Hnau
Banned
Although the idea has been postulated time and time again, I’d like to bring the trope out into the open again in order to give it another look. I’d like to see a world in which Christian Europe is forced to its knees in the 13th century by Mongol hordes. It isn’t conquered, it isn’t converted, but something new is added to the cultural memory of the Austrians, Franks, Germans, and Italians: the memory of burning castles and genocidal barbarian horsemen. It’s a dark scenario because I’d like to see how the continental Europeans would adapt to such a tragedy and to see who would take advantage of the situation in the long run.
We know that Europe is full of forests and mountains and rivers and castles. It’s been argued that the Mongols didn’t have the logistics or manpower to take Europe in it’s entirety. Still I’d like to argue that the Mongol horseman was the best soldier the world had to offer in the 13th century. They were born into the life of war. Mongol warriors began riding horses practically from the cradle, they knew how to live off the land and they could travel hundreds of miles in a week with considerable endurance. For every man four or five additional horses were driven so they could always keep on the move. His double recurve bow was an accurate weapon of mass destruction in that he could shoot arrows as fast as they could be drawn striking targets 300 meters away. The Mongol warrior’s armor was light but effective for mobile combat. More important they obeyed orders. In comparison with the confused style of all-out brawl warfare that was popular in Europe, the Mongols coordinated attacks in a way seldom seen in the time period. Using a signaling system of colored banners, the general Sabotai could direct men as precisely as movements on a chessboard. There wouldn’t be an army as efficient and well managed for centuries. What’s worse is that the Mongols were ruthless and genocidal, their goal in battle was to slaughter all non-Mongols on the battlefield which made their campaigns much faster and more direct.
Yes, Europeans have castles, but I postulate that the Mongol army had what it needed to at least starve out the fortresses that they needed to... those that aren't strategically necessary to pillage the population centers are simply avoided after all surrounding farms are burnt down. It may have required quite a bit of luck, it’s true. The Mongol warrior was good for his time but he wasn’t perfect. Still, let’s assume that the Mongols arrive in the vicinity of Vienna in January 1242 with what they need to win. Perhaps General Sabotai has made a few needed reforms in the military structure; perhaps this ATL finds him even more of a genius than in OTL, perhaps for some reason in the years gone by the Mongols have conserved more men. Ogadai Khan remains alive for the entire year of 1242 and into the future and so doesn’t call back his forces from European frontiers. I’m not super concerned with the details of the POD but the main idea is that the Mongols are ready for this and have the means to do it.
The Mongols advance on Vienna in February and to their surprise the Viennese submit at once (lucky, lucky). They receive little mercy, though, as the Mongols permit the populace to leave the city, but then proceed to plunder and ransack what they had won. What`s worse is that shortly thereafter many of the survivors that had been promised at the very least peace are taken into slavery. Vienna is leveled like so many European cities will be and those who remain are scattered into the countryside.
It is at this time that a number of Central European noblemen decide that it’s time to pool their forces and defend the continent from the oncoming onslaught. The various princes attempt to coordinate a counterattack but they don’t have much more success than those who have come before them. After a few battles the Mongols force these ever-more desperate European foes to flee and scatter like the rest.
With the continent free for the taking, the Mongols divide their forces. The main army under Sabotai pushes towards the riches of the Low Countries. Munich is burnt to the ground and the Mongol horsemen push towards Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent. The cities are pillaged and after the wealth is stolen they are burnt and leveled. As a consequence the country’s system of windmills and dikes is destroyed and the sea reclaims Holland. The Rhine delta slowly reverts back to swamp. A Mongol detachment that carries with it the treasures of Hanover, having starved the city to submission before burning it down, reunites with Sabotai’s forces just before they make an offensive southward towards Rheims and finally Paris. They encounter the knights of young King Louis IX who defend their homeland bravely but ultimately fail to keep the Mongols from causing further bloodshed.
The capital of Paris is plundered and ruthlessly destroyed. General Sabotai then brings his army to rest at the broad meadows of central France where they pasture their horses. He begins to install a series of governors and tax collectors over those who remain huddled in crowded villages.
