Cavalry, caravans and Christians: The Mongols invade Europe

Battle of Legnica (legnitz) 1241. From Legend of Saint Hedwig, 1353, Paul Ghetty museum collection
Battle of Legnica (legnitz) 1241. From Legend of Saint Hedwig, 1353, Paul Getty Museum collection (© Wikimedia Commons)

In the 13th century, the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan (1162-1227) and his armies advanced across Asia and created the largest contiguous land empire in history. They reached eastern Europe in the mid-13th century, sparking off a chain of events that has left a trail of numerous little reminders in daily life in Europe and had a lasting impact on Europe’s culture, trade and collective psyche. Was this Europe’s first global age? And were the Mongol invaders as murderous as they have been made out to be?

Producer: Marijke van der Meer

Broadcast: November 15, 2006

The documentary was awarded a silver medal in the history category at the New York Radio Festivals.