Usurpation of Mongolia: My father-in-law is Genghis Khan

Chapter 315 Annihilation of the Main Force of Europe, the End of Guyuk's Reign!
After eliminating the Pope's cavalry forces, Chagatai's subsequent combat mission became much easier.

Harassment, water pollution, blockade, siege... Chagatai had plenty of ways to slowly wear down the Pope's remaining 70,000 troops; it just required patience and time.

Leaving aside Chagatai for now, let’s talk about Guyuk, which is two thousand miles away.

Just four days after Chagatai annihilated the main force of the Papal cavalry, Guyuk and Frederick II's armies clashed in a decisive battle on the plains outside Magdeburg.

After Guyuk captured Brandenburg and killed Otto III, he continued his westward march. Further west lay the most prosperous region of Brandenburg, the "birthplace" of the city.

Although the population of this region is not very large, the Marquis of Brandenburg has managed it for many years and has many stone fortresses. Even the thunderbolts could not pose much of a threat, so they could only launch a direct attack, which wasted too much of Guyuk's time.

After finally eliminating John I, the Marquis of Brandenburg, and taking over the entire Brandenburg region, Guyuk led his army across the Elbe River and captured Magdeburg, a key city of the Holy Roman Empire.

At this time, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and King Henry III of England also led large armies to the vicinity.

Both sides were seeking a decisive battle, and they were in perfect agreement. The two armies arrayed themselves on the plain outside Magdeburg.

Magdeburg, a place of great unease for Europeans.

More than two hundred years ago, a great fire almost completely destroyed this famous European city.

If history had unfolded normally, in 1631, the Catholic army of Europe would have captured the Protestant city of Magdeburg, and carried out a large-scale massacre and looting. 20,000 citizens of the city were slaughtered, with only 400 surviving, and nearly 10,000 women were taken prisoner.

This battle even gave rise to a new German word, "magdeburgisieren," which specifically refers to acts of utter destruction and plunder.

Magdeburg has since been destroyed by the Mongol army.

To ensure there were no worries about the rear during this decisive battle, Guyuk left no inhabitants in the city. Even the conscripts in the Brandenburg region were all executed.

By now, of the 80,000 troops that Guyuk set out with, only about 76,000 remain.

Their formation was the same as Chagatai's, the "Haizi-style formation," a gathering of a dozen, several dozen, or at most a few hundred people, stretching as far as the eye could see.

The formation of Frederick II and Henry III's armies was similar to that of the papal army.

The difference was that this army included two thousand Welsh longbowmen and four thousand English longbowmen.

The so-called "English longbow" in history actually originated in Wales.

This longbow was about two meters long, with a long range and great power. England learned to use this new weapon during its long war with Wales.

This weapon also proved highly effective in the war between the Mongol army and the Europeans, causing considerable trouble for the Mongol army.

However, training a longbowman is not easy, and it is only the 13th century. England has not yet enacted laws to force the training of English longbowmen as recorded in history.

Therefore, the total number of Welsh and English longbowmen was only around six thousand.

Frederick II and Henry III initially led an army of 200,000 to intercept the Mongol army, but now only about 180,000 have arrived on the battlefield in time.

The mere six thousand English longbowmen were certainly no match for the 180,000-strong army.

Two hours after the battle began, the left flank of the European army began to waver, and 20,000 Mongol soldiers, led by Köden, charged into the enemy lines.

"Send 5,000 infantrymen each from the forward, defense, and right wing to support the left wing."

Seeing this, Frederick showed no panic and calmly gave the order.

So what if the left wing wavers? At the same time, it also tied down 20,000 Mongol troops!
With the addition of Mongol troops harassing him from the front and rear flanks, he had tied down a total of 30,000 Mongol troops.

His plan was to use the lives and stamina of his infantry to gradually wear down the Mongol army. Finally, he would lead his cavalry in a decisive attack to secure victory.

After all, he now has more than twice the troop strength!

However, at that moment, a European cavalry force of about a thousand men galloped in from afar, broke through the Mongol raiding party that was blocking their way, and entered Frederick II's army formation.

"Oh? Václav, what brings you here?"

Frederick II could no longer maintain his composure and asked, "What is the state of the Sudetenland? And what about Bohemia?"

"I don't know the specifics of the Kingdom of Bohemia, but the Sudetenland defenses have fallen! The Tatars have used a weapon that can fly into the sky, supposedly the creation of that God's Calamity, Zhao Shuo..."

King Václav I gave a brief overview of the situation at the Sudetenland Line.

Finally, he said, "Your Majesty, please order a retreat immediately! The vanguard of the Mongol army pursuing me is probably no more than forty li from here! They are all cavalry, and I don't know where the main force is, but it should be not far away. If the two armies encircle us, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

"If I withdraw now, the consequences will be equally dire!"

Frederick II felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head in the dead of winter, chilling him to the bone.

