The region Batu managed was one of the most prosperous in the realm, and many attributed it to his skills. He was more thoughtful than spontaneous, and that helped. He also had some of the best advisors who liked him and stayed with him. Even the high court was implementing some of his ideas that improved the social, economic, and military standings in the Empire. Still, Ogedei Khan saw no threat in him but the most reliable support and the utmost respect. Batu felt no danger coming from Ogedei either knowing that Ogedei saw no threat from him. He often visited the older uncle seeking advice, the wisdom of Genghis Khan or just enjoying the Khan’s hospitality. There was a real connection, and they enjoyed it. If not for the age difference, they could have been the best of friends, and maybe they were.
In 1235, being only twenty-eight years old, Batu Khan became the commander of the Mongol army of about thirty-five thousand horsemen assigned to the conquest of Europe. It was called the Blue Horde, or the Eastern Army based on the color system of the Mongol Empire. Black was North, blue — East, red was south, white was west, and yellow (or gold) was the center. This color scheme was used in all different forms (flags, symbols, articles of clothes, markings on shields, and as such) throughout the Empire for many reasons and the military was probably the most important one. Europe was the uncharted territory full of the outdated information going all the way back to Attila’s exploits and to the recently arrived merchants from Europe. These were charming and enjoyable people, but completely unreliable. No one knew them, and none could vouch for them. Some of them could’ve been, and maybe were, spies themselves building the disinformation schemes and gathering the information they needed. Some of them worked for the western kings and the knight orders, and even the Pope in Rome. If the Mongols wanted to exploit Europe following the Attila the Khan routs, the European powers wanted to conquer Central Asia doing the same, but in reverse. And, they needed all the help they could get. That was the time of wars, and pillaging was somewhat easier than working for the wealth. Working was not for everyone, and the martial arts paid much better. Everyone needed soldiers, ready to pay whatever it took. Thus, many went into soldiering, and the side was not always relevant. What difference did it make who was right if you got paid and could keep whatever you pillaged?
Many foreign visitors, especially the merchants, just tried to gain the favored status with the Mongols and do some business. So much wealth could be made if one was willing to take the chance. In many cases, if not all, they could not be really trusted when it came to war. Still, Ogedei liked many of the visitors, but Batu Khan preferred the words of his own people. He could trust them better. So, the early general plan was to attack the Bulgars, Slavs of the Volga River basin first and then, the Viking settlements along the major rivers and the Kingdoms in Russia. The Slaves were easy, but the Vikings and the Russian princes could be a small challenge. They could and probably would fight. Not that it looked too hard for the Mongol Hordes but could take time and some resources. Distances, supplies, reinforcements, and the garrisons that had to be left behind had to be considered. Thus, the plan was adjusted for staying in Russia for a few years establishing the rule, planting collaborators, applying taxes, gathering information on Western Europe and building up the strength for future adventures. A base, if not multiple bases, could be required along the way. It was a tall plan that would require all the knowledge and experience they could master. It was not easy but could be done. Possibly it was bigger than anything they experienced before. They needed many people, professionals in all areas of life and China was the place to gather these people.
Ogedei Khan ordered many of the Chinese engineers, doctors, politicians, diplomats, generals, and other experts to join the new Blue Horde. Batu’s chief general and the principal advisor Subutai, Genghis’s closest friend and associate, firmly believed that many of the Russian nobles would betray the own people and join the horde to survive and save their estates. Mongols did not have to do much for that but just to scare them into submission. Tatars, Bulgars, and the Russians would make up for the lack of people in Mongolia. More Nomad tribes would join them when they move from Mongolia toward Russia. Everyone would like to attach himself to that might and get a piece of the action in exchange. Mongols were not many, but whatever they lost in size, they gained in determination. They were giants from that point of view. The mastery in war-making and the strong will made them the most competent leaders and the ferocious fighters. The multitude of tribes on the way to Russia and in Russia itself — that’s where the information and the extra force had to come from, and it did. Subutai again proved to be right. The Russian nobles offered and delivered betrayals faster than they were asked. Often, they were not even asked. Brothers were selling brothers and sons were selling fathers wholesale. Mongols had an easy time conquering that vast expanse of land occupied by what thought to be strong and capable people. Money, food supplies, and the slaves were streaming to the horde with the dependency of a swelled river. Batu Khan was happy, and Ogedei was very happy. The Emperor coffers were bulging with new gold and the goods from the East and the most potent relative, even the trusted one, was far away to present any immediate danger. It was even better than Genghis Khan’s exploits in Asia. Russia was more prominent, the Russians were more, and the Russians had more. Lucky for Mongols, as everywhere else, the Russian nobles were busy fighting each other instead of uniting against the invaders. Lucky for Mongols, the German and the Swedish knights attacked the Russian western and northern frontiers endlessly trying to cut out a fat slice of Russia before the wild Central Asian hordes made it that way. In short, the Mongol plan was full of success. The Blue Horde was swelling along the way while the Russians were getting more and more divided and weaker by the moment.
The success was complete, and the riches were piling up so fast that some of the closest to Batu and Subutai questioned if they should keep moving passing Russia and into the mysterious Western European. That could be too risky. Russia was conquered even before they attacked it. It was not a strong country as they thought it would be. Maybe it was time to build a camp and rest for a while. Perhaps they should not go any farther at all. What else did they need? They were too far from home already, and that could be dangerous. Who knows what was going on at home. At least they should wait for the reinforcements and the supplies to arrive. It was on the way but would take a few more months. They wanted to know the news from home, and that would come with new caravans. They needed to find good scouts, people that look like the people from the west and could speak the languages. Vikings and some Russians could do the job. Maybe some of the western traders could help if Mongols had leverage with those people. They needed more reliable information. That could take time, maybe months and years, but it had to be done. If you wanted to win a big war and keep your holdings strong, you had to do it right.