Failures & Timur

Mongol Failure: Japan

Two invasions failed due to typhoons (“kamikaze”) and strong Japanese defense.

Mongol Failure: India

Delhi Sultanate resisted with elephants, strong cavalry, and tough climate.

Mongol Failure: Western Europe

Retreated after Great Khan’s death; stretched supply lines; castles slowed them down.

Mongol Failure: Egypt

Mamluks defeated Mongols at Battle of Ain Jalut (1260); used steppe-style tactics.

Mongol Failure: Byzantine Empire

Used diplomacy and bribery; Mongols prioritized elsewhere; Constantinople too fortified.

Timur-i Lang

Turkish warlord who built a brutal but short-lived empire in Central Asia and Persia; saw himself as Genghis’s successor.

Timur’s brutality/cultural split

Extremely violent conqueror but supported art, architecture, and scholars in Samarkand.

Timur vs. Mongols

Timur’s empire was smaller, bloodier, and short-lived; Mongols created stability and long-lasting trade (Pax Mongolica).