The Mongol Art of War: Chinggis Khan and the Mongol Military System

by Timothy May

" An authoritative study of one of history's most feared and successful armies. . . . May concludes this definitive study by tracing the Mongol legacy to modern mechanized warfare." —Publishers Weekly "They razed cities to the ground, burnt woods, pulled down castles, tore up the vine trees, destroyed gardens, and massacred the citizens and husbandmen; if by chance they did spare any who begged their lives, they compelled them, as slaves of the lowest condition, to fight in front of them against their own kindred." — Matthew Paris recounting the devastation of Poland and Hungary in 1240 During the thirteenth century, Mongol armies under Chinggis Khan and his successors established the largest contiguous land empire in history, stretching across Asia and into eastern Europe. Contemporary descriptions of their conquests have led to a popular misconception that the Mongols were an undisciplined horde of terrifying horsemen who swept over opponents by sheer force of numbers. The Mongol army actually used highly trained regiments led by brilliant tacticians, such as Subutai, that carried out planned and practiced maneuvers. It was the strength, quality, and versatility of the Mongol military organization, not unchecked ferocity, that made them the pre-eminent warriors of their time. In The Mongol Art of War , historian Timothy May overturns myths and misunderstandings that distort our understanding of Mongol warfare, and demonstrates that the armies of Chinggis Khan had more in common with modern ones than with the armies of ancient Rome and those of the medieval kingdoms they confronted. Describing the make-up of the Mongol army from its inception to the demise of the Mongol Empire, the author examines the recruitment, weaponry, and training of the Mongol warrior. He also analyzes the organization, tactics, and strategies the Mongols used, how they adapted to fighting in different conditions and terrain—such as using harsh winter weather to their advantage—and overcame a variety of opponents by steadily changing and adopting new tactics and modes of combat.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Asia, Military Fiction, War, Military History, Medieval

214 pages, Hardcover

First published March 22, 2007

About the author

(Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison) is Professor of Central
Eurasian History at the University of North Georgia and serves as Associate Dean
of Arts & Letters. A scholar of the Mongol Empire, he focuses on Mongol military
history and strategy. He is the author of The Mongol Art of War (2007), The Mongol
Conquests in World History (2012), The Mongol Empire (2018), The Mongols
(2019), and Simply Chinggis (2021). In 2014, he was named the University of North
Georgia Alumni Distinguished Professor, and he earned the UNG Distinguished
Teaching Award in 2021.

Reviews

[Narantsogt Baatarkhuu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was dubious of this book while reading the first chapter. Another narrative of the Secret History of the Mongols? "Give me a break," I thought, "Temujin's origin is getting hackneyed!"

But then something beautiful happened. The first chapter covered the SHM, wait for it, from a military angle! All the drama with Toghril and Jamukha, there's potentially some military implications involved. That's new!

Then, the elusive Mongol Art of War! Oh, man alive! This book builds the Ikh Mongol Empire's military life like the wiki fan pages of Game of Thrones. It rules!

We know, e.g., that the khebtu'ul were like the Secret Service. But this book goes deeper. Qorcin-archers, Ula'acin-horse and wagon wranglers, Iludcin-sword and other weapons cache manager, etc.

The only thing I felt a bit disappointed was the exclusive focus of the Kwarezmian battle. Most of the other battles, like the Ayn Jalut, Mohi, and Shen Yang, seem a bit glossed over.

But overall, great book!

[Ridzwan · Rating 3 out of 5]

On one particular Friday in the year 1220, a strange slit-eyed man walked up to a mosque filled with terrified Muslims in the city of Bukhara. As he ascended the pulpit, citizens trembled as the conqueror faced his newly acquired citizens. He then began to spoke:

"O people, know that you have committed great sins, and that the great ones among you have committed these sins. If you ask me what proof I have for these words, I say it is because I am the punishment of God. If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."

Thousands were slaughtered shortly after these words. The man was Genghis Khan and he had just overran the mighty Muslim fort of Bukhara.

The sacking of several Muslim bastions such as Baghdad and Bukhara has had a profound effect in shaping Islam to what it is today. Muslim clerics of the time, humbled at the thought of losing to an unknown enemy, blamed it one the fact that its rulers were not Muslim enough in the governing of their territories. So began a process of Islamization in every aspect of a Muslim's life - from politics to military, remnants of which still exists today.

How did a nomad tribe like the Mongols rise up to become one of the most powerful military force of its time with conquered territories from China to Baghdad and Austria?

Timothy May reveals this in his 214-page hardcover. From their military and economic strategies, right down to their political maneuverings of the Khans. Lessons learned in this timely work will be applicable in life and business.

A much welcomed refresher from the countless number of Sun Tzu's Art of War titles that line the bookshelves today as it offers new insights and perspectives that are not found in other war strategy titles. The work may be factual but it is peppered with colourful anecdotes and and surprising facts that make The Mongol Art of War a very enjoyable read.

[Sean Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

When asked what I consider the greatest army of all time, I pick the Mongols of the 1200s. May's book is a good and accessible account of the Mongol military machine. This is no easy task as primary sources are few and more biased than usual, as most who wrote about Mongol campaigns came from subject people. One such historian has Genghis Khan literally making decisions after he died and while on his way to hell.

