The Steppe Crisis
Quick question to readers: is there any way to release a country as your vassal that isn't a colonial subject? If so, how?
In December 1490, Dristar declared war on Haixi. He was pissed at the fact that their former subjects weren’t accepting Romano-Mongol rule, and he hoped that annexing them would stop the revolts. This war declaration is widely thought to have been one of the worst mistakes in history - it’s thought that it kicked off the Steppe Crisis, which nearly destroyed the Romano-Mongol Empire entirely.
In January 1491, forces loyal to Yeren gathered in Birija. These forces would ultimately result in a temporary loss of territory to Yeren. These forces would take control of all the territory that Yeren had lost by November. The actual rebels would finally be defeated in August 1495, and a third of the revolting territory would be recaptured, but two-thirds of it would be temporarily lost to Yeren.
In February 1491, an army that wished to see a more decentralized Romano-Mongol Empire seized control of Ejin. Another army espousing the same ideas besieged Hami, but they were defeated in July by an army under Toghrul Okhunut.
The Haixian army would ultimately be defeated at Sartu in March. Some of the Haixian army survived, though, and that proved problematic. Some of this remnant army was defeated at Yumen in December of 1491. In January 1492, the last area under Haixian control fell. The Haixian army would make repeated attempts to pay off the Romano-Mongols after this, but Dristar refused all of them. Haixi would be annexed, although they refused for the moment. This is likely because they hoped that their allies in Donghai would bail them out (never mind the fact that Yeren had defeated Donghai before, so they clearly couldn’t compare to Romano-Mongol might).To be fair, Donghai did manage to take some Romano-Mongol land temporarily, but that didn’t last long. Donghai would be defeated in January 1493 at Cicigar. The remnant army of the two allied states would be defeated again in September 1493 at Alchuka. Kubur Borjigin would defeat the alliance again at Tunhe, which was ironic because nobody involved in the war actually controlled the battleground there. Another confrontation with similar irony occurred at Ningguta, although Borjigin had died by that point (see below).The capital of Donghai was besieged after this. This city, Deren, would last almost a year before surrendering in May 1495.
Haixi would finally accept peace after this point. Haixi lost its independence, and Donghai was forced to become a Romano-Mongol vassal. Unfortunately, the end of the war didn’t include the countries that actually controlled the area between Donghai and the Empire proper - Udege and Yeren. This effectively trapped more than half of the Romano-Mongol army - more than 30,000 men - in a vassal that no one could access from the actual Empire.
Kubur Borjigin died in late January 1494. Many wonder what might have happened had he survived. They theorize that he could have helped prevent the Crisis from getting as bad as it did, perhaps even by taking over the Empire. This is possible, considering that he was a successful military leader and descended from Genghis Khan. Considering the fact that many Romano-Mongols wanted to depose Dristar entirely later in the Crisis, this is possible.
In July, an army that supported the annexation of ex-Haixian lands by Haixi rose in Maolian. The area would fall as August ended. They took Edala in December of 1491. They would take more land after this, but they were comprehensively defeated at Alchuka in March 1491. Kubur Borjigin led the Romano-Mongol forces there.
By the early 1490s, the Romano-Mongols had begun colonizing their northern borders. The natives didn’t like this and 4 native revolts would have to be put down - 2 in Jugjur (March 1492 and May 1495) and 2 in the area north of it (December 1500 and April 1503).
In August 1492, an army that wanted an independent state of buryat arose and began to besiege Hulunbuir. To make matters even worse, an army espousing independence for Korchin rose in January 1493. They managed to take Taining in February. Thankfully, a Romano-Mongol army managed to defeat them later that month. The area was retaken by April. Unfortunately, Hulunbuir fell in late July 1493. A Romano-Mongol army under Olkhunut would defeat them in October 1493, but they then had to settle in for a siege. The city would only be retaken in late September 1494, managing to hold out for more than a year.
Mongol separatists would rise in Hohhot in May 1494. That area would fall by June. They would be finally defeated at Datong. These rebels were, however, led by Engke Borjigin - who some believe was Kubur’s brother. This is often a reason stated why some believe that Kubur surviving could have led to the destruction of the Empire. Of course, this revolt was kickstarted by an Imperial decree demanding that all Mongols move into cities.
To top all of that off, Chinese advocates for two separate dynasties arose in July and August, 1495. In September, Lanzhou fell to one of these factions. Datong fell to the other in March 1496. Thankfully, Olkhunut would defeat the faction at Datong in May 1496, and Datong would fall by April 1497.
To make matters even worse, an army demanding Solon be regranted its independence arose in Urkan in August.They took Urkan in August. October would see their defeat.
Beginning in September 1495, in the west, armies that wished to restore the Oirat Khanate and return lands to the Uzbeks rose. They would occupy almost the entirety of the Empire’s west at one point. By October, Kazakhs would revolt, too, but these weren’t as much of a threat to the Romano-Mongols. These armies would be defeated at Kobdo in March 1498. That battle would be followed by a mopping up of all revolters in the West.
