Greater Mongol Empire

First of all, maintain9ng a strong sense of unity in their emnpire, in stead of dividing it into rival khanates.
To achieve this, they needed a deep sacralization of the figure of the Great Khan, and probably the creation ex novo of an own jihadist religion.
But at their very best, they could conqur the Asian South-East, Northern India, the Arab-Islamic core in the Middele east and Egypt, besides reducing most of Central Europe to vassal state. I think they couldn't do more than this.
 
What is the limitation? With such a religion, they only do moderately better than OTL?
 
basileus said:
First of all, maintain9ng a strong sense of unity in their emnpire, in stead of dividing it into rival khanates.
To achieve this, they needed a deep sacralization of the figure of the Great Khan, and probably the creation ex novo of an own jihadist religion.
But at their very best, they could conqur the Asian South-East, Northern India, the Arab-Islamic core in the Middele east and Egypt, besides reducing most of Central Europe to vassal state. I think they couldn't do more than this.

The problem is, if they did this they wouldn't be Mongols and wouldn't be able to do what they did in the first place. Territorially I agree with what you wrote except that I don't think they would be able to get into Arabia, and probably not Egypt, which was the heart of a pretty formidable Mameluke state, which historically did stop the Mongols cold.
 

Xen

Banned
The Mongols couldnt have done a whole lot better, their population was too small. Thats why their Empire collapsed anyway, they were too over extended. Conquering more territory could have led to an earlier collapse of the Mongol Empire. Perhaps if they concentrated on defending Siberia they could still have a large Empire.
 
Mongol In europe

lets not forget that Europe was also in the Mongol's sights. It was the death of the Great khan Khan that force Batu Khan to abandone Europe to go back and try to claim the lord ship of the Mongols. If this had not happen, Europe would have suffered the fate of the the islamic world. Renaissance would not have happen.
 
Max Sinister said:
Let's not forget Japan. They tried it twice and failed both times, but only because of "Divine wind".

Well, the large armies of samurai had something to so with it as well. It's hard to imagine the Mongols conquering a nation that is several islands and 90% mountainous.
 
I thought about that too... but they might do well in the Kanto plain. Say goodbye to Japan's biggest cities.

And how well would samurais, i.e. swordsmen do against the Mongol bowmen? They were the best on earth...
 
Max Sinister said:
And how well would samurais, i.e. swordsmen do against the Mongol bowmen? They were the best on earth...

true, but then again, during one of the invasions, the Samurai didn't wait for the Mongols to unload and took the fight to the ships, on the confined space of the ships, they had the advantage.
 
Climatic barriers to compound bows.

Mongol bows were composites of horn, wood, glue, etc. If it get's wet, it stops working and they go home. Why do you think us Hungarians didn't conquer Europe and enslave all the lesser races?
They could have taken the Mediterranean shoreline and islands, maybe more of India, but not much.
 
wkwillis said:
Mongol bows were composites of horn, wood, glue, etc. If it get's wet, it stops working and they go home. Why do you think us Hungarians didn't conquer Europe and enslave all the lesser races?
They could have taken the Mediterranean shoreline and islands, maybe more of India, but not much.
The Huns were doing pretty well until Atilla died, weren't they?
 

NapoleonXIV

Banned
wkwillis said:
Mongol bows were composites of horn, wood, glue, etc. If it get's wet, it stops working and they go home. Why do you think us Hungarians didn't conquer Europe and enslave all the lesser races?
They could have taken the Mediterranean shoreline and islands, maybe more of India, but not much.

My understanding is that even the ancients had developed several sorts of protective wrappings and/or cases for their bows in hostile environments. The mongols took China eventually and that's pretty wet.
 
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