Genghis Khan and his Mongol warriors were one of the most powerful military forces in all of human history, conquering nearly a quarter of the world's population in the 13th century and building a super empire spanning Europe and Asia.
At that time, no one but the Mongols themselves could defeat them. Again and again, they won victories, wiping out all the armies that tried to stand in their way.
The Mongols were able to achieve such an unprecedented victory for many reasons, of course, but the most critical core factor was because they had powerful cavalry.
Genghis Khan's cavalry ranks were dominated by light cavalry, with 4 to 5 horses per year, and they rotated during long-distance raids to prevent a single horse from being too tired.
With this method, the Mongol army could travel a long distance in a very short time, a mobility that was unimaginable to other armies in the 13th century, which gave the Mongols a crushing maneuverability.
One might ask, it's not unusual for every warrior to have 4 or 5 horses, so why can't cavalry in other countries do that?
This is because the horses ridden by the Mongols were small and light, and compared with the tall horses made by European knights at that time, the Mongolian horses were uncompromising ponies. The ponies were able to adapt to extremely harsh natural conditions, which allowed the Mongols to worry about their feed problems when they traveled long distances, as the horses were able to find the food they needed wherever they went.
It is also said that it was climate change in the thirteenth century that created the conditions for the success of the Mongols.
Before the rise of Genghis Khan, the perennially arid Mongolian steppe ushered in a period of abundant rainfall. During that time, the vigorous growth of hay provided food for tens of thousands of horses, and Genghis Khan was able to build a cavalry force of unprecedented size.
Of course, in order to form a strong cavalry, only excellent horses are not enough, and the rider on horseback is even more critical. There is no doubt that the Mongol cavalry is one of the best riders ever built in the world.
The Mongol cavalry at that time could be said to have grown up in the saddle, lived a nomadic life, and learned to ride a horse and shoot arrows from a very young age.
Like their mounts, they are born tough and can easily live in the wild, overcoming a variety of harsh natural conditions.
Because they are very adapted to life on horseback, they can not only run long distances on horseback, but also make a variety of difficult and flexible movements on the horse.
In addition, since the Mongol warriors were usually equipped with light leather or padded cloth armor, this also increased their flexibility and mobility.
The bows and arrows they used also greatly increased their military strength. The Mongolian bow is a composite recurve bow made of bone, wood and tendons. Although they look small compared to the six-foot-long English longbow, the power of the Mongol bow should not be underestimated.
Equipped with these weapons, the highly agile and fast Mongol army could easily flank or encircle the enemy, making deadly arrows rain down.
Tactically, the Mongols were also strategic masters. They will choose to fight on a battlefield that is in their favor, trying to avoid terrain that may be unfavorable to them.
If the battle did take place on terrain unfavorable to themselves, they would pretend to retreat or rout to draw enemy troops to a place more suitable for their tactics, and then they would turn around and annihilate them.
The Mongols also adhere to the concept of fairness and equality for all. Every Mongol soldier had the right to share the spoils of war, and even senior commanders had to take on trivial tasks. Anyone with a future and talent, who works hard and struggles, is likely to be promoted, regardless of the origin of the so-called hero.
In addition, the military discipline of the Mongols is also very strict. The Mongols were well aware of how important strict military discipline was to an army. Therefore, even the slightest violation is subject to severe penalties. In this way, the troops maintained strict discipline and loyalty.
The great military achievements of the Mongol tribes were almost unparalleled in history, but without the supermobility, tenacity, discipline and loyalty of the cavalry that made up the majority of the Mongol army, Genghis Khan would never have been able to achieve his grand feats.