Tales of Alternate Worlds

Mongol Invasion of Europe

After the first Mongol invasion of Europe, the eastern parts of the continent were left devastated by the Mongol attacks. Famines spread across the Balkans and Poland, while trade in the area has been plummeting. But contrary to what the Europeans believed, the Mongols were not retreating because of the death of their Khan. Instead, it was a tactical retreat aimed at preserving the veteran Mongol troops after years of campaigning in Europe fighting the Europeans.

In the winter of 1244, the Mongol generals are convening in Kyiv alongside some of their most loyal Rus subjects, planning their next invasion of the continent. This time, their plan is to reach the Atlantic, and from there, hopefully, they will reach the very end of the world and conquer the entire world for the Mongol Empire. In this meeting, seven prominent Mongol generals are discussing their plan. The first is Batú the overall commander of the invading Mongol Army. He led the Mongols before in their first invasion, and now he would return with his new knowledge of the continent. The second general is Berke, also a veteran from the first invasion. The third general was Baiju Nogan, who successfully defeated the Sultanate of Rúm and secured the tributary status of Anatolia. The fourth general was Subotai, the fifth was Kadan, the sixth was Orda, and the last one was Shiban. Together, they were joined by two rulers of the Rus principalities, Alexander of Novgorod and Daniel of Ruthenia.

After a year of preparation in the spring of 1245, the Mongols began their incursion to Europe. The Mongol Army was divided into four armies. The first would be commanded by Alexander of Novgorod and Subotai, numbering around 15.000. Their goal is to capture the Baltics and into Poland. The second army commanded by Kadan and Orda, numbering around 30.000 men, would enter Poland and reconquer the kingdom. The third army under Batú, Berke, and Shiban numbering around 60.000 men would enter Hungary and conquer the kingdom. The fourth and last armies under Baiju numbering around 20.000 men would enter the Balkans and reaffirm Mongol rule in Bulgaria and Serbia.

The first army entered Estonia without resistance and conquered the Teutonic holdings in the Baltics with the help of the revolting Prussian Tribe. The second army entered Poland and attacked the disunited duchies of the kingdom. Lublin, Kraków, Poznan, and Giezno were razed to the ground. King Bolesław II of Poland was captured and turned into a puppet of the Mongols securing Poland.

In Hungary, Batú would face off against the large but scattered Hungarian Armies. Béla IV of Hungary anticipating another Mongol incursion has built fortifications along the border to stop the Mongol before they enter Hungary. Unfortunately for Béla the Mongols invaded even earlier than what he had anticipated, and now the half constructed fortifications were destroyed by the Mongols as they entered Hungary through various passage the Mongols entered deeply into the Hungary forcing Béla retreat from his new capital Buda and his former capital Esztergom. Béla escaped to Croatia but was captured by Baiju and brought back to Buda where Batú had settled. After arriving at Buda Batú used Béla's Royal stamp to order Hungarian citizens to surrender and not resist the Mongols. Béla's son Stephen was taken as a royal hostage by the Mongols, keeping Béla at bay.

The Mongols converge in Silesia, wanting to invade Bohemia and neutralize the threat King Wenceslaus of Bohemia and his army has. The Mongols invade Bohemia through various passages and ways overwhelming the kingdom. In the south at Olomouc, a small army of Mongols were soundly defeated in a battle against King Wenceslaus and Duke Fredrick of Austria, although the combine forces Austria and Bohemia lost half of their army.  In a gambit to save his kingdom, the king visits the town of Meinz to be crowned the new Holy Roman Emperor. While Wenceslaus was in Meinz, the Mongols attacked Prague, and after a long siege, the city fell to the Mongol, who did unspeakable horrors to the citizens and refugees in the city.  While Bohemia falls to the Mongols, Wenceslaus and his army meet Louis IX of France, answering the Pope's call for a crusade against the Mongols. Together, their combined armies and a few more crusaders from across Germany march back to Bohemia to confront the Mongols.

The Crusader Army, numbering around 56.000 men, will face off against the Mongols 100.000 army. The crusaders engaged with a small Mongol contingent and defeated the Mongol contingent. After the engagement, the Mongol Army chased the crusader army now retreating in the hopes to gather their strength before the Mongols attack. While Batú chased the Crusaders, he ordered Berke, Shiban, Subotai, and Orda to invade Italy and destroy Rome, the heart of Christendom. He also ordered Baiju to take 10.000 men and go north to cause chaos in the northern German kingdoms. While the other generals are on their way, Batú and Kadan continued to chase the crusaders with half of the Mongol Army. Finally, in Alsace, near the French border, King Louis IX holds his ground and prepares the Crusaders to fight the Mongols. Batú arrives not long after and also begins to prepare for battle. In the battle where the fate of Europe lies, the Crusaders manage to overwhelm the light Mongol Cavalry and cause massive casualties to the cavalry and infantry of the Mongols Batú and Louis both were in grave danger as both sides of the conflicting army tried to kill the leader of each other. Although still having the advantage, the Mongols began to overcome the Crusaders and reduced their number with the help of their archers systematically killing Crusaders. Seeing his men begin to desert the battlefield, Louis made a fiery speech inspiring the Crusaders and led a charge to Batú's position coming very close to the Mongol general, unfortunately, Louis was killed by one of Batú's bodyguards. But, the soldiers won't stop. The sacrifice of Louis would go in vain as the Crusaders pressed on one of them managed to sneak up near enough to Batú and strike a killing blow to the general, in a split second Batú was killed by the crusaders and the Mongol Army was crushed. Kadan managed to survive and formed small raiding parties to raid any town or village they found fighting their way back to safety.

In the north, Baiju has received news of the death of Baiju and mourned his death. Now, knowing that the invasion could not continue, he and his 10.000 troops return to Poland, where they would be ambushed by the Polish resistance. Baiju would survive, but his army was now gone.

While the army in the north was still chasing the crusaders, Berke and his army entered Italy through the Alps and began to raid Italian lands and raze cities to the ground. With the help of the former Holy Roman Emperor, Fredrick, Berke arrived in Rome without meeting any meaningful resistance along the way. Rome was besieged and the Pope desperately tried to find somebody to relieve Rome. Unfortunately the Pope's plea's was ignored or didn't make it and Rome fell to a Mongol charge, the city wall was breach and the Rome itself razed to the grown by the Mongols many citizens of the city was killed in the process, kids and women were taken captive as slave while the men was executed. The Pope hiding in the Basilica de San Pietro was captured and executed by the Mongols. After the chaos ended what was left of Rome was ashes and dead bodies, stone buildings destroyed and the walls that protected the city torn apart by the Mongols.

As the Mongols were destroying Rome news of the death of Batú in the hands of the crusaders reached Berke and his army. He is in overall command of the Mongol Army and he decided to abandon Italy and returned to friendly territory in the Rus. As the Mongols returned to their motherland Europe was left devastated. Cities were destroyed, trade disrupted, and many refugee fled west to kingdoms like France or England where the Mongols have yet to be touched.