Genghis Khan’s Mongol forces constructed one of the world’s greatest empires, but it came at a price. The warlord, you see, was not afraid of horrible brutality. This brutal tyrant imposed strict rules and regulations that governed his men’s behavior both on and off the battlefield. Many regulations have been set, some of which are difficult for us to comprehend. But, of course, rules are rules, and they must adhere to them, no matter how absurd they are. And, as you can expect, anyone who dared to challenge him suffered harsh consequences… So here’s what it was like to be one of his rebels.
18+ Wild Rules That Genghis Khan’s Warrior Had To Live By
#20. Keeping Genghis Khan’s Tomb A Secret
Genghis Khan died on a summer day in 1227. You’d think the great man, who was the monarch of everything he viewed, would be buried in a gorgeous and conspicuous tomb. But in reality, it was a long way off. In reality, the emperor was supposed to demand the exact opposite.
#20. Keeping Genghis Khan’s Tomb A Secret
That’s What We Thought…
Genghis Khan reportedly ordered that he be buried in secret, with nothing to mark his grave. As a result, when Genghis Khan died, grieving troops transported his body to a secret location. You even repeatedly ran 1,000 horses over his grave to remove any trace of his presence! After 800 years, no one knows where Genghis Khan is.
That’s What We Thought…
#19. Master The Art Of Archery
One of the primary reasons for Genghis Khan’s success? His men’s archery skills were outstanding. However, the art of manufacturing didn’t come out of nowhere. No, Genghis Khan promised that Mongols would be trained from childhood. All children were put to the test in various combat skills. Wrestling, horseback riding, sports, and archery were among them.
#19. Master The Art Of Archery
Best Bows At All Times
And Genghis Khan’s army required more than just a high level of architecture. While racing about on their horses, Mongol soldiers were reported to be adept at shooting arrows. However, the tyrant ensured that his soldiers had the best bows available at the time. It was cutting-edge wooden core weapons that, in the proper hands, could be fatal.
Best Bows At All Times
#18. Horses Are Prioritized At All Times
For a Mongol warrior, nothing was more important than his horse friend. Soldiers, on the other hand, don’t have just one horse! According to the Encyclopedia of World History, they used a group of four or five horses on various occasions. As a result, whenever Genghis Khan summoned them, they always found a new one.
#18. Horses Are Prioritized At All Times
Horses Are Important For Their Warriors
As a result, the Mongols gave their opponents a tremendous advantage. Horses allowed them to traverse large distances at high speeds. But the horse was important to Genghis Khan for another reason. The animals were used as a wealth indicator. As a result, we should expect every Mongolian guerrilla worth his salt to treat his horses with respect.
Horses Are Important For Their Warriors
#17. Always Be Prepared To Retreat
In actuality, the Mongol hordes are based on a cliché of them running through the steppes and conquering everything. They did not always win by charging headlong into battle. Soldiers were significantly more intelligent. Genghis Khan made extensive use of the tactical retreat as a military strategy.
#17. Always Be Prepared To Retreat
The Reality Behind It…
According to HistoryNet.com, the Mongols launched a brief attack before retreating rapidly into chaos. When the enemy began pursuing the intended escape, the main Mongol forces would strike. If the oncoming enemy soldiers were uneducated, Genghis Khan’s army would thoroughly demolish them. And it appears that this retreat has resulted in some victories.
The Reality Behind It…
#16. Be Openminded To All Religions
Genghis Khan had violently conquered Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. As a result, his religious tolerance may come as a surprise. Shamanism, spirits, and devotion were all important to the Mongols. However, the people they dominated did not appear eager to accept their faith. What’s going on?
#16. Be Openminded To All Religions
Respect Can Make Things Easier
Genghis Khan appeared to believe that forcing religion on others would be more problem than good. The Mongols are also claimed to have attempted to acquire religious leaders on the right-hand side of the acquired territory. They even exempted priests and sacred sites from paying taxes. It is said that Genghis Khan believed it would make it less likely for conquered nations to revolt.
Respect Can Make Things Easier
#15. Compulsory military service
Perhaps Genghis Khan had to put his work first. The more men he had under his command, the easier it would be to achieve his territorial objectives. As a result, it’s no surprise that the Mongols didn’t rely on volunteers. No, the Mongol military’s readiness to serve was decided by strict standards.
