khan by putting his envoys to deaths. The forces in Rus' on whom Mikhail could still rely were his own druzhina and the Kievan militia, and therefore he fled to Hungary.
In the chaos that preceded the invasion of the west bank of the river Dnieper, minor princelings and boyars took advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves to seize power: Rostislav Mstislavich seized Kiev, but he was evicted by Daniil Romanovich.
Meanwhile, Mikhail had arrived in Hungary where he attempted to arrange a marriage for his son Rostislav Mikhailovich with the king's daughter. In the light of Mikhail's plight, Béla IV saw no advantage to forming such an alliance and evicted Mikhail and his son from Hungary. In Mazovia, Mikhail received a warm welcome from his uncle, but he decided that the expedient course of action was to seek reconciliation and sent envoys to his brother-in-law. Mikhail pledged never again to antagonize Daniil Romanovich and forswore making any future attempts on Halych. Daniil Romanovich invited him to Volhynia, returned his wife, and relinquished control of Kiev. In the face of the Mongol attack, however, Mikhail did not return to Kiev but allowed his brother-in-law's men to remain there.
Towards the end of 1240, Batu Khan encircled Kiev with his troops, and the town fell on December 6. On learning Kiev's fate, Mikhail withdrew from Volhynia and for the second time imposed himself on his maternal uncle's good graces. When, however, the Mongols also threatened Mazovia, he traveled west to Wrocław in Silesia. As his caravan pressed northwest, it came to Środa, where the local inhabitants attacked Mikhail's train; they plundered his goods and killed a number of his people including his granddaughter. The Mongols invaded Silesia, and after the invaders had passed through Volhynia and the Polish lands, Mikhail returned to Mazovia.
Michael of Chernigov