So, what if they actually tried to conquer Europe and were united under Batu Grand Khan and conducted by Subutai Khan?
Then the only thing possibly stopping them (not sure) would be the Channel.
So, what if they actually tried to conquer Europe and were united under Batu Grand Khan and conducted by Subutai Khan?
Well, so far as I know, nobody made this argument so far. It would be indeed a bit weird, critically considering that Mongols used as well native troops as auxiliaries (with more or less actual grasp on their loyalties, arguably).I have heard the geographic-determinist argument for why the Mongols could not have taken Europe, but to my mind it doesn't hold; the Mongols did in fact rule in places beyond the grasslands, notably Song China.
Comparing medieval Eastern Europe situation to Western Europe is a bit like comparing USSR and China in the 70's because they were both authoritarian, large and socialists.Their campaigns in eastern Europe against Poland and Hungary show just how unprepared the squabbling fiefdoms at the edge of (at that time) the world's greatest empire were.
Well, they did actually tried, and did well, in Hungary (they didn't made coins proclaiming their domination just for giggles). So it's not impossible, obviously, that they'd have tried to go deeper there.So, what if they actually tried to conquer Europe and were united under Batu Grand Khan and conducted by Subutai Khan?
Adverse terrain, limited grazing and mounting losses that weren't as easily replaced in the west would have slowed them, but once they secure a more permanent occupation of Hungary, they can launch new conquests and greatly reduce their logistics. South China was also even more inhospitable for steppe ponies than Western Europe.
So, what if they actually tried to conquer Europe and were united under Batu Grand Khan and conducted by Subutai Khan?