Could a unified China have successfully invaded Europe in the 11th century?

From the stand-point of feasibility if China under a ruler who wanted to emulate what the Mongols would later do and venture to create a massive land empire.

Could significant leeway have been made to conquer the Europe of this period?
 
The question, as always, is why? Wars of conquest, especially as far-flung as towards Europe*, would be seen as an expensive boondoggle, which would probably end up emptying the treasury and causing a peasant rebellion. China already was a massive land empire, and didn't need or want to invade Europe.

*How would they even reach Europe in the first place, being bordered by the Tarim Basin to the west, and the Liao to the north?
 

Pellaeon

Banned
They'd have to either sail around Africa or march across vast terrain of deserts, plains, and other difficult terrain.

To invade Europe even with a China fully unified and under the absolute rule of a single Emperor along with every tributary state and nomadic tribe bullied or coerced into joining this war of the ages.

Even with full support it would take a fighting force in the millions with millions more support and logistics.

I don't see how it could be possible unless said Emperor had Sauron like dominion over the minds and hearts of his people, vassals, tributaries, and bureaucracy.

Even with such control it would be a mammoth undertaking and would likely fail.
 
No. A unified China would not be a steppe empire capable of doing what the Mongols did. Marching armies across the entirety of the Eurasian steppes would not be within their capabilities.
 
A half blood prince from a Steppe princess who managed to ascend the throne after becoming his father's favourite and winning over the hearts of the peoples of the steppes and China looks to reclaim the legacy of his forebears, hegemon of Asia and exceed their achievements by adding Europe to that list.
 
Why would they invade Europe? It's an insignificant backwater full of primitive barbarians who barely qualify as a civilisation at this period compared to China.

A more interesting scenario would be if China attempted to conquer Persia, to gain control over the Silk Road. The cities of central Asia were huge, wealthy and technologically advanced. Now here are lands worth conquering.

The main difficulty even here is geography. The western parts of China are so remote from its heartland that sending a major army will be difficult. They will need to either cross desert steppe to reach Khwarezm, or go via the Afghan mountains. Neither route is easy, especially for a non-nomadic culture.

But if they did somehow get through, they'd be facing the Seljuk empire. Interesting material for some of history's more unusual battles!
 
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