Mongol Warriors: How Genghis Khan Built History’s Most Feared Army

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Disclaimer: This image is AI-generated for illustrative purposes and does not depict real people or events directly.


In the 13th century, the Mongol warriors under the leadership of Genghis Khan, built the largest empire in history.
Their success was a result of advanced military tactics, mobility, and psychological warfare.


How did the Mongols become an unstoppable force.

1. Horseback Archery.

One of the Mongols' greatest strengths was their horseback archery. They were different from European knights who relied on heavy armor and close combat, Mongol warriors could:

  • Shoot arrows with precision while riding at full speed.
  • Use composite bows that were more powerful and had a longer range than European bows.
  • Carry multiple horses, switching between them to maintain endurance during long campaigns.

This mobility allowed them to beat strategically larger armies and strike from unexpected angles.


2. Mongol Military Organization: The Power of the Tumen. 

Mongol armies were highly disciplined and structured using a decimal system.

  • Arban (10 soldiers)
  • Zuun (100 soldiers)
  • Mingghan (1,000 soldiers)
  • Tumen (10,000 soldiers)

Each unit was trained to operate independently, making Mongol forces flexible and hard to defeat. This organization was one of the reasons they could conquer larger territories quickly.


3. Advanced Warfare Tactics: Deception and Psychological Warfare. 

The Mongols  mastered  deception tactic. Their most famous tactics included:

  • Feigned retreats. They pretended to flee, then ambushing pursuers.
  • Siege warfare adaptation. It included using Chinese engineers to build catapults and gunpowder weapons.
  • Terror tactics or intimidation. This involves destroying entire cities to intimidate others into surrendering.

One example of their psychological warfare was the destruction of Khwarezmia (1219–1221), where Mongols wiped out entire cities after the Sultan betrayed Genghis Khan’s envoys.


4. The Yam System: The Mongol Empire’s Secret to Fast Communication.

In order to maintain control over their vast empire, the Mongols developed the Yam system, a network of relay stations with fresh horses for couriers. This allowed them to:

  • Send messages across in a long distance,  in few days instead of some weeks.
  • Gather information about their enemies before launching invasion.
  • Quickly deploy reinforcements when needed.

This early type of a communication system was crucial for Mongol military coordination.


5. Conquereing Fortified Cities with Siege Warfare. They adopted:

  • Chinese trebuchets and mangonels to destroy walls.
  • Persian engineers to build advanced siege towers.
  • Gunpowder weapons, which was one of the earliest recorded uses in battle.

A good example was the Siege of Baghdad (1258), where Mongol forces used a combination of flooding and direct assaults to capture the city.


6. Inclusion and Cultural and Religious Tolerance in Mongol Rule. 

The Mongols allowed religious freedom in their empire. They welcomed:

  • Muslims, Christians, and Buddhists under their rule.
  • Local administrators to continue governing as long as they remained loyal.
  • Trade routes like the Silk Road to flourish under Mongol protection.

This adaptability helped them govern large empire stretching from China to Eastern Europe.


The Mongol warriors were good raiders and  strategic masterminds as well. The combination of mobility, deception, and adaptability allowed them to defeat larger armies.



Related articles;

The most dangerous armies in the ancient world

https://historyforumtz.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-most-dangerous-armies-in-ancient.html

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