Mongol invasion of Europe

Mongol invasion of Europe
Part of the Mongol invasions and conquests

Mongol invasion of Europe 1236–1242
Date1220s–1240s
Location
Result
  • Mongol victory
  • Numerous European political entities destroyed, subjugated, or raided and forced to pay tribute.
  • Devastation of the populations, cultures, and political structures in most of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Europe. Eventual Mongol withdrawal from Central Europe (1242).
Territorial
changes
Volga Bulgaria, Cumania, Alania, and the Kievan Rus' principalities conquered and become vassals of the Mongol Empire. The Kingdom of Georgia subjugated. Parts of the Kingdom of Hungary temporarily controlled by Mongol Empire. Eastern and Central Europe and the North Caucasus repeatedly subject to raids and invasions.
Belligerents
Mongol Empire



From the 1220s into the 1240s, the Mongols conquered the Turkic states of Volga Bulgaria, Cumania and Iranian state of Alania, and various principalities in Eastern Europe. Following this, they began their invasion into Central Europe by launching a two-pronged invasion of then-fragmented Poland, culminating in the Battle of Legnica (9 April 1241), and the Kingdom of Hungary, culminating in the Battle of Mohi (11 April 1241).[citation needed] Invasions were also launched into the Caucasus against the Kingdom of Georgia, the Chechens, the Ingush, and Circassia though they failed to fully subjugate the latter. More invasions were launched in Southeast Europe against Bulgaria, Croatia, and the Latin Empire. The operations were planned by General Subutai (1175–1248) and commanded by Batu Khan (c. 1207–1255) and Kadan (d. c. 1261), two grandsons of Genghis Khan. Their conquests integrated much of Eastern European territory into the empire of the Golden Horde. Warring European princes realized they had to cooperate in the face of a Mongol invasion, so local wars and conflicts were suspended in parts of central Europe, only to be resumed after the Mongols had withdrawn.[1] After the initial invasions, subsequent raids and punitive expeditions continued into the late 13th century.

Melik, one of the princes from the Ögedei family who participated in the expedition, invaded the Transylvania region of the Hungarian kingdom, called Sasutsi in sources.[2]

  1. ^ Francis Dvornik (1962). The Slavs in European History and Civilization. Rutgers UP. p. 26. ISBN 9780813507996.
  2. ^ new yuan history episode 270