Year 12 IB Extended Essays 2017

gjy664 – Chinggis Khan and the Mongol Empire

14

tactic, as a communication method and instrument of conquest. 81 As the Secret History accounts, cavalry and troops put their minds ‘at ease’. 82 However, warfare was subject to adaption as the Mongols learned and developed tactics, steering towards unorthodox war methods. 83 Thus, division of labour and Chinggis’ ability to maintain tradition whilst adapting to the battle conditions, facilitated Mongol success. The 13 th century Mongol poem (appendix 2), stating that the Mongols can stop riding horses when they no longer need to go to war, reinstates cavalry’s importance. 84 The Secret History, further states that the Mongols used arrows and horses to kill the enemy. 85 As Carpini accounted, military education strengthened the army, as training begun at an early age. 86 This ties with the Secret History which suggests that training was critical to Mongol success, relating to expected archery skills. 87 Combined with military division, the Mongol adaption to rapidly changing conditions played a role in Mongol success in expansion as it enabled rapid tactic adaption. 88 This flexibility illustrates that whilst Chinggis Khan was not born a ‘military genius’, he rapidly adapted tactics to apply what he learnt. 89 As Robert Webb perceptively writes, the Mongols readily adapted attack methods, as they began to experiment with siege warfare. 90 Siege warfare became an

imperative element of Mongol warfare, having been learnt during Chinese conquests. The use

of prisoners was also critical, as they forced captives to lead parties towards besieged cities, as seen in the 1221 capture of Nishapur. 91 Thus under Chinggis, the Mongol army transformed

rapidly from a nomadic group into rulers, learning to administer an empire. Thus, their readily

adapted administration and military system of conquered states, which placed Mongols in top positions, enabled complete control. 92 Their adaption of weaponry also enabled the Mongols to siege large cities, which would not have been possible otherwise. 93 Hence, the army’s growth brought knowledge of weapons and explosives and siege warfare, enabling adaptions. 94

More importantly, in the sieging of cities, as recognised in Ystoria Mongalorum , the Mongol

81 “The Legacy of Genghis Khan,” Stefano Carboni and Adamjee Qamar. 82 Onon, Secret History , 201. 83 Jack Weatherford, Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world .

84 Onon, Secret History , 275. 85 Onon, Secret History , 288.

86 Carpini, History of the Mongols , 18. 87 Rachewiltz, The Secret History , 20. 88 “Genghis Khan Mongol Ruler,” Charles R Bawden. 89 “Review of Jack Weatherford,” Timothy May. 90 Robert N Webb, Genghis Khan: Conqueror of the Medieval World (New York: Franklin Watts, 1967) 91 Webb, Genghis Khan: Conqueror of the Medieval World . 92 “The Legacy of Genghis Khan,” Stefano Carboni and Adamjee Qamar. 93 “Genghis Khan Mongol Ruler,” Charles R Bawden. 94 Easton, Oxford Big Ideas , 423-455.