The summary of ‘Mongols Season 1 Full – from Genghis to Kublai’

00:00:00

In this segment, the video explores the history of the Mongols from the harsh landscapes of Mongolia, detailing the rise of Temujin to Genghis Khan. It discusses the early tribal conflicts, such as the struggle between the Khamag Mongol and the Tatar confederacy, and Temujin’s difficult rise to power after his father’s death. The segment highlights Temujin’s innovative leadership, including forming strategic alliances, restructuring the army with a decimal system, and enforcing a merit-based command. His tactics and laws laid the foundation for the Mongol Empire. It also covers pivotal battles, such as Temujin’s defeat at Dalan Balzhut, the eventual victory over Jamukha, and the invasion of the Jin dynasty, emphasizing strategies like siege warfare, feigned retreats, and the significant use of mobility and deception. The section concludes with Genghis Khan’s continued campaigns against the Jin, marked by tactical sieges and eventual negotiations after an epidemic impacted his forces.

00:10:00

In this segment of the video, the narrative focuses on the Mongol conquests under Genghis Khan, particularly their conflicts with the Jin Dynasty and the Khwarezmian Empire. After initial skirmishes and a forced retreat, the Mongols returned to Beijing with Chinese engineers to besiege and devastate the city. The Mongols then turned westward, defeating several adversaries, including Kuchlug and later focused on attacking the Khwarezmians after diplomatic efforts failed. Genghis Khan’s strategic maneuvers and brutal tactics, such as using prisoners as meat shields and psychological warfare, led to decisive victories, including the storming of Samarkand and punitive destruction of numerous cities. The narrative also highlights internal conflicts, particularly between Genghis’s sons, and describes a decisive battle at Parwan where the Mongol forces experienced a rare defeat, which encouraged uprisings among previously subjugated populations.

00:20:00

In this part of the video, Genghis Khan and his son Tolui work to subdue revolts, following which Khan pursues Jalal ad-Din to the Indus River. A battle ensues where the Mongol army, initially repelled, eventually succeeds by flanking the enemy. Genghis sends a commander to chase Jalal ad-Din, who escapes. The Mongols significantly reduce the Khwarazmian population and move on to other campaigns. In 1221, Mongol generals Subutai and Jebe raid and loot in Iran and Azerbaijan, then conduct reconnaissance in Georgia, feigning retreats to defeat heavier armored cavalry. They battle through the Caucasus, bribe Kipchaks to abandon their coalition, and defeat their opponents. Further, they ally with the Venetians, destroy non-Venetian colonies, and face a Rus-Kipchak alliance on the Dnieper River. Using tactics to lure and trap the allied forces, the Mongols win decisively. Subutai then returns, loaded with knowledge of the terrain and peoples, to pursue new missions.

00:30:00

In this segment, Genghis Khan’s approach to betrayal and his relentless pursuit despite injury are highlighted. The fall of the Kingdom and the emperor’s murder upon the Mongol invasion are noted. Genghis’ efforts to manage succession by assigning lands to his sons while urging unity are detailed, leading to Ögedei becoming the Great Khan, transforming the Mongol Empire into a tax-based system and fostering prosperity known as Pax Mongolica. The subsequent Mongol expansions into Europe are described, with specific campaigns in 1235 and onward, including the fall of Volga Bulgaria, Crimea, and Kiev. The Mongol strategy and key battles, particularly the tactics leading to victory at the Battle of Legnica, are elaborated, showcasing their military prowess and the fear they instilled across Europe.

00:40:00

In this part of the video, the narrative describes the key events during the Mongol invasions of Hungary and the surrounding regions in 1241. While Baidar was attacking in Poland, King Bela of Hungary positioned his troops near the Sajo River, fortifying a camp. Despite being outnumbered, the Mongols used strategic maneuvers and night attacks, successfully crossing the river and overcoming the Hungarian forces, who were caught off guard. As internal disputes arose among the Hungarian leadership, the Mongols surrounded and decimated the Hungarian camp, leading to massive casualties and the collapse of the Hungarian defensive efforts. The Mongols then ravaged the Hungarian countryside and moved into Serbia and Bulgaria, forcing Bulgaria into tributary status. Pope’s call for a crusade and the Holy Roman Emperor’s preparations were rendered unnecessary when the death of Great Khan Ögedei prompted the Mongols to return to Mongolia, sparing Europe from further destruction. The segment also briefly touches on the continuing struggles of Jalal ad-Din of the Khwarezmian Empire against the Mongols and other regional powers, leading to the eventual fall of the Khwarezmian Empire and subsequent Mongol domination in the area.

00:50:00

In this part of the video, the focus is on the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258 and its aftermath. Al-Musta’sim’s troops initially defeated the Mongol vanguard but were ultimately surrounded and slaughtered. The Mongols then besieged Baghdad, leading to its surrender and a seven-day sacking, marking the end of the Islamic Golden Age. The center of power shifted from Baghdad to Cairo. Hulagu Khan pressed further into Syria, capturing Aleppo, causing panic, and making other cities like Homs and Damascus surrender. However, the death of the Great Khan Möngke halted Hulagu’s campaign, leading him to return to Mongolia, leaving a smaller force under Kitbuqa. The Mamluks, led by Qutuz and Baibars, then decisively defeated Kitbuqa’s troops at the Battle of Ain Jalut, leveraging their superior numbers and tactics. This battle marked a turning point, establishing the Mamluks as a significant Muslim power and signaling the beginning of the decline of the Mongol Empire. Concurrently, a civil war erupted within the Mongol Empire between Ariq and Kublai over succession, further fragmenting the empire and redirecting Kublai’s focus to northern China, leaving southern territories to the resurgent Song Dynasty.

01:00:00

In this segment of the video, Hulagu’s campaign using the pass of Durban initially seemed promising as the enemy retreated. He dispatched a force led by his son, which fell into a trap set by the Golden Horde, leading to retreat over the frozen Terek River where many drowned. Berke regained territory and both sides lacked the strength to continue the war. Hulagu and Berke passed in 1265 and 1266, ending hostilities but leaving the Mongol Empire fragmented into four states. Kublai Khan reformed the empire into the Yuan Dynasty, moved the capital to Beijing, issued paper currency, and transformed 1,400 postal stations into trading outposts, opening China to the world.

Kublai modernized his army, incorporating Chinese troops and a new navy to confront Song China. The decisive six-year siege of Xiangyang ended with the city’s fall in 1273 due to advanced counterweight trebuchets. Kublai’s forces then swept through southern China. The Song court, despite hopeless circumstances, resisted until the naval Battle of Yamen in 1279. The Yuan fleet’s strategic attacks broke the Song navy, leading to the empire’s final unification under the Yuan Dynasty. The video concludes by thanking supporters and promoting channel merchandise.