Mongolian Armies :: essays research papers

The Mongolians were nomadic herders and hunters who spent their lives in the saddles of their steppe ponies. They wise to(p) to ride and use weapons, especially the composite bow, at an early age. For search and war, every able-bodied manly under the age of 60 geezerhood was expected to take part. The armies of the united Mongol tribes consisted of the entire adult male population.They fought under a strict code of discipline. Booty was held collectively. The penalty was expiration for abandoning a comrade in battle. This discipline, together with leadership, intelligence-gathering, and organization, raised the Mongol bear on from a cavalry swarm into a true array.The Mongol army was organized according to a decimal system, with units of 10, 100, 1000, and 10,000 men. These numbers for units were probably rarely approached due to casualties and attrition. The 10,000-man unit was the major fighting unit, like a contemporary division, capable of sustained fighting on its own. Individual soldiers identified around with the 1000-man unit of which they were a part, the equivalent of a modern regiment. Original Mongol tribes fielded their own 1000-man units. Conquered peoples, such as the Tatars and Merkits, were broken up and distributed among other units so that they could pose no organized threat to the ruling family.Genghis Khan created a personal guard unit of 10,000 men. This unit was recruited across tribal boundaries and pickaxe was a high honor. In its early stages it served as a normal of honorable hostage-holding. It grew into the family household and the source of the growing empires ruling class.Mongol soldiers at first received no expect other than booty. Advancement was ground on merit. Once the speedy conquests slowed, a new system of pay was put in place. Officers were later able to pass on their posts to heirs. from each one soldier went on campaign with approximately five horses, allowing quick changes and rapid movements.