1242Reputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
Ögedei's Death Spares Europe
On the timeline · around 1242 ·
What happened
With Europe seemingly at their mercy, the Mongols suddenly turned back. News had arrived of the death of the Great Khan Ögedei in December 1241, and the princes of the blood withdrew east toward Mongolia to take part in choosing his successor. By 1242 the armies had pulled back north of the Black Sea.
Why it matters
It was a distant death in Mongolia, not any army, that saved Western Europe from the Mongols. Historians still debate how far the invasion might otherwise have reached — one of history's great 'what ifs.'
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. The Mongol Invasion of Europe · Reputable source
- World History Encyclopedia. Ögedei Khan · Reputable source