#15. Compulsory Military Service
The Mongol Art Of War
All capable males between the ages of 16 and 60 – particular sources indicate 15 to 70 – can be asked to serve as soldiers. In his 2017 book The Mongol Art of War, Timothy May believes that one in every seven Mongolians is a fighter. It is an astonishingly militarized civilization.
The Mongol Art Of War
#14. Sharing
They will not pay your soldiers what they believe is their due deserts if there is a way to lose their devotion. Despite the fact that the Mongols were paid a little, the warriors were luxuriously created. However, Genghis Khan had a rule. It shouldn’t come as a shock.
#14. Sharing
Division Of Loots
When the Mongols kidnapped more people, they grabbed their wealth, including gold and silver, horses, and slaves. And Genghis Khan made certain that the wealth was distributed fairly. Of course, that didn’t happen until an opponent was completely defeated. The jarqu was then apprenticed by a special committee.
Division Of Loots
#13. Equality Under The Law
Another possibly unexpected aspect of Genghis Khan’s leadership was his creation of a set of laws. And it was due to a degree of equality among the Mongols. Genghis Khan points out in his book Modern Mongolia Reclaim that the Warlord’s regulations accomplished this in two ways.
13. Equality Under The Law
Abiding The Rules
First and foremost, Genghis Khan’s policies ensured that stronger fighters were promoted rather than those with royal ties. Second, the Mongol norms ensured the safety and prestige of women. Mongolian women were frequently politically strong and able to act as shamans when women’s rights were not recognized elsewhere.
Abiding The Rules
#12. Always Obey The Rules
Genghis Khan and his lieutenants were the epitome of unquestioned fealty from the armed forces. Orders must be followed at all times. If soldiers and even leaders do not obey the written instructions, they will be caught. In reality, the official was in charge of the guy who was fined if any soldier’s gear was missing.
#12. Always Obey The Rules
It Should Be Taken Seriously
The ultimate penalty for such infractions has been performance. Sleeping while on duty as a guardian, abandonment, or withdrawal without instructions were all crimes punishable by death. According to Grunge.com: “These men… are more obedient to their masters than any other men in the world. Fights, brawls, wounding, murder is never met with among them.” in 1245—Friar Giovanni di Plano Carpini—wrote. There are never struggles, struggles, wounds, murders.”
It Should Be Taken Seriously
#11. Practice hit-and-run tactics
Genghis Khan’s army was primarily made up of horseback archers. These highly mobile troops were ideal for one of the Mongols’ preferred warfare techniques. This was the hit-and-run attack, which had to be practiced and polished over and over again.
#11. Practice Hit And Run Tactics
It’s All Part Of The Plan
The troops would attack rapidly, frequently killing their opponents with their bows, and then flee before the enemy army could recover its numbers. The enemy’s weaponry are out of range, thus these fast horseback riding rides are common. When their opponents were sufficiently agitated by hit-and-run tactics, the Mongols would make a final devastating attack.
It’s All Part Of The Plan
#10. Target The Leaders Of The Enemy
Taking down an enemy force’s commanders can cause havoc. This was clearly a strategy that Genghis Khan encouraged his troops to use. Genghis Khan’s earliest conflicts did, in fact, have a strategy. He attempted and succeeded in uniting the Mongolians under a single ruler: himself.
#10. Target The Leaders Of The Enemy
Allowing Leaders To Escape Is A Big Mistake
Genghis Khan quickly realized that allowing opposition leaders to flee was a mistake. It meant that, despite the battlefield setback, they could gather their troops and fight another day. As a result, he was constantly ensuring that his opponents, generals, and kings, were thrown to the sword.
Allowing Leaders To Escape Is A Big Mistake
#9. Always The Right Place, And The Right Time
Genghis Khan was a master of one of the most important war rules: knowing when and where to attack his foes. Until he was certain of the situation, the Mongolian leader avoided attacking an opponent. And he wouldn’t launch an attack till then.
#9. Always The Right Place, And The Right Time
Generalship…
To avoid an improper battlefield, Genghis Khan’s effective leadership would periodically break the Mongolian forces into units. They would come together if the timing was just right for the final blow. This would frequently take the shape of a surprise attack, which would quickly overwhelm the opponent.