The average combat strength of the Mongol army was greater than that of the European army.

If the two armies were to encircle them, and the difference in numbers between the two sides were not significant, then this nearly 200,000-strong European army would likely be completely annihilated here!

We can't withdraw now!
On the left flank, 20,000 Mongol troops were already intertwined with his main force. On the front, the Mongol Great Khan Guyuk led the main Mongol army, ready to pounce.

On the right flank and rear, Mongol cavalry were also harassing the area.

How could he possibly withdraw his troops?
If the Mongols pursued and killed them relentlessly, the entire army would likely be wiped out!

How did things get to this point? He didn't do anything wrong.

After much deliberation, Frederick II realized that the blame probably lay with Zhao Shuo, the "Calamity of God." It was his mysterious weapon, capable of launching the Mongol army into the sky, that allowed them to breach the Sudetenland defenses in just eight days, catching him completely off guard!
Of course, now is not the time to think about that.

Frederick II, being a man of exceptional talent, quickly cleared his mind of the chaotic thoughts and made a decisive decision: "Retreating now is absolutely not an option. Surrendering to our deaths is even worse. Our only way out is to immediately engage the Mongol Khan in a decisive battle and utterly defeat him before his reinforcements arrive!"

Wenceslaus I hesitated and asked, "How confident is Your Majesty?"

"About 40% to 50%. Now, let's see whether the great God sides with the calamities of God or with His devout followers!"

Then, Frederick II issued a series of orders, and all cavalry except those on the left wing were transferred to the center.

There were 12,000 heavy cavalry and 24,000 light cavalry, for a total of 36,000 cavalrymen.

"Warriors of Europe, guardians of God's glory! Now, barbarians have invaded Europe. They have destroyed Poland, destroyed half of Hungary, ravaged Brandenburg and Magdeburg, and are about to enter the heart of Europe. Are you willing to become slaves of the barbarians? Are you willing for God's glory to be desecrated by the barbarians?"

Frederick II's voice echoed across the plains.

"No!" the soldiers responded in unison.

"Then charge! All troops, attack! Target: the Great Khan's nine-stripe white banner! Slaughter the barbarians, kill the Great Khan! All of Europe will be proud of you! The gods will bless you with endless glory!"

"kill!"

Rumble~~
Thirty-six thousand Europa cavalry charged straight toward the direction of Guyuk's nine white banners.

Ninety thousand Europa infantrymen followed.

Apart from the left wing, all of Europe's military forces present have been committed!

"retreat!"

Guyuk was certainly unwilling to fight them head-on. Putting aside the outcome, even if they won, how many Mongol soldiers would be left? He might as well give up his position as the Great Khan of the Mongols.

Thus, the Mongol army retreated eight miles!

The distance between the European cavalry and infantry had reached approximately seven li. Frederick II had come seeking a swift decisive battle with the Mongol army; he needed to defeat Guyuk before Mongol reinforcements arrived, and had no time to wait for the infantry. Of course, Guyuk could not continue retreating either, as he was unaware that the armies of Möngke and Kublai Khan were about to arrive.

Now, the 20,000 Mongol troops are still fighting against the original left wing of Europe. If they retreat too far, the Europeans can concentrate their forces and annihilate those 20,000 Mongol troops.

Therefore, after exchanging a few words with Subutai, he instructed Subutai to lead 10,000 cavalrymen to detour behind the main European cavalry force and intercept the European infantrymen as they continued their advance, giving Guyuk time to eliminate the European cavalry.

"Kill! Kill all these white monkeys!"

Not long after Subutai left, Uriyangqatai led 35,000 Mongol troops straight towards the main force of European cavalry!

35,000 Mongol cavalry vs. 36,000 European cavalry!
In an instant, the battle reached a fever pitch, with the neighing of warhorses, the clanging of weapons, the shouts of warriors, and the wails of the wounded all intertwined.

"Go to hell!"

An English knight's lance pierced the chest of a Mongol centurion with pinpoint accuracy, the force of the impact sending the man flying from his horse. But the next second, another Mongol cavalryman's lance plunged viciously into his armpit from the side. The knight crashed heavily to the ground, only to be engulfed by countless hooves.

"Heretics! Kill them!"

Viscount Hans, a knight from the Holy Roman Empire, was a frequent winner of court swordsmanship competitions. Each swing of his greatsword was accompanied by a whistling sound that tore through the air, and a Mongol cavalryman who tried to approach was cut down, armor and all, as he felled from his horse.

But a Mongolian noyan noticed him.

Taking advantage of the moment when the two horses passed each other, the Mongolian noyan's scimitar, like a cold moon, slashed upwards from an extremely tricky angle, precisely slicing across Sir Hans's unarmored inner thigh. Hot blood gushed out. Sir Hans roared in pain, his strength rapidly draining away with the blood. He saw his opponent turn his horse around, his eyes cold, devoid of any triumphant elation, only the calm composure of someone who had completed a mission.