Meanwhile, the stranded 30,000 men would occupy their time by moving south to uninhabited land, where they would defeat natives at Sakhalin.
By February 1496, it was quite clear that Dristar was insane. He’d previously issued a decree that demanded all Mongols live in cities and stranded more than half of the Empire’s military. What really proved his insanity, though, was when he issued a decree that simultaneously declared war on the Ming, made all of the Steppe tribes move into the cities, banished the Chinese peoples from living in cities at all, and gave permission for Romano-Mongols to enslave anybody they wanted for any purpose. In response, the military seized control of the Imperial Palace and imprisoned Dristar. They also took effective control of the war effort - and repealed all of Dristar’s decrees. This act probably saved the Empire entirely.
In February 1496, two provinces defected to Yeren. The new Ruling Council declared war in response.
Koreans revolted in April 1497. They would manage to take most of Romano-Mongol Korea for two reasons. The first was that, if worst came to worst, the Ruling Council figured that they could negotiate a Korean state that still answered to the Romano-Mongols. The second was that it was hoped that they would also attack Japanese Korea in the South.
The Haixians would rise in December 1497 at Yehe. They were defeated in March 1498 before they could take the city.
Most of Yeren had been taken by June 1499, but Yeren had launched a surprise siege of Khara Narin Ula. This would succeed in June 1499, but that would prove irrelevant. In December, however, Udi - the capital of Yeren - would fall to a besieging Romano-Mongol army. Yerenese Peasants would take most of the territory the Romano-Mongols had gained, however. Thankfully, the Romano-Mongols defeated these peasants and took the land they had occupied at the Battle of Kuru in February 1500. Meanwhile, the official army of Yeren defeated the revolting Koreans for the Romano-Mongols.
Peace was signed in August 1500. Yeren was reduced to its capital and land controlled by peasants that weren’t even loyal to Yeren.
The Korean rebels were finally defeated in July 1501. Despite this, they wouldn’t be completely defeated until Ganggye was recaptured in September 1503.
In February 1502, 2 peasant revolts broke out. They were in Sainshand and Setsen. Both provinces would fall to the revolters, but they would soon be defeated. One group was defeated at Khara Narin Ula in January 1503. The other was defeated at Kherlen, although Setsen wouldn’t be reclaimed until June 1504.
The Ruling Council had restored order to the realm. They, therefore, decided that another humbling of the Ming in China was in order.
(map of the Romano-Mongol Empire and surrounding area, vassals are outlined in red)
Also, next update will be a state of the world at the turn of the century update. Just as an FYI
In December 1490, Dristar declared war on Haixi. He was pissed at the fact that their former subjects weren’t accepting Romano-Mongol rule, and he hoped that annexing them would stop the revolts. This war declaration is widely thought to have been one of the worst mistakes in history - it’s thought that it kicked off the Steppe Crisis, which nearly destroyed the Romano-Mongol Empire entirely.
In January 1491, forces loyal to Yeren gathered in Birija. These forces would ultimately result in a temporary loss of territory to Yeren. These forces would take control of all the territory that Yeren had lost by November. The actual rebels would finally be defeated in August 1495, and a third of the revolting territory would be recaptured, but two-thirds of it would be temporarily lost to Yeren.
In February 1491, an army that wished to see a more decentralized Romano-Mongol Empire seized control of Ejin. Another army espousing the same ideas besieged Hami, but they were defeated in July by an army under Toghrul Okhunut.
The Haixian army would ultimately be defeated at Sartu in March. Some of the Haixian army survived, though, and that proved problematic. Some of this remnant army was defeated at Yumen in December of 1491. In January 1492, the last area under Haixian control fell. The Haixian army would make repeated attempts to pay off the Romano-Mongols after this, but Dristar refused all of them. Haixi would be annexed, although they refused for the moment. This is likely because they hoped that their allies in Donghai would bail them out (never mind the fact that Yeren had defeated Donghai before, so they clearly couldn’t compare to Romano-Mongol might).To be fair, Donghai did manage to take some Romano-Mongol land temporarily, but that didn’t last long. Donghai would be defeated in January 1493 at Cicigar. The remnant army of the two allied states would be defeated again in September 1493 at Alchuka. Kubur Borjigin would defeat the alliance again at Tunhe, which was ironic because nobody involved in the war actually controlled the battleground there. Another confrontation with similar irony occurred at Ningguta, although Borjigin had died by that point (see below).The capital of Donghai was besieged after this. This city, Deren, would last almost a year before surrendering in May 1495.
Haixi would finally accept peace after this point. Haixi lost its independence, and Donghai was forced to become a Romano-Mongol vassal. Unfortunately, the end of the war didn’t include the countries that actually controlled the area between Donghai and the Empire proper - Udege and Yeren. This effectively trapped more than half of the Romano-Mongol army - more than 30,000 men - in a vassal that no one could access from the actual Empire.
