Thread by @cbkwgl

Europe was always treated to be the central pivot for the world history but the reality is, outside Roman Empire, European History before Colonialism was not even worth mentioning. Let me give you an example. How did Europe fare before the Mongols?

The whole Mongol enterprise in Europe can be divided into just four critical battles -
Battle of Kalka River, 1223
Siege of Kolomna, 1238
Battle of Mohi 1241
Battle of Legnica 1241

After the Cumans were destroyed, they fled into Kievan Rus. A combined Russian force under the personal control of Grand Prince Mstislav of Kiev and comprising units of Cumans, Kiev, Galich, Chemingov and others(18 Princes in total) blocked the Mongols on Dneiper River.

They fell for the Mongol Feint - chasing a 1000 strong Mongol unit over 9 days, they stumbled on the main Mongol force under Jochi waiting for them across the Kalka River. While the army half crossed, Mongols attacked - the Cumans fled, unable to take the pressure and

Vohhinya and Kursk opened a gap in their lines to allow them to pass. But the Mongols quickly switched from a harassing mounted archers to a cavalry charge and crashed through the gap. Rostov and Volhinya were swept away, Cumans crashed into

Chemingov troops who didn't know the battle started. Prince Mstislav of Chemingov fell fighting. The Grand Prince was yet to cross and he quickly fled. He was surrounded, his entire troop slaughtered, he and his principal nobles were buried under the victory platform alive where

they died suffocated while the Mongols danced upon them. The battle took a total of 14 days including a 9 day chase and a 3 day siege, and the cream of Russian army was destroyed. And this means that the resistance they put for the main Mongol attack in 1240 was not enough.

In fact, the whole of Russia was at the mercy of Mongols and it was an act of providence that Mongols retreated. Of the 18 princes who left for the battle, 6 survived.

Vladimir was the only major Principality which didn't fight in 1223. It's turn to become a joke was soon to come. In 1238, the Mongols arrived again, this time under the command of a high ranking prince, Batu. Envoys were sent to Ryazan, a vassal of Vladimir for capitulation.

From there, they went to Vladimir and Yuri, the Prince of Vladimir laughed them off. The three bordering princes of Ryazan, Murom and Pronsk tried to stop the Mongols on Vorenezh River but they understood the futility - 14 tumens (sanctioned strength 140k) were waiting for them!!

They simply fled - Yuri of Ryazan towards Ryazan and Roman, his nephew towards Kolomna. Petitions were sent to Yuri of Vladimir and he finally understood the seriousness. The bulk of his force was sent to protect Kolomna along with his two sons -

in fact, there was nothing left to protect Vladimir itself. Ryazan fell in five days and the Prince and his family was executed along with the populace of the whole town. The fight at Kolomna was severe - a son of Chenghiz Khan was killed there and

the fortress fell in some 15 days. The Princes of Vladimir fled - one to Vladimir and the other to Moscow. Even here at Kolomna, it was a total slaughter. Moscow fell 10 days after Kolomna and Vladimir, 20 days later. Yuri fled and his one son captured at

Moscow was executed outside the walls of Vladimir during the siege and the second son was killed in the slaughter. Yuri tried to lift the siege but he was completely surrounded and cut down. In fact, he didn't even know he is surrounded till he sent a scouting party!!

Though Yuri was killed one month later, the core of the campaign from start of Siege of Ryazan(16 December 1238) to end of Siege of Vladimir(8 Feb 1238) - less than two months!!

In fact, Vladimir-Sudzal was not a small principality. Ryazan to Vladimir via Moscow is around 400 km.

In the next two months, almost every city in Northern Russia was sacked with the exception of Novgorod, which prudently surrendered. Mongols returned again, making a quick work of the already weakened Kievan Rus the next winter.

After the total collapse of Kievan Rus, Mongols erupted on Europe. Hungary had the best European Army and guess what? Mongols destroyed it in flat one day!! In anticipation of a Mongol attack, the Hungarians gathered at Pest.

Units which weren't able to reach there were cut down by the Mongols. Ultimately, Bela of Hungary decided to give a fight. Another Feigned Retreat!! The Hungarians chased the Mongols to Sajo River after a week of forced marches.

Well, Batu and Subutai were waiting there across the river. Batu attacked the next day - the Hungarians assumed it's a minor raid but soon they understood it's the main attack. But, this is not the main Mongol force even.

The main one was with Subutai who was approaching the Hungarian camp from a different direction. Batu was hard pressed and lost 30 of his personal body gaurd. The Hungarians, believing this is the main force went back to the camp for a full mobilization.

This window was enough for Batu to regroup - but, before the Hungarians attacked again, Subutai reached. The Hungarians fled to the camp and it was a total chaos inside. They never saw such powerful siege engines and every of their attacks were beaten back.

Mongols sensed this and left a gap in the lines for the soldiers to flee. Those who fled were cut down. The whole Hungarian Army was destroyed and the only commander of note who survived the carnage was King Bela of Hungary. The total campaign took what? 15 days?

The defeat at Mohi was fully used by the Mongols who plundered half of Hungary and killed almost a quarter of it's population.

Parallel to Mohi, Mongols faced a confederation of whatever is left in Northern Europe at Liegnitz. When I say parallel, it's not two different armies, but on the same dates. Mohi was over by 11 April 1241 and Liegnitz on 9 April 1241. This was a confederacy of Silesia, Moravia

and Warrior Monks who infested the area as a part of Northern Crusades. In fact, the Mongols entered Poland not to fight but to keep the Poles busy and ensure they won't support Hungary. Polish armies were repeatedly defeated till

news came of the main Polish Army under Duke Henry of Silesia and it's planned merger with the Bohemian Army double it's strength. The Poles were harassed to the extent that the two main cities - Krakow was pillaged and Breslau was put under a light siege drawing Henry

out of his capital city. A usual feigned retreat and the usual rout of Europeans - Henry of Silesia and Boleslav of Moravia, both were killed. Wenceslaus I of Bohemia who was advancing to support his brother-in-law Henry was forced to turn back -

stuck between Batu on one side and Baidar, the victor of Poland on the other, there is nothing much he could have done except being cooped up in his forts!!

Thus, we would see, excluding Kalka River Battle, the whole of Eastern Europe - the same as which formed the Communist Block post World War was at the mercy of Mongols, that too after a quick campaign of three years!! Had Batu not retreated when his cousin, the Grand Khan died?

They have destroyed every army present in the area except one(Bohemia) including the best contemporary Europe fielded - and those of the likes of Cumans and Kievan Rus which were a terror to Continental Europe. So, what's the verdict? Were Mongols better or were Europeans worse?

But, I am still scared to open the best book on the topic of Mongol subjugation of Russia - Sergei Soloviev's History of Russia from Earliest Times Volume 4: Russia Under The Tatar Yoke 1228-1389