In their recent article published in the journal Scientific Reports, Büntgen and Di Cosmo have attempted to solve the historical mystery of the sudden Mongol withdrawal from Hungary after a year-long occupation. We cannot share the authors’ viewpoint that environmental circumstances contributed to the decision of the Mongols to abandon Hungary since the hypothesis lacks support from environmental, archaeological and historical evidence. Historical source material in particular suggests that the Mongols were able to settle and sustain their herds in Hungary as is clearly stated in a letter by King Bela IV to the pope. The Mongol army arrived in the kingdom at the end of a severe drought, and we present empirical evidence that the abundant rain in the spring of 1242 CE did not worsen but rather improved their prospects for sufficient food supplies and pasturage. The marshy terrain of the Hungarian Plain likely did not precipitate the Mongol withdrawal as the Mongol high command ultimately stationed their main forces around the marshy Volga Delta. In contrast to what Büntgen and Di Cosmo have suggested, we argue that the reasons for the sudden withdrawal cannot be explained largely by environmental factors.
This chapter assesses monasticism in medieval Central Europe. Noting the differences in the density of the monasteries in Central Europe and the European West, as well as a somewhat belated appearance of these communities compared to the European medieval West, it depicts a special diversity patterned by monastic foundations and “Western” models in the organization of monasteries’ structures. The chapter also notes some important links deriving from the proximity of Oriental Christianity, especially apparent in the monastic landscape of medieval Hungary. The common features of Central European monasticism were strengthened by interactions among the monks, regular canons and friars of the area, who often belonged to the same regular districts and studied at the same universities. Nevertheless, each country had its own specificities.
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