Scourge of God: Atilla to Genghis
Frank Herbert
3rd Mongol invasion of Hungary
In Shawwal 830 (August 1427), the failed 4th anti Hussite crusades would mark the ever diminishing papal and imperial control over the eastern edge of Holy Roman empire. The land was divided and vulnerable as many nobles began to question the Emperor's ability in handling the 'miniscule' hussite rebellion. Now the troubled lands of Europe were being eyed by powers from other places. King of Poland, Wladislaw wanted to secure a duchy in Hungary or HRE for his minor son Casimir. So he started negotiations with King Sigismund and then with the various Hungarian nobles. He desired Transylvania for his bloodline. But this offer was rejected. Instead, Wladislaw Jogalia was offered the counties of Szcen and Brasso, along the border with Wallachia. Wladislaw refused this offer and stalled negotiations.
But Poland-Lithuania was not the only state observing eastern Europe. The crisis in the Pannonian basin was not unnoticed by the resurgent Mongols, who shared a border with the Kingdom via their vassals in Moldavia. After the visit of Prokop the lesser to Sarai, the capital of Mongols, the notion of an alliance between radical Taborites and the Islamized Nomads became a horrid reality for the rest of Europe to face. But it seems that Europe was oblivious to the threat. The Khan Yassin, in hopes of securing his flanks concluded a treaty with Poland-Lithuania dubbed the 'treaty of Lublin' sometime in 833 (1430). This held up the status quo that had largely been prevalent between the states. The Polish would not stop the Mongols from pillaging Hungarian or HRE lands as Wladislaw wanted a weakened neighbor and less papal influence on his doorsteps. The territorial ambitions were not concealed as the Polish King combined his realm with Lithuania in the 'union of Grodno'. He reinstated Sigismund Kestutis as the senior duke of Lithuania, thus affirming the previous position.
The Mongols now had their borders secured and poised to strike at the heart of Europe once again. A massive army of 80,000 was raised and it began journeying west, to Gurigansarai. Troops from all corners of the Khanate, even a contingent of troops from Muscovy (as the latter wanted the Khan's support in gaining Novgorod after Vytautas's death). They were joined by 5,000 Moldavian troops after reaching Carpathians. after the inconclusive war with Poland in recent memory, the Khan was careful not to mess up this time. Under the iron discipline of Beklar beg Samiu'n and a clique of Timurid officials, this massive army reached Suceava in Shaban 835 (April 1432). The timing of the invasion couldn't have been worse as the Fifth anti Hussite crusade was defeated only recently and Hussites were organising raids far into places like, Hungary and Saxony. But words got out and Sigismund was surprised. Indeed, the fact that Mongols could invade central Europe after 1400 AD seemed ridiculous to nobles in Buda. Nevertheless, they raised an army and marched to the Carpathians. This was led by Albdert of Austria, son in law of Sigismund. This army met the Mongol vanguard under Farrukhdar in Verecke pass in Ramadan 835 (May 1432)
Image: battle of Verecke pass
The battle was fought between troops on both sides not exceeding 4000. But what made the battle special was that the Negahban gunners of the Mongol infantry made their debut. Farrukhdar noyan, a veteran in Timur's campaign in Mongolia successfully ambushed Albert's army. Albert himself led a frontal charge with both infantry and cavalry seeing no other way. But after getting in range, the gunners fired salvo in turns. Though archaic in terms of accuracy, this still had an impact upon the overconfident imperial forces who thought of Mongols as barbarian hordes rushing at things. But the discipline of the Mongolian infantry was superb as it not only destroyed the first charge of the Imperial army but also their morale. Now with the charge in shambles, the Mongols advanced. Then out of nowhere, their infamous cavalry appeared behind the imperial forces. The trap was complete
Image: a Negahban gunner of the Golden horde, the last of the Mongolian states(circa 1400 AH)
But Albert was no fool either. He sent some of his troops as rear guards as he too, thought of a trap. When his rearguards met the Mongol cavalry, fierce battle ensued. But they were able to buy time for half of the imperial forces to pass. The battle was fierce as King Albert managed to withdraw some of his forces but lost his eye due to a bullet, earning him the moniker 'Albert the one eyed'. 1400 Hungarians lay dead in the pass whilst Mongols lost 70. The winner in this engagement was clear.