The next moment, the scimitar swung, and Viscount Hans's world was plunged into darkness.

……

An hour later, the two sides were still locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle.

Despite their numerical superiority, the Mongol army was unable to convert that advantage into victory in a short period. It was at this critical moment that Güyük decisively led the last 10,000 Kheshig troops into the battle.

The Kheshig, an army formed during the time of Genghis Khan, was composed of the trusted sons and nephews of the Mongol noyan and their "accompaniments," and it has always been the most powerful army in the Mongol army!

With the addition of this fresh force, the European army showed signs of defeat in less than 15 minutes. Another 15 minutes later, the main force of the European cavalry was on the verge of collapse, with even small groups deserting.

In another quarter of an hour, a devastating defeat is imminent.

Of course, the Europeans have their own heroes, and they are not willing to accept defeat in this battle!

"In the name of God, Teutonic Knights, charge with me!"

Hermann von Salza, Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, was less than four hundred paces from Guyuk's nine-stripe white banner.

He led the remaining six hundred Teutonic Knights in a final charge toward the nine-stripe white banner!

"charge!"

They destroyed the Mongol army's constant interception and ignored the arrows shot from the flanks, cutting through the chaotic Mongol battle like a sharp blade.

Before long, he was less than two hundred paces away from Guiyou!

Hermann von Salza's lance was already broken; he now wielded a heavy two-handed sword, leaving a trail of blood and debris in his wake.

"Protect the Khan!"

A troop of Kheshig heavy cavalry charged forward, and the two cavalry forces clashed violently.

The Teutonic Knights were among the most elite cavalry in Europe, and the Kheshig (Imperial Guard) was the strongest cavalry force in the Mongol army!

The two armies clashed, and before long, the Teutonic Knights had been almost completely wiped out, while the Kheshig army also suffered three to four hundred casualties.

But that's not the point.

Hermann von Salza is still alive!

He was highly skilled in martial arts and possessed immense strength. In the chaotic battle, he was like a war god and had already broken through the Kheshig army's blockade.

It's only 120 steps away from Guiyou!

By this time, Hermann von Salza was covered in blood, and advancing any further would be extremely difficult.

But suddenly, he threw the greatsword and, with dazzling speed, took a crossbow hanging beside the saddle.

This was a weapon he had specifically brought with him before the battle, intended for use against important targets in the chaos of combat. It was more accurate, had a longer range, and was more penetrating than a regular crossbow, and it was already cocked!

Whoosh!
A short, powerful crossbow bolt, carrying Hermann von Salza's faith and determination, accurately crossed a distance of 120 paces and struck Guyuk in the chest with a "thud"!

Guiyou's body jolted violently, and the intense pain caused his expression to change drastically.

But when he looked down at the trembling arrow on his shoulder, the intense pain was overwhelmed by a raging rage!

He shouted, "I'm fine! I am the emperor of all mankind, the favorite of the Eternal Heaven. These despicable Europeans cannot harm me. Mongol warriors, kill them all, slaughter these white monkeys!"

"Kill!" The Kheshig troops charged toward Hermann von Salza like madmen.

Four or five spears pierced the body of his warhorse from different angles almost simultaneously, causing the horse to kneel down with a mournful cry.

The moment he fell from his horse, scimitars, spiked clubs, spears, and caltrops rained down on him like a storm.

His fine Gothic armor blocked the first few blows, clashing with a piercing sound. But the attacks came from all directions; a battle axe slammed heavily onto his helmet, a hooked spear found a gap in his leg armor and plunged in; a leaping Mongol cavalryman, with all his might, smashed his mace into the back of his neck!

Pfft!
Hermann von Salza's body crashed to the ground, and his desperate arrow failed to turn the tide of the battle.

As Güyük was subjected to a despicable sneak attack by the Europeans, the Mongol army became even more enraged and launched a desperate offensive against the Europeans!

"Run! Run!"

"We've lost!"

"The Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights has fallen in battle!"

"Escape! We still have countless castles!"

……

The cavalry of the European coalition completely collapsed and scattered in all directions.

The infantry units also quickly collapsed.

The European infantry could have held out for a while longer. They might have fought resolutely in formation, and the Mongol army wouldn't have been able to annihilate them within two or three days. However, dust billowed behind them, and the sound of horses' hooves was divine—Mongol reinforcements led by Möngke Kublai Khan had arrived!

This became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

The morale of the Europa infantry completely collapsed, and they also scattered and fled!
But where can they run to?

The Mongol army then launched a surprise attack!

The entire chase lasted for three days and three nights. King Henry III of England was killed in battle, as was King Wenceslaus I of Bohemia!
Only Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II escaped, protected by three thousand cavalrymen.

Of the 180,000-strong main force of Europe, 45,000 were beheaded and 97,000 were captured, a complete loss in a single day!
(End of this chapter)