Posted on 05/28/2016 12:05:00 PM PDT by nickcarraway
It has mystified historians ever since. After a string of major victories, the Mongol army suddenly retreated from central Europe in 1242.
Some scholars claim Mongolian politics forced the withdrawal, while others credit the strength of fortified towns in present-day Hungary and Croatia. But Europe could have been rescued by its own bad weather, an analysis of tree rings and historical documents concludes.
The Mongol cavalry fed its horses on the grass of the Eurasian steppe, says Nicola Di Cosmo of Princeton University, one of the study’s authors. A warm climate in the early 1200s helped make the grasslands lush and this, in turn, helped the Mongols extend their empire into Russia, he says.
In 1241, the Mongol army reached the plains’ western limit in Hungary. Led by Genghis Khan’s grandson Batu, the Mongols crushed the Polish and Hungarian armies on open, flat terrain that suited their mobile warfare tactics.
“They were familiar with that environment,” says Di Cosmo. “What they didn’t know is how prone to flooding that particular area was.”
Huge swamp Compared with the rest of the steppe, Hungary has a high water table so it floods easily.
Analysing tree rings in the region, Di Cosmo and his colleagues found that Hungary had a cold, wet winter in early 1242. This probably turned Hungary’s central plain into a huge swamp.
Historical documents the team studied back up this claim, recording, for example, that melting snows kept the Mongol army from attacking a Hungarian castle surrounded by marshes.
Lacking pasture for its horses, the Mongols fell back to drier highlands and then to Russia in search of better grass.
While climate wasn’t the only factor in the reteat, it would be a mistake to ignore it, says Di Cosmo. “It’s like saying the winter in Russia had no effect on Napoleon’s army,” he says.
Michael Mann of Pennsylvania State University, University Park, says the study is interesting, but he warns against over-interpreting the influence of climate on historic events. “I’m sceptical that such ‘climate determinism’ holds nearly as universally as some authors seem to think,” he says. The changes in weather the study reported seemed “modest”, he says.
But Aaron Putnam of the University of Maine in Orono says that the study steered clear of determinism, taking into account all potential factors. “I think it’s convincing,” he says. “The previous explanations of the Mongol withdrawal didn’t add up.”
Horse logistics limited the Mongols, Putnam says. “They were incredibly technologically savvy, but they got into a place where horses just didn’t do well.”
Putnam says that natural weather records like tree rings have much more to tell us about the history of premodern civilisations, which depended heavily on environmental conditions. “It’s just an incredible archive.”
... or Hitler's either for that matter.
I’m half Norwegian and half Hungarian. I don’t look Hungarian, I look Scandinavian. The Hungarians I saw were dark haired, dark eyed. My dad and his brother both have jet black hair, but I’m blonde. It was interesting seeing both sides though. When we roll out to eastern Hungary to the home village, the mayor rolls out the red carpet literally heh. The hospitality is amazing.
Hungawegian?
One of my bucket list items is to go to Budapest and look up family if their archives are still intact; but same here, light brown hair, brown eyes. Skinny. LOL
Oh, just one more thing sir, if the mud and swampy terrain was so bad it mired them down, how come the Hungarians, Poles, Ukrainians, and Russians didn't slaughter them in retreat after the Horde lost their main advantage, mobility? I mean, it was the same gosh darn mud that stopped coming in wasn't it.
“Mongol hordes” ..... that seems so politically incorrect
who wants to be called a “horde”??
No grant money, no climate change honey.
There are articles to read? Since when?
I’ve just been posting random thoughts that pop into my head.
“Don’t think the Mongols ever reached Hungary.”
Yes, they did. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_invasion_of_Europe#Invasion_of_the_Kingdom_of_Hungary
Way cool.
I have heard that Hungarian is one of those languages that can’t be learned as an adult.
Also, Hungarian fencers are awesome.
Their laminated bows failed.
“who wants to be called a “horde”??”
Then the conservative hordes rolled east and west, laying waste to the tards—lib, left, and green—as they went.
Soon, the only reminders of the depredations of the Satanic leftazoids were isolated mountains of undersized skulls, comparable in brain capacity to Australopithecus.
Yeah, that words. I’m good with “horde.”
Haha, good one, I might use that.
I’m 100% Albertan right now, but I may go 100% Texan if a good electrical job pops up.
People here won’t fight it seems.
Budapest is one busy place. One thing I noticed was how tall I was compared to the locals.
It’s a beautiful city as far as cities go by the way.
Hungarian is most closely related to two languages of western Siberia several thousand miles away--Xanty and Mansi. The ancient Magyars left Siberia several thousand years ago and migrated across the southern Russian steppes until they reached the modern area of Hungary in AD896.
Oh and PS - Magyar is pronounced Muh-jar not mag-yar as Rick Steves stupidly pronounces it.
Fascinating. Thank you.
Migrating from Siberia may have something to do with their affinity for the saber.
“Oh and PS - Magyar is pronounced Muh-jar not mag-yar as Rick Steves stupidly pronounces it.”
Don’t think I’ve ever heard it pronounced. Thanks again.
And Szomorú Vasárnap is exactly what the weather is I'm experiencing today.
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