Mongol Fail — The Invasion of IndonesiaLooking back into Medieval history it may seem like the

Mongol Fail — The Invasion of IndonesiaLooking back into Medieval history it may seem like the Mongols were an unstoppable force, defeating diverse enemies from Chinese soldiers to heavily armed knights in Europe.  However, the Mongols were not invincible, and in fact the Mongols were often vulnerable to those who used terrain to their advantage, or a good dose of sly trickery. Throughout history there were four major Mongol conquests which failed miserably; two invasions of Syria and the Levant (defeated by the Egyptian Mamelukes), two invasions of Japan, three invasions of Dai Viet (Vietnam), and the invasion of Java.Java is an island in what is now modern day Indonesia, and the Mongol invasion of Java was easily the most remote and far flung Mongol military operation in history.  In 1289 Kublai Khan sent an envoy to King Kertenagara of Singhasari demanding tribute.  The Mongols held a very self centered view that the Great Khan was owner of the world, and the people who inhabited it were all subjects of the Mongol Empire.  Typically it was customary for a Mongol envoy to arrive, inform the native people that they were living on the Great Khan’s land but that they were willing to forgive them for their ignorance of the Great Khan’s magnificence, and that from then on they could either swear fealty to the Khan, pay him rent, or be slaughtered.  When the Mongol envoy arrived at the court of King Kertenagara, he was so offended by such a ridiculous proposal that ordered the envoy be branded on the face with a hot iron and his ears cut off.Enraged by the treatment of his envoy, in the year 1292 Kublai Khan sent an invasion force to Java consisting of 30,000 Chinese, Uyghur, and Mongol troops with 1,000 ships.  When the Mongol Army arrived they found that events had changed considerably.  King Kertenagara  had been killed and replaced by Jayakatwang, one of his former nobles.  The Mongols decided to go after Jayakatwang, and they found an ally to help them; Prince Raden Wijaya, son-in-law of the late King Kertenagara.  Wijaya provided the Mongols with maps, scouts, provisions, and the aid of his guerilla army.  Little did the Mongols know that Wijaya was playing both sides and planning a stunning double cross.After a 19 day campaign the Mongol Army easily defeated Jayakatwang’s 100,000 man army.  Jayakatwang was quickly captured and executed.  Raden Wijaya returned to his headquarters and asked the Mongols to send an envoy so that he could negotiate tribute terms with the Great Khan.  The Mongol envoy arrived escorted by 200 troops, and were immediately seized and massacred.  Wijaya then ordered his army to attack.  By then, the Mongol Army was suffering the effects of tropical disease.  Those who weren’t sick were drunk off their asses after celebrating their victory.  Wijaya’s army attacked without warning, killing 3,000 and sending the Mongols fleeing in confusion and panic.  Over several days disorganized Mongol troops fled across the island while being picked off by pursuing Wijaya soldiers.  The Mongols boarded their ships and attempted to return home, but fierce monsoon winds forced them to wait 6 months on a remote island while suffering from disease, starvation, and attacks from ruthless headhunters and cannibal tribes.  Only a fraction of the 30,000 man army returned home. In the meantime, Raden Wijaya set up his own kingdom, taking the regal name  Kertarajasa Jayawardhana and founding the Majapahit Empire, which would rule over most of Indonesia until the 16th century. -- source link

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