Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Mongol Hordes Gave up on Conquering Europe Due to Wet Weather
New Scientist ^ | 26 May 2016 | Conor Gearin

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 But Europe could have been rescued by its own bad weather, an analysis of tree rings and historical documents concludes.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Historical documents the team studied back up this claim, recording, for example, that melting snows kept the Mongol army from attacking a Hungarian castle surrounded by marshes.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.”


TOPICS: History; Weather
KEYWORDS: ancientautopsies; croatia; epa; genghiskhan; globalwarminghoax; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; hungary; michaelmann; mongolmassmurderers; mongols; nicoladicosmo; pennsylvaniastate; poland; popefrancis; princeton; rain; romancatholicism; weather; worldhistory
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-84 next last

1 posted on 05/28/2016 12:05:00 PM PDT by nickcarraway
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

Very cool pic! Love the heraldry.


2 posted on 05/28/2016 12:08:15 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

Modern time bad weather in Europe seems not to discourage diversity folks from pour into Europe though.


3 posted on 05/28/2016 12:08:59 PM PDT by Rebel2016
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin; nickcarraway
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.

LOL.

4 posted on 05/28/2016 12:09:33 PM PDT by OddLane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

Well they did stay around long enough to get frisky with the locals. Being Hungarian it’s in my DNA (did that DNA thing with Ancestry).


5 posted on 05/28/2016 12:09:52 PM PDT by SkyDancer ("They Say That Nobody's Perfect But Yet Here I Am")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Ping


6 posted on 05/28/2016 12:10:37 PM PDT by nickcarraway
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SkyDancer
Well they did stay around long enough to get frisky with the locals.

What else are you going to do during bad weather?

7 posted on 05/28/2016 12:11:23 PM PDT by nickcarraway
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

“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.”

All the sudden Michael Mann is skeptical about extending a shake scientific theory? Since when?


8 posted on 05/28/2016 12:11:59 PM PDT by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SkyDancer

Also: I expect you to dress up as Genghis Khan next year. (Or Jingis Khan for Al Gore)


9 posted on 05/28/2016 12:11:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

Climates change. Sometimes warmer, sometimes colder. It’s always been that way.

The Roman Empire flourished in a period that was warmer than our own.
The Middle Ages flourished in a period that was warmer than our own.

As climates cool off, civilizations often suffer — it’s easier to deal with rising temperatures, but colder climates have large effects.

The Little Ice Age ended in 1850 or so, and temperatures may have risen since then, to our benefit.

The anti-human, anti-technology Leftists don’t understand any of this.


10 posted on 05/28/2016 12:12:57 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Nation States seem to be ending. The follow-on should not be Globalism, but Localism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OddLane

The article I saw at Business Insider had several related article link on global warming from man destroying the planet so I do not believe climate did anything to stop the “HORDE!” It was their leaders dying or fighting among themselves that stopped them.


11 posted on 05/28/2016 12:13:24 PM PDT by minnesota_bound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SkyDancer

Don’t think the Mongols ever reached Hungary. The blood line may came from the Attila the Hun, more than 1000 years ago before the Mongles


12 posted on 05/28/2016 12:16:32 PM PDT by Rebel2016
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: SkyDancer

Have considered sending such a kit to Lia Watha or Fauxchohauntus or whatever name Warren’s claiming.


13 posted on 05/28/2016 12:16:35 PM PDT by hoosiermama (1238 Under budget. Ahead of schedule! Go TRUMP GO)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

“Michael Mann of Pennsylvania State University ... warns against over-interpreting the influence of climate....”

Just unbelievable.


14 posted on 05/28/2016 12:18:16 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OddLane; Tallguy

I should have read all the comments before posting. Oh well, why start now?


15 posted on 05/28/2016 12:19:51 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

No, that was John F’n Kerry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2DDg3dl0zY


16 posted on 05/28/2016 12:19:53 PM PDT by Alas Babylon!
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin
Mongol Hordes Gave up on Conquering Europe due to Wet Weather.

Spanish Exporers Gave up on Conquering America due to Donkey Kong glitch.

17 posted on 05/28/2016 12:20:08 PM PDT by Eddie01
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

Didn’t Courtney Love once belong to a Thrash Rock group called “Mongol Whores”?//


18 posted on 05/28/2016 12:21:41 PM PDT by lee martell
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rebel2016

“Modern time bad weather in Europe seems not to discourage diversity folks from pour into Europe though.”

Give it time. They haven’t been there all that long. They haven’t gotten a good taste of European weather yet...


19 posted on 05/28/2016 12:25:34 PM PDT by LaRueLaDue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: HartleyMBaldwin
That's the spirit!

:P

20 posted on 05/28/2016 12:27:24 PM PDT by OddLane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-84 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson