A History of Mongol Conquest
1206	In 1206  the Mongol warlord Temuchin declared himself Ghengis Khan (Lord of the Earth) and summoned a Kuriltai (Council) to plan the conquest of the world beyond the steppes. The first target was the weakest of the three kingdoms of China, the Kingdom of Hsi Hsia. During a campaign from 1209 to 1210 the Hsi Hsia where forced into vassaldom.
1211	In 1211 the Mongols began their assaults on the Northern Chinese empire of the Chin, eventually taking Zhongdu (Bejing) in 1215. This led to a temporary truce but did not end the conflict with the Chin Empire which continued well after the death of Genghis Khan.
1216	In 1217 a number of tribes including the Kirghiz were conquered. Genghis's general Jebe conquered the central Asian empire of Kara Khitai in 1218. Also between 1216 and  1218 a series of incidents led to tension between the Mongols and the Khwarizm Empire to the West. In 1219 Genghis led a major invasion of the Khwarizm. By 1221 the Mongol armies had conquered Transoxia and much of Eastern Iran and Afghanistan. After a short truce in 1216 the war in China was resumed under the control of mongol general Muquali.
1221	An army corps under Subotai and Jebi  was detached from the army conquering the Kwarisam to reconnoiter the lands to the West. This army defeated the Georgians and Alans in the Caucasus, before going on to inflict crushing defeats on the Kipchaks and Russian Principalities. On returning East the army also made a reconnaissance in force against the Volga Bolgars and conquered the Kanglis tribe. In 1223, Genghis completed his campaign in the Khwarizm and withdrew to Central Asia.
1226	In 1226 the Hsi Hsia rebelled. Genghis invaded and ravaged the country but it was not completely reconquered until after his death in 1227. In 1229 his son Ogodai was confirmed as his successor. At the Kurultai that confirmed the succession, three great military campaigns were planned. Against the Chin, the remains of the Khwarizm and Russia.
1231	In 1234 the Chin Empire finally fell with the capture of their Southern capital of Kai-Feng. Almost immediately the Mongols fell out with their erstwhile allies the Sung Empire of Southern China and border conflicts broke out between the two powers.  The mongol general Kormaqan led the invasion of  Persia and after destroying the remnants of the Khwarizm, went on to conquer Northern Persia and Azerbaijan. In a subsidiary campaign a mongol army invaded Korea.
1236	An enormous Mongol army under Batu and Genghis's most famous general Subotai, gathered north of the Aral Sea. After subduing the Bolgars, they invaded the Russian Principalities in 1237.  Between 1237 and 1240 all the Principalities where destroyed or reduced to vassaldom and the Kipchack and Alan tribes conquered. From his base in Northern Persia, Kormaqan invaded Georgia which became a Mongol vassal.
1241	With Russia conquered, Subotai launched a massive invasion of Eastern Europe. Galicia was swiftly overrun and flanking campaigns  launched to Poland and Bulgaria. The main army invaded and smashed the Kingdom of Hungary. In the winter of 1241/1242 Mongol forces reconnoitred Vienna but the sudden death of Ogodai led to the planned invasion of Western Europe being called off. Batu, without the troops to hold Eastern Europe, withdrew to Russia. In 1242 the mongol general Baichu invaded the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum and reduced it to vassalage.
1246	The death of Ogodai led to a squabble over the succession. This eventually passed to Kuyuk his son but only after a lapse of 5 years during which little advance was made and some loses where suffered on the various fronts.  On Kuyuks death in 1248 another power struggle ensued but Batu's support of Tului's son Mongka proved decisive and in 1251 Mongka was elected to the throne and a new phase of Mongol expansion began.
1251	Mongka decides on two great campaigns. He sends one brother Kubali to conquer Southern China and the other Hulagu to conquer the Moslem powers of the Middle East. Major raids are launched against the Southern Chinese empire of the Sung and Tibet is conquered to start outflanking the Sung.
1256	Hulagu launches a major invasion of the Middle East. Western Iran is conquered and the Caliphate of Baghdad crushed. Next Syria is invaded and both Aleppo and Damascus captured.  Armenia and Antioch offer their submission and act as allies. However, Mongka's death in 1259 led to the withdrawal of most of Hulagu's forces to contest the succession. In 1260 the Egyptian Mameluks invaded Syria and defeated Hulagu's general Kitbuqa. In China the kingdom of Yunnan is conquered to outflank the Sung.
1261	The succession of Mongka is disputed and a civil war between Kubali and his brother Ariqboka leave the unity of the Empire shattered. Although the Mongols continue to advance the conquest of China the various Khanates of the Empire go their own way.
1271	Mongols finally gain firm control over Korea as well as the vassaldom of Annam in Indochina. The war against the Sung reaches a new peak with the 5 year siege of their Northern capital of Xiangyang. With the fall of Xiangyang the Mongol general Bayan begins a campaign South of the Yangtze. The first Mongol invasion of Japan (probably intended as a reconnaissance in force)  is withdrawn after a storm severely damages the  Mongol fleet at anchor.   The war against the Sung finally draws to a conclusion when the final Southern cities are conquered by Bayan in 1279. A military expeditionary force is sent to Burma after Mongol ambassadors are executed. However the tropical climate forces the Mongols to withdraw after the Burmese capital of Pagan is destroyed.
1281	Amman revolts against Mongol rule when required to assist in a Mongol campaign against Champa. A second major invasion of Japan is attempted. Once again storms destroy much of the Mongol fleet and the invasion is a disaster with the vast majority of the invasion force cut off in Japan and subsequently destroyed. Burma is again invaded after repeated border incidents. Both land and seaborne campaigns are launched against Amman and Champa.
1291	Burma is finally forced into vassaldom by Khubilia's grandson Temur. Amman and Champa beat of repeated Mongol attacks but formally become Mongol vassals in a final peace settlement. The Mongols send an expeditionary force to Java. By assisting one side in a civil war the Mongol force is initially successful but is later forced to withdraw when their Javanese allies turn against them. In 1294 Khubilia Khan dies. Although some minor campaigns are pursued in IndoChina the great days of Mongol Empire are over.