Thread: Climatic and environmental aspect of the Mongol withdrawal from Hungary , 1242

Weather patterns caused melting snow and ice which turned the plains into marshes and prevented them from conquering defended cities. Harvests failed leading to starvation. They moved to higher ground to get feed for their horses. A mounted army of 130,000 soldiers needed an enormous amount of grass to feed the animals. From other books I've read it was impossible for the Mongol armies to remain static for very long as they exhausted the feed stocks and did not try to carry fodder. It was a huge empire but the nomadic state of their society acted against settlement and farming.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

Weather patterns caused melting snow and ice which turned the plains into marshes and prevented them from conquering defended cities. Harvests failed leading to starvation. They moved to higher ground to get feed for their horses. A mounted army of 130,000 soldiers needed an enormous amount of grass to feed the animals. From other books I've read it was impossible for the Mongol armies to remain static for very long as they exhausted the feed stocks and did not try to carry fodder. It was a huge empire but the nomadic state of their society acted against settlement and farming.

Like Napoleon, and Hitler,strategically they stuffed up.

They were damm good horsemen though. They could ride no hands, control the horse with their legs and use their bows to fire arrows into the enemy ranks. They carved up the disciplined Chinese infantry like target shooting.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

They were damm good horsemen though. They could ride no hands, control the horse with their legs and use their bows to fire arrows into the enemy ranks. They carved up the disciplined Chinese infantry like target shooting.

It has been said the Sioux Indians from the plains of the US, have Mongol DNA.

Learn about the history of the Sioux Indians

There is also a theory that the wet conditions they encountered caused the glue in their bows to break down, reducing the efficiency of their weapon.



[ame]https://youtu.be/nCzkui_8rSk[/ame]

Another take on the mongol bow.

[ame]https://youtu.be/IGcYGwqb3So[/ame]

A ripping good yarn for a rainy day.

[ame]https://youtu.be/htEXmRHjf5s[/ame]

According to the BBC documentary, Ghengis died and made his son Khan, who then invaded Europe, as far as Poland. Then he died, and Mongol law stated all Chiefs must return home to elect a new Khan. That was 1242. Perhaps Europe was saved by this. Interesting snippet, they say one in two hundred men today have Ghengis Khans DNA,that explains a lot.