Paradigm Shift
The Mongols in the new world. 1283-1300
Portrait of Kublai painted late in his life or possibly shortly after his death.
Fifth great Khan of the Mongol Empire Kublai Khan had a dream of unifying the world under his and his successors control. To accomplish this Kublai sent armies to invade Song China, Tibet, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and even the island of Java. Most of these invasions were successful and ended in Mongol rule over much of Asia and eastern Europe by the end of his reign, although due to infighting amongst the heirs of Genghis much of this empire was under the control of various other lesser Khans. Early in his reign the young Khan would finally subdue Song China, eventually making his capital in what would become the city of Beijing. Kublai was a patron of the arts, science and literature. Funding many schools and universities and encouraging a new golden age of Chinese opera, poetry and astronomy to flourish. He also encouraged the expansion of Chinese seafaring with the aim of creating a large fleet for the carrying of troops.
Each of these widely disparate fields saw considerable government funding. But it was into the navy that a majority of Kublai`s money, and interest went. A major effort went into the building of invasion fleets intended for landings on the Japanese and Indian islands. However large amounts of funding also went into the creation of a large navy intended for the defense of the coasts and protection of the trade routes. A few of these ships were even sent out on missions of exploration to chart the islands of the Pacific and arctic oceans. It was one of these ships that stumbled upon what would become known as Alyska. A report was made of the ships exploration of what was thought to be a very large land mass with few natives, abundant natural resources and wildlife.
The great Khan quickly decided that this land needed to be settled and added to the empire. Now advanced in age and feeling as if he needed to leave a legacy, and with his recent attempts at new conquest failed Kublai ordered a colony to be established immediately on the new land. Which was named Gazar Doorkh Gazar, land across the waters. Not wishing to face the wrath of the increasingly irritable Khan his ministers worked quickly to accomplish his dream and by 1283 an outpost had been founded in what would become known as Oranje bay. In fact the colony was located roughly where the modern day city of Fredericksburg would one day be founded.
The new colony, named Aguu Khan Khot, or city of the great Khan, was soon flooded with transports which over the next ten years brought over ten thousand colonists from all parts of Kublai`s empire. Though a majority of the colonies population was formed of both Han Chinese and ethnic Mongols. Farms and pastures were quickly set up but the harsh Alyskan winter and wild soil made crop yields small and livestock of meager frame. Food suppliesw for the colony had to be continually imported from China, often falling victim to Japanese pirate attacks. Making the presence of warships in the convoys a must, adding further to the expense of the colony. Upon the death of Kublai in 1294 the empire suffered a severe economic collapse. Brought about by years of inflation, costly invasions, civil wars and massive building projects. The crisis forced Kublai`s successor Temür to cut back on many of his grandfathers more grandiose projects. Such as the proposed third invasion of Japan, second invasion of Java and rumored participation in the ongoing invasion of India by other Mongol Khanates.
Unsurprisingly one of the first things to be cut by Temür would be Aguu Khan Khot. By order of the Khan himself no further ships would leave for Alyska after 1300. Until then any settler of the colony who wished was welcome to return with one of the ships and resume their life in the empire. Though their future prosperity was not in any way guaranteed.
While most of the colonists would indeed travel back with the last few merchant ships a few, perhaps roughly one thousand settlers, chose to remain. Hoping that once things had stabilized back home the empire would return once more to the region. Where they would be firmly established an in a position to achieve significant power over the colony.
This gamble, though risky, promised high rewards if successful. However the harvests of 1299, 1301, and 1302 seem to have been failures. With severe frosts and bad winters affecting the entire region. Although we have no written records it is likely that the remaining colonists would all die out by 1305, though a few colonists likely intermingled with the local tribes and lived on for some years.