MMW 13 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Mongol Invasions And Conquests, Caspian Sea, Composite Bow
19 May 2018
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Outline Lecture Two - The Mongol Conquests
Focus of lecture:
1) Contingent factors behind the short-lived but consequential Mongol
empire
2) Global consequences and legacy of this phenomenon
I) Age of the Nomad
a) Extent of Mongol Empire
i) Range of conquests from 1206 to 1241
- Period of rapid expansion under mongols - rapid pace as to
which they were able to achieve such conquest with limited
weapons and transport
- Nomadic people, able to acquire largest land expansion
- West (caspian sea) to the pacific (east)
- North (siberia, manchuria) to modern day southeast asia
ii) All without modern communications, transport, or weapons—HOW?
b) Military Advantages
i) Warrior-based society
- Adult males under the age of 60 fought as warriors
- Warriors didn’t receive a fixed salary, but all entitled to the
riches as a part of the conquest - served as incentive for many
of them
-
warrior becomes disabled, had a reserve fund to support
veterans → reveals military organization of nomadic group
ii) Fighting skills and strategies
- Steppe ponies (smaller than horses), skilled riders
(1) Use of the short composite bow
- Short bow that had tremendous power to it due to the design of
it
- Lightly armoured, emphasis on speed and agility (not only on
the horse but as a collective, being able to coordinate
movements in a rapid way)
- Hand to hand combat wasn’t conducive in battle
- Most part, outnumbered by their enemies so used mostly
coordination and speed
(2) No shame in retreat
- Especially in chinese forces (values incorporated in them),
Fight until the last man - emphasised in identity and traditional
chinese values
- Mongols didn’t entertain such notions, willing to retreat if they
realize things were turning against them
- Effective in using retreat as a tactical advantage
(3) Use of familiar hunting tactics like the nerge
- Method of encirclement in a confined area of enemy after
retreating (at times)
- Use for hunting and against enemies
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
- Didn’t require supremacy in numbers, but mongols were so
organized that they were always able to make the enemy fear
them due to their speed and agility
- Known for using banners and drums as a way of coordinating
movement
(4) Effective use of siege-craft
- Mongols encountered fortified cities, so able to contrive siege-
weapons
- Nomads recruited captives who had specialized in engineering
expertise, resourceful in doing so, making sure that mongols
could spear those with the particular skills needed to make
siege-weapons
- Able to capture fortified cities
(5) Terror as a strategy of warfare
- Use of fear - vilified for committing genocide
- Morality is particularly compromised in terms of genocide, but
on a tactical standpoint, what they achieved was to cultivate an
aura of terror, contrive a reputation of fear that the next enemy
they encounter would hear about the mongols before fighting
them
- Intentionally using reputation as a ruthless force to
compensate for their low numbers - to conserve their numbers
-
Every time they killed cities, leave a couple as messengers so
they would tell the next city what happened → trying to
preserve numbers and to win without fighting (goal)
c) Climate Change and Patterns of Nomadic Behavior Prior to 1200
i) David Ringrose’s theory about the effects of climate change
- Additional insight into how the mongols were able to achieve what
they did
(1) Significant warming trend from 800-1200 C.E.
- Due to this warming trend, affected demographic and
agricultural areas
- Northward expansion of more agriculture
- Warmer weather, more rainfall in areas that would typically be
more arid and cold
-
E.g greenland and iceland → farming settlements even though
these places are known to be associated with the opposite of
warm and farming
- Agriculturalists moving further north
- Increased carrying capacity (area to support livelihood of
people) of steppes
- Contributed to increase in population among nomads
(2) Demographic effects on a global scale
(a) Impact on “buffer zone” between nomads and farmers
- Shrinking buffer zone - closer proximity/contact
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Focus of lecture: contingent factors behind the short-lived but consequential mongol empire, global consequences and legacy of this phenomenon, age of the nomad, extent of mongol empire, range of conquests from 1206 to 1241. Period of rapid expansion under mongols - rapid pace as to which they were able to achieve such conquest with limited weapons and transport. Nomadic people, able to acquire largest land expansion. West (caspian sea) to the pacific (east) North (siberia, manchuria) to modern day southeast asia: all without modern communications, transport, or weapons how, military advantages, warrior-based society. Adult males under the age of 60 fought as warriors. Warriors didn"t receive a fixed salary, but all entitled to the riches as a part of the conquest - served as incentive for many of them. Warrior becomes disabled, had a reserve fund to support veterans reveals military organization of nomadic group: fighting skills and strategies.
