1237–1242Reputable sourceWell documented
The Mongol Invasion of Europe
On the timeline · around 1237–1242 ·
What happened
Between 1237 and 1242 Mongol armies under Batu Khan and the general Subutai swept across the Rus' principalities and into Central Europe, crushing the armies of Poland and Hungary at Legnica and Mohi in 1241. Europe lay open before them — until news of the Great Khan Ögedei's death drew the Mongols back east.
Why it matters
The Mongol onslaught devastated eastern Europe and revealed to Christendom a terrifying power from the East; only a distant death, not any European army, halted the advance.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. The Mongol Invasion of Europe · Reputable source
Related timelines
- The Middle Ages → — The terror it brought Europe