Generalship…
#8. Take the flanks
Carrying the enemy army headlong is the most straightforward way to fight a battle. Genghis Khan, on the other hand, had a number of devious tactics at his disposal. One rule was the flanking movement. Some of his soldiers were stationed there to keep away from the enemy’s core. Instead, they’d roll around the flanks of an enemy force.
#8. Take The Flanks
The Best Tactic
This is how Genghis Khan might envelop an enemy force. This strategy can also be used in conjunction with a scheduled retreat. As a result, whenever the enemy moved in pursuit, the Mongolians could strike from the sides and rear. The retreating Mongols might then turn around and assault the front. Genghis Khan used similar tactics to defeat army armies with greater numbers.
The Best Tactic
#7. Win sieges with engineering
A fortified City presented Genghis Khan with an entirely new battlefield difficulty. If a foe had enough supplies in his citadel, he could survive longer, hidden behind towering battles. Unless such a fortification was defeated, Genghis Khan could not feel safe in the region he invaded. So, what exactly did he do? So what?
#7. Win Sieges With Engineering
Skill Is Everything!
In the siege battle, he made certain that the Mongolian force included engineers and experts. Many of the skilled fighters that helped capture Genghis Khan came from Chinese and Muslim countries. They used gunpowder and massive catapults to hurl rocks against castle walls, artillery, and even rockets.
Skill Is Everything!
#6. Always Divide Your Enemy
Genghis Khan frequently triumphed via sheer military might. He was not afraid to use diplomacy or trickery when they made winning easier. For example? The Mongolians exploited every opportunity to inflame hate among their foes’ multiple factions.
#6. Always Divide Your Enemy
The Book Of The Mongol Art Of War
In his book The Mongol Art of War, Timothy May quotes French architect Jean de Joinville from the 13th century. The latter wrote, “When the Mongols want to battle against the Saracens, they will send Christians against them, and in all the wars against Christians, they will use Saracens.” Like Genghis Khan, who crippled his opponents by using pre-existing bad blood.
The Book Of The Mongol Art Of War
#5. Always Move Fast
One of the primary components of success for Genghis Khan and his horde was movement. With their strong horses, they could travel at incredible speeds across huge distances. This gave them the opportunity to perplex or surprise their opponents. It was claimed that such rapid military mobility would not be seen again until the 20th century when motorized forces were introduced.
#5. Always Move Fast
Practice Makes Perfect
According to the Encyclopedia of World History, Genghis Khan compelled Mongolian warriors to travel 75 kilometers each day on occasion. To ensure that they could keep up with the quick pace, soldiers were given up to sixteen replacement mounts. They could travel large distances quickly because of their amazing mobility. However, it also meant that they might act in a devastating manner on the battlefield.
Practice Makes Perfect
#4. Gather Smart Information
Genghis Khan did not lead his warriors into battle until he had made rigorous preparations. According to HistoryNet.com, gathering intelligence is an important part of this pre-attack planning. Of course, the number of soldiers available to the general was critical; hence, the first step was to count the men available.
#4. Gather Smart Information
Going Undercover
The Mongols then discovered what their adversary was capable of. To gather intelligence, spies disguised as religious men or businesspeople would infiltrate enemy territory. They’d also look for any twisting robes that would betray the Mongol purpose. And as Genghis Khan’s army advanced, the spies would declare the land’s deception. Nothing has been left to chance!
Going Undercover
#3. Maximise And Use All Weapons
The Mongol soldiers’ ability to launch a dense cloud of arrows must have terrified their enemies. Genghis Khan’s bow, on the other hand, had additional cords. Or, to be more precise, his troops possessed a wide range of other dreadful weapons.
#3. Maximise And Use All Weapons
The Brutal Use Of Resources
Take the 1221 Nishapur Siege in modern-day Iran. The Mongols had 300 ballistae, gigantic catapults capable of lancing opposing pitchers or spears when they attacked it. The Mongols had three thousand powerful crossbows, which they used to great effect. What went wrong? – What went wrong? The besieged city surrendered in under three days, and its entire population was killed.
The Brutal Use Of Resources
#2. Commandeer enemy technology
Genghis Khan’s major asset was his ability to adapt, and he was not afraid to use his opponents’ innovations. The Mongols’ weaponry were relatively primitive at the start of their journeys. When the military captured another country, however, more sophisticated military technology and even battle styles were absorbed.
