Early Hungarian Information on the Beginning of the Western Campaign of Batu (1235–1242)

Abstract

The author of this article examines the gradual accumulation of information in the Hungarian Kingdom about the Mongol Western Campaign and the corresponding propagation of this information in Western Europe. The primary information was brought to Europe by the Dominican friar Julian after his return from his travel to the Volga Magyars at the end of 1235. The letter of friar Julian written at the beginning of 1238 is replete with information about Mongol tactical warfare, previous military campaigns of Chingis Khan and Jochi, and the first Mongol conquest in the early stages of the Western Campaign of Batu. He also brought an oral report of the Prince of Vladimir on the Mongol plans to attack the Hungarian Kingdom. Soon the content of Julian's letter became known in Western Europe. The Hungarian King Béla IV started to make preparations for the imminent Mongol invasion and attempted to organise resistance.

Tracing genetic connections of ancient Hungarians to the 6th–14th century populations of the Volga-Ural region

“…Later, leaving the Khazar Khaganate along with Kabars, they settled in the Carpathian Basin around 890 AD ( 6 , 2 , 9 , 10 ). Meanwhile, Hungarians who remained in the Volga-Ural region were reported in the middle of the 13th century ( 11 ), whose tangible heritage was associated with the Chiyalik culture in archaeological research, belonging to the area known as Magna Hungaria ( 5 , 12–15 ). Historical and linguistic data suggest that a part of the Hungarians conquering the Carpathian Basin came from the Southern Urals and Trans-Urals, which is also supported by the findings of archaeological research ( 2 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 16 ).…”

Tracing genetic connections of ancient Hungarians to the 6-14thcentury populations of the Volga-Ural region

“…The sites were grouped according to archaeological and chronological aspects; the formed groups are marked with white outlines. The investigated sites and the groups formed from them: Bolshie Tigani (1); Novinki group : Novinki (2), Mulovka (3), Brusyany (4), Lebyazhinka (5), Malaya Ryazan (6), Shilovka (7); Chiyalik group : Gulyukovo (8), Novo Hozyatovo (9), Gornovo (10); Tankeevka (11); Bustanaevo (12); Proto-Ob-Ugric group : Vikulovo (13), Barshov Gorodok (14), Ivanov Mis (15), Panovo (16), Ust-Tara (17); Uyelgi+Karanayevo group : Karanayevo (18), Uyelgi (19); Cis-Ural group : Bayanovo (20), Brody (21), Bartim (22), Sukhoy Log (23) (source of 19-23.: (Csáky et al 2020 (23)).…”

“…Later, leaving the Khazar Khaganate along with Kabars, they settled in the Carpathian Basin around 890 AD (10) (6) (2) (9). Meanwhile, Hungarians who remained in the Volga–Ural region were reported in the middle of the 13 th century (11), whose tangible heritage was associated with the Chiyalik culture in archaeological research, belonging to the area known as Magna Hungaria (5) (12) (13) (14) (15). Historical and linguistic data suggest that a part of the Hungarians conquering the Carpathian Basin came from the Southern Urals and Trans-Urals, which is also supported by the findings of archaeological research (2) (6) (8) (9) (16).…”

Long shared haplotypes identify the Southern Urals as a primary source for the 10th century Hungarians

“…Further evidence supporting the theory that Magyars settled in the Volga region during the Early Middle Ages are later reports of a Hungarian-speaking population in the Middle Volga and Lower Kama regions. This information comes from European travellers who visited an area known as Magna Hungaria in the 1230s (29), however, the survival of such communities has never been tested using ancient DNA data, which is the only direct way to verify population continuity and theories of ancestral origin.…”