Episode 12 The Strength of Mongol Military Organization

The Mongol Empire

Dr Craig Benjamin (2020)

Film Review

The Mongols organized their warriors in units of ten, a process first initiated by Xiongnu nomads (399 BC – 200 AD).

• An arban consisted of 10 warriors.
• A jaghun consisted of 10 arban (100 total).
• A minquan consisted of 10 jaguan (1000 total).
• A tumen consisted of 10 minquan (10,000 total).

The brilliance of this system was that it split up the clans of former enemies (eg Tatars, Murkits, Karaites and Naimans), preventing them from conspiring against the Mongol leadership.

Chinggis Khan had 49 generals spread out across the Mongolian steppes, and central, eastern and western assimilated territories. Each general (appointed based on skill rather than family status) was assigned one or more minquan.

Chinggis Kahn (and his successors) also appointed a Keshig (bodyguard) made up of the sons of officers. This consisted of one minquan each of night guards and quiver bearers and eight minquons of day guards. These men served as household staff (caring for the Great Kahns herds, as well cooking his food and pouring his drinks) as well a body guards. This allowed him to assess their character, intelligence prior to assigning them military duties.

Mongol warriors were metal helmets with strong leather ear coverings and armor made of overlapping leather or metal strips. Their horses also wore armor, though it was lighter than that used by European cavalry on used on their horses. The Mongols sometimes brought down enemy horses by shooting them with flaming arrows.

In addition to a composite bow, a Mongol warrior carried a hooked lance to pull enemies of their horses, a well as a curved sword, ax, mace and lasso.

They carried different shields depending on the type of combat. They used wooden shields on guard duty, wicker shields to protect themselves from arrows and shell shields in a siege to protect against objects thrown down on them.

Mongol horses were unshod, giving them greater mobility and Mongol saddles were oiled to give the rider more flexibility.

Each warrior carried short and long bows, with heavy arrows with wide heads for closer targets and lighter arrows for a greater distance. Arrowheads were made of bone or metal and sometimes poisoned.

Mongol commanders gathered extensive intelligence prior to battle on the enemy leader’s religion, culture and personality. Scouts were sent ahead to identify the best routes, topography for battle and campsites close to food and water and unsuitable. The often used flags to communicate over long distances.They also put out disinformation to mislead their enemies, sometimes placing women or dummies or horses to make their forces seem larger.

Mongol warriors frequently slept on their horses while they grazed and carried emergency ration when traveling through deserts or during winter,

Like Xiangnu, Hun, Turk and Viking warriors, they strategically choreographed their battles o their movements couldn’t be anticipated. Thus they often prevailed over far larger armies.

In attacking major cities, they relied on Khitan and Chinese engineers to build massive siege engines with local trees to lobby massive boulders at city walls and buildings.

Film can be viewed free with a library card on Kanopy.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/watch/video/12373094/12373118