[C19fan]

This same Mongol army pushed into Central Europe crushing Poland and Hungary but Western Europe was saved when the Ogedei died and the Mongols went back to Mongolia.

[NorseViking]

Western Europe was of no use because they needed vast open space for the horses to graze.

[ohioman]

In my book, good ‘ole Genghis and family were the #1 butt-kickers of all time. They were brutal (which was normal for the 13th century); however, they were undefeated and had an empire for almost 200 years. It has always amazed me that a power like this could emerge from such a sparsely populated area. As a result, War colleges across the world have studied their tactics for hundreds of years. The modern tendency to dismiss them as simple savages is misguided. Genghis was absolutely brilliant.

[ckilmer]

Last I read Moscow sent tributes to Ghengis Khan so his armies passed south of moscow. but I could have read the story wrong or it could have been about a later mogol general Subatai.