Did the Mongols occupy parts of Europe?
After the death of their leader, Genghis Khan, the Mongol armies continued their advance westwards under his son, Ogotai. In 1241 150,000 Mongol horsemen destroyed much of Poland and Hungary, causing widespread panic throughout Europe. However, Ogotai died in the middle of the campaign, and the Mongols returned to Mongolia to elect a new leader. Fortunately for the rest of Europe, they did not return to wreak havoc.
What was the Golden Horde?
The Golden Horde was the name given to the eastern part of the Mongol Empire, which included most of Russia from the 13th to the 14th centuries. The Horde governed most of European Russia, Siberia and the lands down to the borders of Iran. The Horde included both Mongols and Turks, and adopted Islam as their religion. They carried on with their traditional lifestyle while collecting tribute from the original occupiers of the lands they conquered. They were weakened by the Black Death in 1346 and 1347. They continued to decline in power until they were broken by counterattacks by the Russians and eventually by the Mongol ruler Tamurlane. Their last foothold in the Crimea was destroyed in 1502.
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