Mongol invasion of Alania

The Mongol invasion of Alania was a series of military campaigns conducted by the Mongol Empire in the early 13th century (1220–1223), followed by the devastating invasion of 1237–1240, including the siege of the Alanian capital Maghas in 1239–1240, and subsequent campaigns in the 1240s. These invasions were part of the broader Mongol invasions and conquests and marked the first major encounter of European peoples with the Mongol armies.

Source: Wikipedia — Mongol invasion of Alania (CC BY-SA 4.0)