Meanwhile a large detachment led by Batu Khan had been ordered towards the cities of northern Italy after Vienna had fallen. His men push towards the Adriatic chasing remnants of the Hungarian military and then afterwards set their sights on the beautiful city of Venice. The city is difficult to take however and after losing time to a long fruitless siege (which nevertheless causes much damage to the Venetian economy) he decides to forge ahead towards the cities of Milan and Genoa. After Milan is razed to the ground and it’s treasures stolen, Batu is forced to deal with a counterattack led by Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor. Frederick had been wintering in Italy when the Mongols launched their invasion and had intrepidly unified his armies with papal forces to defend the peninsula from the Mongol hordes. Batu Khan thus faces a somewhat more difficult conquest. After forcing Frederick to retreat to the south Batu turns his sights on Genoa and Florence. Both cities surrender to his overpowering forces and are given the same treatment as Vienna. Bologna and other cities are ransacked as Batu Khan rampages towards Rome where Frederick and papal armies unite once again for another battle. The siege is difficult and bloody, but disorder and disorganization reigns on the European side leading to a victory late in the year. Frederick II is captured and trampled to death. Angry Mongols take what treasures and goods they can lift (especially from the churches), massacre those that get in the way (especially those in the churches), and leave the great city of Rome burning (especially the churches).
With slaves and riches in tow they make towards the Po valley where they find grass to feed their horses. Tribute is demanded of all inhabitants of northern Italy and is taken ruthlessly by the army of Batu Khan. Fortunately for Italy, Batu Khan decides to withdraw his forces to Vienna and Buda by spring of 1243. His offensive was rather taxing and the presence of a battered, but recuperating Venice means that this decision is strategically sound. Of course his men take all of the treasures and slaves that they have earned with them and burn as many farms and villages as they can on their way out.
For the rest of 1243 and 1244 Europeans struggle under the Mongol yoke. Based from central France Sabotai continues to launch raids against nearby untouched population centers such as Bordeaux and Toulouse. There are rebellions and uprisings. Noblemen lead coordinated attacks against Mongol forces. Sabotai and Batu do what they can to retain their acquisitions, but the occupation of Central and Western Europe is sapping too much of their strength too quickly for too few rewards. When Ogadai Khan perishes in the winter of 1244/45 the answer to all these problems is logical: the Mongols must relinquish their conquests and the generals must return to the homeland to elect a new Khan. In the end, the only conquest that the Mongols hang on to that they had taken during the 1242-1244 attacks on Europe is Vienna, which the Mongols had begun to transform into an administrative center. The Franks, the Germans and the Dutch rejoice when the tyrant governors and demanding tax collectors finally return to whence they came.
Yet the damage had already been done. More than 20% of the population of the northern half of Italy had perished. When looking at France, Germany and the Low Countries all of which had suffered an even longer occupation, the percentage of those that were killed by warfare and disease approaches 50% of the population. The desolation of the once-burgeoning European cities leaves it’s once proud people very humbled with bleak outlooks on the future.
Thoughts so far?
We know that Europe is full of forests and mountains and rivers and castles. It’s been argued that the Mongols didn’t have the logistics or manpower to take Europe in it’s entirety. Still I’d like to argue that the Mongol horseman was the best soldier the world had to offer in the 13th century. They were born into the life of war. Mongol warriors began riding horses practically from the cradle, they knew how to live off the land and they could travel hundreds of miles in a week with considerable endurance. For every man four or five additional horses were driven so they could always keep on the move. His double recurve bow was an accurate weapon of mass destruction in that he could shoot arrows as fast as they could be drawn striking targets 300 meters away. The Mongol warrior’s armor was light but effective for mobile combat. More important they obeyed orders. In comparison with the confused style of all-out brawl warfare that was popular in Europe, the Mongols coordinated attacks in a way seldom seen in the time period. Using a signaling system of colored banners, the general Sabotai could direct men as precisely as movements on a chessboard. There wouldn’t be an army as efficient and well managed for centuries. What’s worse is that the Mongols were ruthless and genocidal, their goal in battle was to slaughter all non-Mongols on the battlefield which made their campaigns much faster and more direct.
Yes, Europeans have castles, but I postulate that the Mongol army had what it needed to at least starve out the fortresses that they needed to... those that aren't strategically necessary to pillage the population centers are simply avoided after all surrounding farms are burnt down. It may have required quite a bit of luck, it’s true. The Mongol warrior was good for his time but he wasn’t perfect. Still, let’s assume that the Mongols arrive in the vicinity of Vienna in January 1242 with what they need to win. Perhaps General Sabotai has made a few needed reforms in the military structure; perhaps this ATL finds him even more of a genius than in OTL, perhaps for some reason in the years gone by the Mongols have conserved more men. Ogadai Khan remains alive for the entire year of 1242 and into the future and so doesn’t call back his forces from European frontiers. I’m not super concerned with the details of the POD but the main idea is that the Mongols are ready for this and have the means to do it.
