WI Mongols take a different route?

[Saya Aensland]

Would it be possible for the Mongols to advance only from the northern side of the Caspian Sea, invading Russia and possibly more of Europe, while leaving the Middle East alone? Is the geography gonna allow it? Is the Middle East just too tempting of a target to pass by?

(Also, would anyone be willing to recommend some "The Muslim world DOESN'T get skullfucked by the Mongols" timelines?)

 

[Riain]

I'll go for the 'too tempting to leave alone' theory.

 

[He Who Writes Monsters]

Would it be possible for the Mongols to advance only from the northern side of the Caspian Sea, invading Russia and possibly more of Europe, while leaving the Middle East alone? Is the geography gonna allow it? Is the Middle East just too tempting of a target to pass by?

(Also, would anyone be willing to recommend some "The Muslim world DOESN'T get skullfucked by the Mongols" timelines?)

It would be *possible*, but considering the lucrative Silk Road trade, I can't see them *not* following that into the Middle East, passing it up to instead hike across the Russian Steppes.

 

[counterblitzkrieg]

Last time I check, the Muslim homeland of the Middle East during the 'Golden Age' of such was a much better place compared to the 'Dark Ages' Medieval Europe. Conquest of Middle East was much more important than the conquest of Europe which was at that time was considered backwater to the likes of China, India, or the Islamic World. So I would go with the too tempting to leave alone theory.

 

[imperialaquila]

The Middle East at this time was just too tempting a target. The Mongols took Russia pretty much because they could. The Middle East was far, far more valuable that Europe. You have the hub of the Silk Road and the spice trade with the Indies, all in one fairly small area. Why would you not conquer it?

 

[orangnumpanglewat]

What about they go across the Himalayas and get busy in India, there's a lot of stuff to conquer there
That way they won't go to the Middle East or Europe
It would butterfly the crusades into an epic Muslim win

 

[dreadnought jenkins]

What about they go across the Himalayas and get busy in India, there's a lot of stuff to conquer there
That way they won't go to the Middle East or Europe
It would butterfly the crusades into an epic Muslim win

Weren't the crusades already muslim win?

 

[Ahura Mazda]

What about they go across the Himalayas and get busy in India, there's a lot of stuff to conquer there
That way they won't go to the Middle East or Europe
It would butterfly the crusades into an epic Muslim win

I think ths is the only way. If the Mongols can reach Europe they can also the the Middle East and they will choose the Middle East.Only if they don't treach either the Middle Eastor Europe can they not invade either one of them...

 

[Ridwan Asher]

What about they go across the Himalayas and get busy in India, there's a lot of stuff to conquer there
That way they won't go to the Middle East or Europe
It would butterfly the crusades into an epic Muslim win

Himalaya option as for the route to India will.... not be a logical choice, at best. The seemingly only way to enter India by land is through Khyber Pass, and that won't be so easy as well. Also, the contemporary situation in India was rather stable under the still formidable Delhi domination, so it would've been a hard deal to confront them. I would even say that Mongols might were actually aware of those things I mentioned, hence they took the MidEast option, which was a softer cake anyway, with all the relatively easier terrain you've got to go through, more easily digestable wealth presence and easily the remotely more prestigious target, not to mention the rather sentimental motivation behind it....

That said, if the Mongols had actually chosen to invade India instead, at the best case, both sides will take a good beating, and that will certainly halt Mongol expansion in Western Asia, while the resulted changes in India will certainly be interesting as well....