@Intransigent Southerner, you're onto something. There's no way anybody at the time would be able to build any defenses against such an enormous event. Looking at the course of the yellow river it seems to be an event that would affect the north of China much worse than it would affect the south. It would certainly cripple the Jin, making them exceptionally vulnerable to Song invasion. Might Song suffer much less, being further south? Might be able to work this into my timeline, Song victory over Jin primarily due to luck (the people of Southern China will probably view this as an "act of heaven" much to the anger of the Northern Chinese). It won't save Song though, they'll collapse soon after and be replaced by another dynasty.
Do you see Song collapsing roughly towards the end of 14th Century or perhaps more towards the beginning? Would it be more plausible that Song collapses first, Jin is unable to conquer the fragments and then the flood results in the collapse of the Jin Dynasty?
Good point about horses. Prior to its collapse might Song be able to buy horses from other places like the Middle East or hire people to train their troops in cavalry combat? Could this help even the odds against Jin by any significant amount?
@Faeelin, I see your point. Quite a few explorations were made by China. By land they got as far as Roman Syria. Chinese junks were described in the 11th century by a Moroccan geographer Al-Idrisi. Looks like it could be possible for at least some Chinese to make the trip. Thanks for the input.
Do you see Song collapsing roughly towards the end of 14th Century or perhaps more towards the beginning? Would it be more plausible that Song collapses first, Jin is unable to conquer the fragments and then the flood results in the collapse of the Jin Dynasty?
Good point about horses. Prior to its collapse might Song be able to buy horses from other places like the Middle East or hire people to train their troops in cavalry combat? Could this help even the odds against Jin by any significant amount?
@Faeelin, I see your point. Quite a few explorations were made by China. By land they got as far as Roman Syria. Chinese junks were described in the 11th century by a Moroccan geographer Al-Idrisi. Looks like it could be possible for at least some Chinese to make the trip. Thanks for the input.