With the securing of the pass,the Mongol main army now passed into Pannonian basin. The vanguard of Crimean Tatars pillaged lands as far west as Eger. But the main force was still moving slow as to secure its supplies from Moldavia. This slow movement and the rapid advance of the Mongol vanguard again lulled the Hungarians into a state of complacency. Albert, based on his experience and studying the previous Polish war concluded that the army wouldn't exceed 40,000 with a smaller infantry of not more than 3,000 and maybe a few dozen cannons. He was right, but again he was wrong. The actual numbers of Mongol troops were double of the estimation. He as well as others were only thinking of the 2 Crimean contingents, one had a single tumen and the other having 2 tumens. But they had few cannons with them. In fact, this is the reason why Yassin was moving his troops painfully slow so as not to advance too much further until cannons arrive.
Now the Hungarian King Sigismund amassed his massive 70,000 army and started towards Szatamar, where the Mongols were reportedly amassing. In truth, the Crimean Tatar tumens linked up with each other and wanted to draw the Imperial forces to the east. But soon news of logistical delay of the main Mongol army was heard and the Tatars under Guryuk noyan retreated further east, sacking Kraszna and Despar on the way. But they were caught by an advance guard of the imperial forces under the young commander, Janos Hunyadi near Doboka. In Ramadan 29, 835 ( 30 May 1432), the Imperial vanguard, aided by Teutonic order defeated the Tatars in the battle of Doboka. The use of Wagenburg by Hunyadi prevented the horse archers from overwhelming the Hungarian infantry. But the casualties were not too high for both parties, 700 for Hungarians and 1100 for Mongols. Guryuk noyan again received message which ordered him to march east.
Meanwhile the main Mongol army was in Matei. After hearing of the defeat in Doboka, they retreated further east. So Sigismund was again forced to chase after them. After no sight of the Mongols, the imperial army camped in Bistrita, near Mures river. Sigismund by now was sure that Mongols were playing their old classic of tiring the enemy before engaging them. So he devised a clever plan of dividing his troops into a smaller and another larger group. The larger group will continue east to find out any possible Mongol army and perhaps conduct sorties into Moldavia. The smaller contingent, under the leadership of the Margrave of Brandenburg, Fredrich will be on the lookout for any possible Mongol sorties behind the lines. This smaller force had Janos Hunyadi, veteran from battle of Doboka. Now down to 50,000 troops the Imperial army marched east and on Shawwal 10, 835 (10 June 1432), they finally met the Mongol army in Vatava.
The battle began at midday as the Hungarians tried to take advantage of the noon prayers of the Mongols who were majority muslims by now. But their attack was stopped in its track by the heavy Ahansir infantry on the right and the heavy lancers on the left wing. What's more, the Mongol right wing even managed to surround the Hungarian left. The Hungarian troops buckled under pressure and retreated. The battle was over for that day. The next day Yassin formed a plan under advice from his Persian officers. Like the famous battle of UngleJian where Timur crushed forces of Ming China, they too would lure the Hungarians with feigned retreat and destroy them, with heavy artillery. The battle began and as planned, the Mongol cavalry began withdrawing. But they dispersed to the sides as they withdrew, exposing the Hungarian cavalry to the artillery and Negahban gunners. It was a slaughter as Hungarian cavalry eager to destroy the Mongols were cut like grass as salvo after salvo of cannonballs and other projectiles cut through their formation. Their armor was thick enough to prevent penetration but their horses were not so lucky. After half the knights dismounted and continued their advance, the Mongol cavalry which retreated suddenly came back and surrounded the overstretched Hungarian cavalry troops. After decimating the cavalry, the Mongols rushed to the Hungarian lines with full speed. Teutonic knights and the Hungarian infantry rallied around Sigismund as many nobles began fleeing north. It seemed that all was lost.
