Mongol Scandinavia

[Makemakean]

An idea I had after reading a little about how the Mongols effectively ran Russia for a couple of centuries was "Would it theoretically have been possible for the Mongols to have conquered Scandinavia as well at some point during the Middle Ages?" after some though, I realized that the answer most probably was yes. Then I started thinking about if you could build this scenario into a timeline in a day or something.

Of course, the one question that needs answering is, how many Mongols were there? Sweden is estimated to have had less than one million inhabitants by the dawn of the 17th century, so I found myself wondering, could there have come in enough Mongols into the Scandinavian peninsula that the whole place is effectively permanently Mongolized? The Mongols staying there and Scandinavia becoming this Asian country in northern Europe?

Discuss.

 

[St. Just]

Probably not; the Mongols would have known Scandinavia was a) poor and b) not exactly the steppes. Furthermore, the Mongols never conquered the more forested, agriculturally poorer parts of northern Russia, which is why Velikiy Novgorod and Pskov were never sacked.

And even if the Mongols did conquer Scandinavia directly, rather than forcing vassalage status, very few of them would settle there. Why settle in the frozen north when you can have the steppes, or other places with better agricultural prospects?

 

[Umbral]

Militarily, yes. There was very little incentive, though, Scandinavia was pretty dirt poor.

Basically on a list of European Mongol targets they are at the bottom for attractiveness, and at the top for difficult terrain the Mongols didn't really want to deal with.

Denmark may get raided if the Mongols really get deeply into Europe. Small, so the wealth is more concentrated, and the terrain is not as horrible as Norway.

If the Swedes managed to give some kind of great personal offense, I can see them torn apart on general principles. Norway, with Iceland is probably going to be left alone.