The Mongols advance on Vienna in February and to their surprise the Viennese submit at once (lucky, lucky). They receive little mercy, though, as the Mongols permit the populace to leave the city, but then proceed to plunder and ransack what they had won. What`s worse is that shortly thereafter many of the survivors that had been promised at the very least peace are taken into slavery. Vienna is leveled like so many European cities will be and those who remain are scattered into the countryside.
It is at this time that a number of Central European noblemen decide that it’s time to pool their forces and defend the continent from the oncoming onslaught. The various princes attempt to coordinate a counterattack but they don’t have much more success than those who have come before them. After a few battles the Mongols force these ever-more desperate European foes to flee and scatter like the rest.
With the continent free for the taking, the Mongols divide their forces. The main army under Sabotai pushes towards the riches of the Low Countries. Munich is burnt to the ground and the Mongol horsemen push towards Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent. The cities are pillaged and after the wealth is stolen they are burnt and leveled. As a consequence the country’s system of windmills and dikes is destroyed and the sea reclaims Holland. The Rhine delta slowly reverts back to swamp. A Mongol detachment that carries with it the treasures of Hanover, having starved the city to submission before burning it down, reunites with Sabotai’s forces just before they make an offensive southward towards Rheims and finally Paris. They encounter the knights of young King Louis IX who defend their homeland bravely but ultimately fail to keep the Mongols from causing further bloodshed.
The capital of Paris is plundered and ruthlessly destroyed. General Sabotai then brings his army to rest at the broad meadows of central France where they pasture their horses. He begins to install a series of governors and tax collectors over those who remain huddled in crowded villages.
Meanwhile a large detachment led by Batu Khan had been ordered towards the cities of northern Italy after Vienna had fallen. His men push towards the Adriatic chasing remnants of the Hungarian military and then afterwards set their sights on the beautiful city of Venice. The city is difficult to take however and after losing time to a long fruitless siege (which nevertheless causes much damage to the Venetian economy) he decides to forge ahead towards the cities of Milan and Genoa. After Milan is razed to the ground and it’s treasures stolen, Batu is forced to deal with a counterattack led by Frederick II, the Holy Roman Emperor. Frederick had been wintering in Italy when the Mongols launched their invasion and had intrepidly unified his armies with papal forces to defend the peninsula from the Mongol hordes. Batu Khan thus faces a somewhat more difficult conquest. After forcing Frederick to retreat to the south Batu turns his sights on Genoa and Florence. Both cities surrender to his overpowering forces and are given the same treatment as Vienna. Bologna and other cities are ransacked as Batu Khan rampages towards Rome where Frederick and papal armies unite once again for another battle. The siege is difficult and bloody, but disorder and disorganization reigns on the European side leading to a victory late in the year. Frederick II is captured and trampled to death. Angry Mongols take what treasures and goods they can lift (especially from the churches), massacre those that get in the way (especially those in the churches), and leave the great city of Rome burning (especially the churches).
With slaves and riches in tow they make towards the Po valley where they find grass to feed their horses. Tribute is demanded of all inhabitants of northern Italy and is taken ruthlessly by the army of Batu Khan. Fortunately for Italy, Batu Khan decides to withdraw his forces to Vienna and Buda by spring of 1243. His offensive was rather taxing and the presence of a battered, but recuperating Venice means that this decision is strategically sound. Of course his men take all of the treasures and slaves that they have earned with them and burn as many farms and villages as they can on their way out.
For the rest of 1243 and 1244 Europeans struggle under the Mongol yoke. Based from central France Sabotai continues to launch raids against nearby untouched population centers such as Bordeaux and Toulouse. There are rebellions and uprisings. Noblemen lead coordinated attacks against Mongol forces. Sabotai and Batu do what they can to retain their acquisitions, but the occupation of Central and Western Europe is sapping too much of their strength too quickly for too few rewards. When Ogadai Khan perishes in the winter of 1244/45 the answer to all these problems is logical: the Mongols must relinquish their conquests and the generals must return to the homeland to elect a new Khan. In the end, the only conquest that the Mongols hang on to that they had taken during the 1242-1244 attacks on Europe is Vienna, which the Mongols had begun to transform into an administrative center. The Franks, the Germans and the Dutch rejoice when the tyrant governors and demanding tax collectors finally return to whence they came.
Yet the damage had already been done. More than 20% of the population of the northern half of Italy had perished. When looking at France, Germany and the Low Countries all of which had suffered an even longer occupation, the percentage of those that were killed by warfare and disease approaches 50% of the population. The desolation of the once-burgeoning European cities leaves it’s once proud people very humbled with bleak outlooks on the future.
Thoughts so far?
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