But relief came for Hungarians in an unexpected way. Fredrich, after seeing his Emperor's army in disarray quickly sent the veteran young commander Hunyadi with 7,000 cavalry troops. The were able to prevent an encirclement just in time as the Hungarian forces pushed back the overwhelming Mongols. Fredrich joined in the fray too, destroying the Mongol right under Farrukhdar noyan and killing him. The battle began to turn tide. But it was far from over. Yassin still had a reserve force left, 2 tumens under Guryuk noyan. They were hiding out in the high plateaus north of Vatava until they were ordered to attack. Now the battle again swung in favour of the Mongols as the Hungarians lacked the numbers to push against their enemies. Soon entire Hungarian lines crumbled and Janos Hunhyadi screamed for his monarch to retreat until he was finally blasted by a fire lance from a 'thunder rider'. Sigismund, the lucky man he was managed to escape, though not without injuries. Almost all of Hungarian nobility were killed in this battle save for a lucky few who managed to escape with the emperor. But the army was totally destroyed. The mongols had free reign over the Pannonian basin now.
image: Sack of Debrecen by Tatars (circa 1100 AH)
With the army destroyed and king fleeing, Hungary was in shambles. Yassin marched west and took Zalau from Where he launched raids into western and central Hungary. The first city to be sacked by Mongols was Oradea, followed by Arad and a failed siege of Timisoara. But the most brutal sack was in Debrecen. It is estimated that half the town's populace was taken as captives. By Dhul Hajj 835 (August 1432), Mongols were raiding as far west as Pest. The capital Buda was preparing for a siege. But the Hungarian king was still in Szeged to evade capture by fast mobile cavalry of Mongols. But it never came. The Mongol army was suddenly without its leader as Khan Yassin passed away the glorious 10 Muharram 836 (6 September 1432) at the age of 51. The Mongols left quickly towards their own lands, leaving a devastated Hungary behind. Never since the 1st invasion by Batu and Subutai had a Mongol raid in Hungary been this successful.
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Georgia: Forgotten kingdom behind the mountains
Kingdom of Georgia in early 15th century saw many ups and downs. The fall of Constantinople to the forces of the rising Turkish empire saw refugees flooding the Trebizond despotate as a reminder of the once vast Byzantine empire. But many of the said refugees found home in the relatively stable realm under King Alexandar I the great. The Georgian kingdom didn't face any big external threat after the Timurid invasion of 787 (1385) . But with the fracture of his empire and the consolidation of Persia under Shahrukh, a new problem emerged for the Nazarene kingdom in the Kafkas. As if the Ottoman expulsion of Turkoman clans to east wasn't enough, the ruler of Persia Shahrukh and his successor Muhammad Taraghai aka Ulugh Beg chased away unruly Turkoman clans to north as Gurgtug under Yakub consolidated Timurid rule upto Azerbaijan. The Turkmen raids were frequent from 828 to 830 (1425 to 1427 ). The Georgians were hard pressed for a while as King Alexander unable to halt the Turkmen incursions. Many Georgians were captured and sold as slaves to markets in Tatar Khanate, Persia and even as far as Kabul
Image: A Turkmen raid in a Georgian settlement (Circa 1300 AH)
But this in turn opened up a new opportunity for one of the co-rulers of Alexander, his brother George. He personally invited a Turkmen leader named Hurshid bey and urged him to settle near Derbent to prevent other Turkish clans from raiding into Georgia. This alliance was further strengthened by marriage between Hurshid's son Hamza bey and daughter of George and Maria of Trebizond, Anastasia. Following Alexander's abdication in 834 (1431) as a result of inability to control the nobles, George swept to power with the Turkmen troops at his sides as the Georgian army remained divided and confused. Soon George began to consolidate his powers as he didn't owe his ascension to the nobles, effectively stripping them of their many powers which would pit them against the king on an equal footing. He also improved the army, filling the ranks with fresh recruits who owed their allegiance to the King than to various nobles. He was able to achieve this as he centralized the wage distribution for government employees. Georgia saw its status rise from a backwater kingdom to the most prosperous kingdom in the Kafkas due to increased trade between Tatar Khanate and Persia. Kafkas region was a secondary route compared to the vast steppe route but some of the riches were being filtered through the few regional trade cities like Nazran and Terek. The annexation of north Armenia from the rump Kara Quyonlu increased Georgia's area and now it bordered the Timurid lands from Derbent to Van.