#2. Commandeer Enemy Technology
Mongols could now also deploy the heavy variant to good effect…
The Mongols stripped their horses of steel helmets, chains, breastplates, and armor when they invaded Western Asia. This allowed the Mongols to successfully combine the heavier version with their traditional light cavalry. Smart!
Mongols Could Now Also Deploy The Heavy Variant To Good Effect.
#1. Great Horsemanship
The Mongols’ civilization relied heavily on horses. They contributed significantly to their combat victory. Horsemanship was so important that it was mandated that all children learn to ride. As a result, Genghis Khan’s army was accustomed to traveling by horseback. The Mongols also made advantage of a vital innovation: the metal stirrup.
#1. Great Horsemanship
The Stirrup
The exact date when the stirrup was devised is unknown, although the Mongols probably employed it in its entirety. A guerrilla riding in stirrups may keep both hands free while riding his horse. He could also shoot arrows while moving quickly. The Mongolians were able to win so many battles thanks to this horrible martial talent.
The Stirrup
Life As A Mongol Warrior
Being a Mongol warrior wasn’t easy, thus… Not at all! In this respect, history has driven not only Genghis’ troops to follow a rigid code. Take, for example, the Freemasons. Their secret rituals have been meticulously enforced for decades — until now. Members of the covert society must obey 40 of the most terrifying, interesting, and bizarre rules ever devised.
Life As A Mongol Warrior
40. Don’t sit in the east unless you’ve been asked to do so
Do you recall how some high school cliques would always sit together at lunch? Something similar happens in Freemason lodges. The individual serving as “Adorable Master” is in the room’s east corner. There are no other members in this area until they are invited. Former Worshipful Masters can also be found there. In theory, it’s the same as sitting at the fantastic children’s table.
40. Don’t Sit In The East Unless You’ve Been Asked To Do So
39. You Must Believe In God
If you’re an out-of-the-box atheist, you’re unlikely to gain a job at your local lodge – unless you admit it. Why? To join the Freemasons, you must believe in a “Supreme Being.” God is essentially this. God is here. Even if you’re not particularly religious, you must at least pay lip service to join.
39. You Must Believe In God
38. Don’t speak without permission
Would you call one of your closest friends or family members a blabbermouth? So, you should practice your language. When it comes to “degrees,” Freemasons must remain silent; only the Adorable Master can enable you to speak in these situations. Oh, and no whispering is allowed.
38. Don’t Speak Without Permission
37. There are specific greeting rituals
While most freemasons’ laws and rituals are shrouded in mystery, one quirk has been explored for years and regularly mocked. Yes, we’re talking about the secret handshake. But there isn’t just one! When ascending, it’s all about your position in the company, as you should use the greeting changes. This is just one method for people to recognize outside gatherings.
37. There Are Specific Greeting Rituals
36. Don’t turn your back on the Worshipful Master
As you would guess from the title, the adoring Master is the de facto head of a Freemason lodge. It implies that he must be treated with the respect he deserves. Before speaking to the chamber, members must confront the Adorable Master. Don’t look away from him because it’s a big no-no.
36. Don’t Turn Your Back On The Worshipful Master
35. Don’t talk politics
You’ve probably heard of Freemasons, who devise schemes to run the world according to conspiracy theories. Is this correct? Is this correct? No way, no how. Although members are free to discuss politics in their daily lives – especially if they are the president or a member of congress, for example – these topics are strictly prohibited within the lodges. Sorry, but the illusion has been shattered!
35. Don’t Talk Politics
34. Leave outside quarrels behind
Among the Free Masons, there is no room for bad blood. We do not always get along with everyone we encounter, but for the Masons, if two members have a falling out, they can’t take it to the lodge. Every disease should be left at the door because it may cause disruptions.
34. Leave Outside Quarrels Behind
33. You must vote when necessary
Voting is an important part of being a freemason since it helps to keep lodges under pressure. But what happens if you don’t? According to the Masonic Education Lodge, “a brother who won’t vote is unwilling because he is skewing voting. In a strong chain, it becomes the weak link.” Callous words.
33. You Must Vote When Necessary