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In this episode of The History of the Mongols, we follow Hülegü Khan’s devastating 1256 campaign to destroy the Nizari Ismaili state, known in the West as the “Order of Assassins.” From the fortress of Alamut to the bloody siege of Maymundiz, this was one of the most calculated and logistically complex operations in Mongol history. We explore the real story behind the Assassins: who they were, how they fought, and why their mountain strongholds terrified rulers across Asia and Europe. With the full weight of Möngke Khan’s empire behind him, Hülegü led an army of over 150,000 across Iran, supported by Chinese engineers, Christian commanders, and rival Mongol factions. This is the untold story of how the Mongols dismantled an entire secretive sect, and why it mattered far beyond the battlefield.

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In the final part of our three-episode series on the Mongol invasions of Japan, we go beyond the legendary typhoon of 1281 to uncover the long-term consequences for both Japan and the Yuan Empire. While Kublai Khan’s dream of conquering Japan faded, the aftermath reshaped Japanese politics, shattered the Kamakura shogunate, and fed the rise of the Ashikaga shogunate and the Warring States period. On the Yuan side, the costly failures fuelled economic crisis, corruption, and imperial decline. We’ll explore how the invasions influenced everything from swords to samurai rebellion and why the myth of the “kamikaze” divine wind became so powerful centuries later.

This episode wraps up our Mongol-Japan series before we return to the wider Mongol Empire story next time!

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In part 2 of our three-part series on the Mongol invasions of Japan, we follow the remarkable story of Takezaki Suenaga, a minor samurai from Kyushu whose firsthand account of both the 1274 and 1281 invasions offers a rare window into the samurai experience. Through illustrated scrolls he commissioned himself, Suenaga’s tale reveals a world of bravery, ambition, battlefield chaos, and political maneuvering. This episode explores his daring exploits, including his role at Tsushima, Hakata Bay, and the epic second invasion that ended in the legendary kamikaze storm. Stay tuned for part 3, where we explore the long-term consequences of the invasions for both Japan and the Mongol Empire.

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In the first of our three-part series on the Mongol invasions of Japan, we explore how Kublai Khan’s empire launched its opening assault on Japan in 1274. The campaign began with the brutal conquest of Tsushima Island, a key stepping stone between Korea and Japan. From there, the Mongol-Korean fleet advanced to Iki Island and finally Hakata Bay on Kyushu, sparking one of East Asia’s most famous military confrontations. In this episode, we dive into the origins of the invasion, the fall of Tsushima, the battle at Hakata Bay, and the legendary samurai resistance. Next time, we’ll follow the remarkable samurai Takezaki Suenaga through both Mongol invasions, before concluding with the lasting legacy of these events for both Japan and the Mongol Empire.

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During the height of Mongol power, few dared to resist, but the kingdom of Koryo (Korea) held out for nearly four decades. From guerrilla warfare and mountain fortresses to political intrigue and royal hostages, the long and brutal Mongol-Korean War reshaped the peninsula forever. In this episode of The History of the Mongols, we dive into one of the most overlooked chapters of the empire's expansion, the bitter struggle for Korea. Despite Mongol invasions, devastating famine, and relentless demands for submission, Korea fought back. But in the end, the kingdom's fate was sealed not by battle, but by diplomacy, marriage, and the ambitions of Kublai Khan.

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In this episode of The History of the Mongols, we explore the reign of Möngke Khan, the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. Under his leadership, the empire reached unprecedented heights of centralization, administrative reform, and military power. Yet, behind the surface of unity, the seeds of future division were already being sown. We’ll uncover how Möngke consolidated his family's rule, reshaped taxation and governance, and prepared for massive new conquests in China, the Middle East, and beyond. His brothers, Kublai and Hulegu, were entrusted with vast campaigns, but ambition and suspicion simmered beneath the surface. Möngke's reign would be the final chapter of undisputed Mongol unity. After his death, the empire would fracture beyond repair.

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After the Mongols devastated Eastern Europe in the 1240s, terrified kings, popes, and priests scrambled to understand this new and unstoppable enemy. Their solution? Send brave envoys deep into the Mongol world. In this episode of the History of the Mongols, we follow the extraordinary journeys of John of Plano Carpini, Simon of St. Quentin, and William of Rubruck, three Europeans who risked everything to uncover the secrets of the Mongol Empire. Their accounts offer a rare, firsthand glimpse inside the court of the Great Khans and reveal how Europe’s first contact with the Mongols shaped the world to come.

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This episode explores the downfall of Guyuk, the collapse of Ögedei’s lineage, and how Mongke Khan's unexpected rise marked the beginning of the Toluid Revolution, a turning point that would shape the Mongol Empire’s future and spark a new era of conquest… and division.

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