But not all was roses for the new king. His Turkmen allies under Hurshid now raided the Timurid lands for plunder as they couldn't attack Georgia anymore. In 837 (1434), the Timurid army under Ferhad Sheikh crossed the Kafkas mountains and engaged the Turkmen under Hurshid. The Turkmen were soundly defeated in the battle of Derbent and the Timurids were marching north. But the wily George asked the Tatar Khanate to protect them from Persian aggression. Regent of Khan Jalaluddin , Qizil Hatun sent envoys for Nishapur and demanded that the Taraghids left Georgia alone. Meanwhile, Persian situation also worsened after being defeated by Georgians in battle of Garbuti. So now Timurids retreated to Azerbaijan. Grandson of George, Khalil was released by Timurids after negotiation between Tatar Khanate and them. After that the child was baptized by the Georgian Orthodox church and given the name of David. As a Nazarene state between large Muslim states, Georgia would master the art of playing these powers against each other in a bid to secure its independence. With the increasing prosperity, Georgia could focus on influencing its neighbors, notably Trebizond.
Image: Tiflis in mid 9th century (circa 1400 AH)
After death of George in 849 ( 1446), The throne was captured by Vakhtang VI, son of Alexander I who was supported by nobles. All relatives of George were exiled to Golden horde. But he in turn was deposed by George VII, his half brother. The situation in Georgia was getting volatile as the nobles and army were divided and opposing each other openly. Suddenly in 853 (1450), David returned to Georgia and killed George VII with a contingent of Tatar troops. He wiped out the rebellious nobles and finally ended the Georgian interregnum of 849-854( 1446-1451). The next year, he moved against Demetrius and captured him, eventually executing him. The last remaining descendant of Alexander I was David, who was a catholicos patriarch. David, grandson of George was so paranoid that he used Persian agents to poison the hermit priest. Now secure in his throne, he married Despina of Trebizond in 855 (1452). This marriage, along with his grandmother's lineage would prompt him to claim himself as the 'Emperor of Trebizond' in the future when the Turkish onslaught would reach the Taurus mountains once again. But David X, ruler of Georgia would be remembered in history for his contribution to what is known as 'the second golden age of Georgia '.
(From
'Tarikh Ul Fars Wal Mashreq' by Ali Adnani)
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Well hope that was good. Man, what a campaign! The success of this campaign largely caused by underestimation of Tatars by Europeans. And I wanted a poland wank here. Too bad the Khan is dead. Long live the Khan ...cough* Khatun. What do you guys think that Arab and Muslim sources have mentioned Golden horde as Tatars but Western European ones mention them as Mongols?
And a Turk-Roman claiming the Georgian kingdom that isn’t ravaged by repeated Timurid campaigns also claims title of 'Emperor of Trebizond'? Now you’ve seen everything.
Anyway enough rant. Updates will become scarce as my exam is approaching. But I won't abandon this, ingsha Allah.
. But at least Khaydar seems like he'll be an interesting troublemaker. Also, I'm definitely interested in seeing how Eastern Europe deals with the Ottomans and the GH at the same time.
