Innovation
Military Organization
The organization of the Mongol military was innovative and distinct from other militaries of the time. When creating the military, Genghis Khan immediately destroyed all tribes(1), as he felt that warriors should not feel a loyalty to their individual tribe or family unit, but rather to the Mongol military as a whole(2). As opposed to other militaries, the Mongol military was split into units of 10(3). Rulers could head a group of up to 10,000 warriors(4), and each ruler had to have a strong personal relationship with Genghis Khan in order to ensure their loyalty(5).
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/khan/visual.php
The diagram above shows the of the organization of the Mongol army.
The diagram above shows the of the organization of the Mongol army.
Military Tactics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Empire
The success of the Mongol military was greatly due to the Mongols' use of innovative military tactics. The warriors presented a disregard for human life through their strategies (6). They utilized vicious strategies such as catapulting large, heavy objects or diseased animals over the walls of cities(7), and isolating areas to starve the citizens(8).
Another tactic that they often used was called Feigned Withdraw, where the warriors would fight well and then retreat, leading the enemies to follow them into an ambush(9). In addition, in every strategy used by the mongols, they utilized horses(10). The horses were flexible, strong, and fast, which had many advantages in warfare(11). Horsemen could quickly retreat during battle, making it much harder for an enemy to find and harm them(12). Because of their use of these intelligent, well-executed tactics, the Mongol military had a great advantage over their enemies.
The Postal System
The Mongols put in place a postal system that benefited travelers and the empire as a whole. For over a thousand years, caravans were responsible for delivering information by traveling the trade routes, which was a slow system.(13) Genghis Khan soon understood that he would need to create a fast and efficient way to deliver information. He created a postal system, with stations set up every 25 to 30 miles.(14) Each ruler in the future was then able to know of everything that was happening in even the areas farthest away from them, something that was once impossible under the old and inefficient system.(15) The invention benefited the empire greatly.
While the stations were first created simply for the purpose of communication, they were also utilized by travelers.(16) Each station contained various necessary materials for travelers going through the area.(17) These stations could have up to 400 horses ready to be used by anyone who had a need for them(18). |
The Monetary System
During the era of the Mongol Empire, a change occurred in the monetary system(19). Initially, there were multiple currencies in use; bronze coins, paper money, and silver were all used at first, but eventually, the Mongols unified the currency system(20). They replaced their multiple currencies with paper money denominated by silver coins(21). The effect of this change was long-standing; this system was used for years after, all through the Chinese late Imperial era(22).
The events leading to and following the creation of the new system can be placed into four main categories and time periods(23). First was the development of the system under the rule of Genghis Khan. Second, paper money was developed under Kublai Khan. Third, in 1309, the ruler of the empire attempted to recreate the multi currency system, eventually failing, but causing a reorganization of the monetary system. Lastly, around 1350, as the Mongol Empire was dissolving, the ruler tried and failed once again to relaunch the multi-currency system(24).
The events leading to and following the creation of the new system can be placed into four main categories and time periods(23). First was the development of the system under the rule of Genghis Khan. Second, paper money was developed under Kublai Khan. Third, in 1309, the ruler of the empire attempted to recreate the multi currency system, eventually failing, but causing a reorganization of the monetary system. Lastly, around 1350, as the Mongol Empire was dissolving, the ruler tried and failed once again to relaunch the multi-currency system(24).
http://comp.uark.edu/~wolpert/vGlahn-Monies_Monetary_Transition.pdf
Shown above is a silver ingot, once used as backing for paper money.
Shown above is a silver ingot, once used as backing for paper money.
Footnotes:
1. Matthew Barnes, “The Mongol War Machine: How were the Mongols able to Forge the Largest Contiguous Land Empire in History?” (Publications in Contemperary Affairs, 2010), 1. Accessed November 16, 2014. http://www.thepicaproject.org/?page_id=522
2. Morris Rossabi, “Chinggis's Mastery of Organization and Military Tactics,” Columbia, 2004. Accessed November 16, 2014.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/conquests/conquests_2b.htm
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Rossabi, "Chinggis's Mastery of Organization and Military Tactics."
7. "Battle Tactics," The Field Museum. Accessed November 16, 2014. http://genghiskhan.fieldmuseum.org/behind-the-scenes/establishing-an-empire/battle-tactics
8. Ibid.
9. Rossabi, "Chinggis's Mastery of Organization and Military Tactics."
10. Morris Rossabi, "All the Khan’s Horses," (Natural History Magazine) Accessed November 16, 2014. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/conquests/khans_horses.pdf
11. Ibid.
12. Ibid.
13. Carol A. Barton-Silvers, "Under Mongol rule." (1993) Accessed November 16, 2014.
14. Morris Rossabi, "A New Look at Mongol Contributions," Columbia, 2004. Accessed November 16, 2014. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/history/history_a.htm
15. Barton-Silvers, "Under Mongol Rule"
16 Rossabi, "A New Look at Mongol Contributions."
17. Ibid.
18. Ibid.
19. Morris Rossabi, "Mongols Support Trade Facilitating East-West Contacts" (Columbia, 2004) Accessed November 16, 2014.
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/history/history4.htm
20. Ibid.
21. Richard von Glahn, "Monies of Account and Monetary Transition in China, Twelfth to Fourteenth Centuries" (Journal of the Economic and
Social History of the Orient, 2010) 464. Accessed November 16, 2014. http://comp.uark.edu/~wolpert/vGlahn-Monies_Monetary_Transition.pdf
22. Ibid.
23. Ibid, 473.
24. Ibid.
By Madeline Cheshire