Kubur Borjigin died in late January 1494. Many wonder what might have happened had he survived. They theorize that he could have helped prevent the Crisis from getting as bad as it did, perhaps even by taking over the Empire. This is possible, considering that he was a successful military leader and descended from Genghis Khan. Considering the fact that many Romano-Mongols wanted to depose Dristar entirely later in the Crisis, this is possible.
In July, an army that supported the annexation of ex-Haixian lands by Haixi rose in Maolian. The area would fall as August ended. They took Edala in December of 1491. They would take more land after this, but they were comprehensively defeated at Alchuka in March 1491. Kubur Borjigin led the Romano-Mongol forces there.
By the early 1490s, the Romano-Mongols had begun colonizing their northern borders. The natives didn’t like this and 4 native revolts would have to be put down - 2 in Jugjur (March 1492 and May 1495) and 2 in the area north of it (December 1500 and April 1503).
In August 1492, an army that wanted an independent state of buryat arose and began to besiege Hulunbuir. To make matters even worse, an army espousing independence for Korchin rose in January 1493. They managed to take Taining in February. Thankfully, a Romano-Mongol army managed to defeat them later that month. The area was retaken by April. Unfortunately, Hulunbuir fell in late July 1493. A Romano-Mongol army under Olkhunut would defeat them in October 1493, but they then had to settle in for a siege. The city would only be retaken in late September 1494, managing to hold out for more than a year.
Mongol separatists would rise in Hohhot in May 1494. That area would fall by June. They would be finally defeated at Datong. These rebels were, however, led by Engke Borjigin - who some believe was Kubur’s brother. This is often a reason stated why some believe that Kubur surviving could have led to the destruction of the Empire. Of course, this revolt was kickstarted by an Imperial decree demanding that all Mongols move into cities.
To top all of that off, Chinese advocates for two separate dynasties arose in July and August, 1495. In September, Lanzhou fell to one of these factions. Datong fell to the other in March 1496. Thankfully, Olkhunut would defeat the faction at Datong in May 1496, and Datong would fall by April 1497.
To make matters even worse, an army demanding Solon be regranted its independence arose in Urkan in August.They took Urkan in August. October would see their defeat.
Beginning in September 1495, in the west, armies that wished to restore the Oirat Khanate and return lands to the Uzbeks rose. They would occupy almost the entirety of the Empire’s west at one point. By October, Kazakhs would revolt, too, but these weren’t as much of a threat to the Romano-Mongols. These armies would be defeated at Kobdo in March 1498. That battle would be followed by a mopping up of all revolters in the West.
Meanwhile, the stranded 30,000 men would occupy their time by moving south to uninhabited land, where they would defeat natives at Sakhalin.
By February 1496, it was quite clear that Dristar was insane. He’d previously issued a decree that demanded all Mongols live in cities and stranded more than half of the Empire’s military. What really proved his insanity, though, was when he issued a decree that simultaneously declared war on the Ming, made all of the Steppe tribes move into the cities, banished the Chinese peoples from living in cities at all, and gave permission for Romano-Mongols to enslave anybody they wanted for any purpose. In response, the military seized control of the Imperial Palace and imprisoned Dristar. They also took effective control of the war effort - and repealed all of Dristar’s decrees. This act probably saved the Empire entirely.
In February 1496, two provinces defected to Yeren. The new Ruling Council declared war in response.
Koreans revolted in April 1497. They would manage to take most of Romano-Mongol Korea for two reasons. The first was that, if worst came to worst, the Ruling Council figured that they could negotiate a Korean state that still answered to the Romano-Mongols. The second was that it was hoped that they would also attack Japanese Korea in the South.
The Haixians would rise in December 1497 at Yehe. They were defeated in March 1498 before they could take the city.
Most of Yeren had been taken by June 1499, but Yeren had launched a surprise siege of Khara Narin Ula. This would succeed in June 1499, but that would prove irrelevant. In December, however, Udi - the capital of Yeren - would fall to a besieging Romano-Mongol army. Yerenese Peasants would take most of the territory the Romano-Mongols had gained, however. Thankfully, the Romano-Mongols defeated these peasants and took the land they had occupied at the Battle of Kuru in February 1500. Meanwhile, the official army of Yeren defeated the revolting Koreans for the Romano-Mongols.
Peace was signed in August 1500. Yeren was reduced to its capital and land controlled by peasants that weren’t even loyal to Yeren.
The Korean rebels were finally defeated in July 1501. Despite this, they wouldn’t be completely defeated until Ganggye was recaptured in September 1503.
In February 1502, 2 peasant revolts broke out. They were in Sainshand and Setsen. Both provinces would fall to the revolters, but they would soon be defeated. One group was defeated at Khara Narin Ula in January 1503. The other was defeated at Kherlen, although Setsen wouldn’t be reclaimed until June 1504.
The Ruling Council had restored order to the realm. They, therefore, decided that another humbling of the Ming in China was in order.
(map of the Romano-Mongol Empire and surrounding area, vassals are outlined in red)
Also, next update will be a state of the world at the turn of the century update. Just as an FYI
