The Mongol Invasion and Its Aftermath

CHAPTER 1 The Mongol Invasion and Its Aftermath

For a number of good reasons, the great Mongol invasion of 1241–1242 rep- resented an exceptional event in the history of medieval Transylvania. The invasion sounded the death knell for the previous military and administrative structures of the kingdom of Hungary, which were based on royal fortresses operating as county centers. During the second half of the 13th century, the Transylvanian institutions underwent profound changes. The responsibili- ties of royal officials, who lived off the exploitation of royal domains, were now largely taken over by the provincial nobility, which, from this moment onwards, became the main military force of the kingdom. In Transylvania, the institutional changes were accompanied by a drastic social reconfiguration, the key feature of which was the growing importance of the lesser nobility. Equally significant was the redefinition of ethnic relations within the province, as Romanians began working together with official institutions and providing military participation in the royal army. At the same time, the great Mongol invasion radically changed the external position of Transylvania, as it cut short the crusading movement in Southeastern Europe, for which throughout the first half of the 13th century Hungary had relied on the cooperation with Latin Empire of Constantinople. The place of Transylvania in this expansion of Latin Christendom into the southeastern region of the European continent is yet insufficiently studied, but from what we know so far it appears that the province was targeted by the Mongols precisely because it was perceived as an advanced bastion of the Hungarian kingdom. Conversely, the 1241 invasion effectively stopped the eastward advance of Western Christianity beyond the Carpathian Mountains. In other words, the Mongols put an end to a century of colonization and crusading.

1.1 Prerequisites

1.1.1 One of the most trustworthy sources depicting the obstacles the Mongols had to overcome to conquer Transylvania, emanating from within the Mongolian world, is Djami ot-Tevarikh (“The Sum” or “The Complete Collection of Histories”),

1 Adrian 18 Făgăraș 35 Ocna Dejului 52 Sebeș 2 Arieșul de Câmpie 19 Feldioara 36 Ocna Sibiului 53 Sibiel 3 Avrig 20 Frata 37 Ocnele Turzii 54 Șprenghi 4 Baraolt 21 Gârbova 38 Odorhei 55 Tămașda 5 Bâtca Doamnei 22 Geled 39 Orăștie 56 Tășnad 6 Bileag 23 Gilău 40 Orlat 57 Tâmpa 7 Birtin 24 Hălchiu 41 Piatra Șoimului 58 Teliu 8 Bulci 25 Hălmeag 42 Pintic 59 Tilișca 9 Câlnic 26 Hărman 43 Prejmer 60 Ungra 10 Cârța 27 Herina 44 Racoșul de Jos 61 Ungurei 11 Chelmac 28 Igriș 45 Rășinari 62 Vărșag 12 Cisnădie 29 Keve 46 Râșnov 63 Vărșand 13 Cisnădioara 30 Lomb 47 Rucăr 64 Vurpăr 14 Codlea 31 Lotru 48 Săcădate 65 Zalău 15 Comana de Jos 32 Luncani 49 Săsciori 66 Zalnoc 16 Crihalma 33 Micloșoara 50 Sâncel 17 Dej 34 Miercurea Sibiului 51 Sânpetru MAP 1 The Mongol Invasion (1241–1242).