1230-1249 Mongols Invade Eastern Europe

This twenty year period covers the reign of King Henry III of England and the Mongol invasions of Europe.

The Holy Roman Emperor was Frederick II and Gregory IX was pope. In the year that the excommunicated Frederick returned from the 6th Crusade in the Holy Land, 1237, he was faced with the Mongol conquest of Eastern Europe.

The Mongols had been invading Eastern Europe since 1223, and by 1236 had taken the Volga in Bulgaria.

In 1240 there was a war between Russia and Sweden, followed by more Mongol invasions of Europe in 1241-1242.

In 1242 there was a Teutonic-Novogorod War and in 1248 -- as if they didn't have enough trouble on their hands -- the Pope authorized the 7th Crusade to the Holy Land.

The conflict between Frederick II and Gregory IX continued, this time over Sicily and Lombardy with Frederick wanting to rule over the whole of Italy. His army surrounded Rome, and then Gregory died in 1241, replaced by the elderly Celestine IV who died after 17 days as pope, to be replaced by Innocent IV in 1243.

The selection of a new pope was made difficult by Frederick taking some cardinals prisoner. Pope Innocent fled to Lyons, convened a general church council in 1245 to depose Frederick who, naturally, challenged the pope's authority.

Louis IX of France vacillated between allegiance to Frederick -- the Holy Roman Emperor -- and Innocent -- the Roman Pope -- trying to mediate, but the advent of the 7th crusade to the Holy Land diverted everyone's attention.