What makes May's account work is that he favors the practical over the sensational, gives reasoned explanations for Mongol success, and notes Mongol weaknesses and how they limited their ability to expand into western Europe (arguably) and particularly Syria. One I liked was the idea of the Mongol warrior as good, but not equal to military elites such as mamluks, samurai, and knights (the later of which I infer from the text). Thus these forces, if well led and with a few other advantages, could defeat them. My only gripe is that more commander biographies could have and should have been provided.

[John Weibull · Rating 3 out of 5]

More than barbarians, the Mongols were actually a highly-disciplined military force that helped to shape world history. The Mongols practically invented mobile warfare that we so highly value today. A good read.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would Djenghis Khan do?

If your anwswer is not crushing enemies, seeing them driven before you and hear the wailing of their women, then you don't get what he was all about. But joke aside this book, the Mongol art of war by Timothy May is the latest in a line of publications that have set out and turned an image of a smelly bloodthirsty barbarian warlord into the ambitious iron willed leader whose impact on the world resonates until this day. Unlike some books who focus on the unintentional contribution to globalization by the mongol conquests or their remarkably progressive laws on women, this book is all about what made the mongols such a standout factor in world history; warfare.

In all honesty this is a guilty pleasure subject for me that I indulge in from time to time so on the aspect of learning something new did the book little offer me; however for a novice it is a great starting point. The book starts with a detailed but brief overview of Mongol history. Halass the death of Kublai Khan (arguably the end of the golden age of Mongol rule) is still the end of this analysis. As it is with most books on Mongol history, the author chose to end when the conquering empire became seperate khanates. I feel this is missed opportunity for by doing so the book fails to explain why the mongols lost their dominace in all regions they had conquered (with exception of what is Mongolia today). Other chapters go into detail on equipment, logistics, medicine, leadership, siegeworks, espionage, tactics and long term strategy but again limited to the imperial period. The three final chapters I liked best; detailed accounts of the wars they fought both from their point of view as that of their enemies and analysis of the tactics available and used by the enemies of the Mongols as well as their reaction of it. The final Chapter is dedicated to the long term impact of mongol warfare on the societies they encountered, in particular Russia; again it would have been ideal to add the long term changes of the mongol art of war in stead of hints and little snap shots sprinkled in the chapters. It does cost May a star in my appreciation.

One aspect I liked tremendously however is May's refusal to go all out great man history on this subject. Yes Djenhis khan was pivotal but he was not a unique genius who did everything by himself, he was surrounded by several strong generals, companions and commanders several of whom had risen up from the lowest ranks of Mongol society (Subotai as the example par excellence). Djenghis khan and his early successors possible greatest skill, as argued by Timothy May, was their uncanny ability to spot potential both in people as well as techniques, material, weapons and tactics they encountered. Supported by a relentless drive to instill discipline and perfect what they got to achieve their goal of conquering all they deemed a threat to the mongol nation they had molded out of the disperse tribes of the steppes, forest and plains.

As I said, I have been interested in the subject for some time and did not learn as much as a novice would from reading this book. It was interesting to read that other steppe khans had been experimenting with the decimal organisation system for their warbands. I found the suggestion that perhaps more impressive then the existence of military genius among the mongol command such as General Jebe was the fact that most if not all Mongol commanders were competent and
could reasonably be expected to follow orders even when far away, a feat not to be expected in most contemporary armies and states and a rare example of a truly merit based hierarchy (minus his own household off course) and pre modern non religious ideological conviction.

The book is more a refresher then anything else for me but a pleasurable one at that and off course details of specific military campaigns are fun to read about. When viewed in hindsight the mongol expansion is a non stop drive but when one goes into the details it was far more careful, conservative and planned then one would expect. Did the mongol warfare style influence modern tank based strategy and tactics? According to Timothy May it did! but I am not quite convinced to be honest. He points out British scholars studies on the potential of mongol style deep penetration of the enemy land by communicating mobile forces as well as one soviet general's appreciation of the mongols and who road a military manual, but I feel this deserves a more in depth study of military manuals and academies curriculum to fully appreciate the long lasting impact of Mongol warfare.

so in conclusion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeXG9...

[Jared Trueheart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great in-depth info

The strength of this book is that it goes in to great detail about things like recruiting, training, formations, and tactics. The weakness is that it does not give enough examples of mongol principles in action. It gives a few with illustrations but more would have made it a five. Right now I would give it a 4.5 but I always round up because I am an optimist.

[Yogi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simply-written, short, straightforward account of a fascinating topic. It's a good supplement to Dan Carlin's "Wrath of the Khans" podcasts.

[Jared · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always impressed when a history author manages to present a story in a compelling and interesting way while also staying true to history. By that I mean also paying homage to historiography and discussing the merit of the sources and/or presenting alternative histories when applicable. Being objective.

May does a splendid job of tackling the Mongol Art of War from various viewpoints, including discussions on the rise and fall of the Mongol Empire, individuals of note, the organization of the Mongol fighting force and bureaucracy, the evolution and advantages/disadvantages of Mongol mobile warfare, and specific battles and lessons learned from different opponents. Not only does May have to keep track of a bewildering number of foreign names and terms, he also has to understand military tactics and the history of the entire region...which at the height of the Mongol Empire covered a large portion of the known world.

This book isn't for everyone. You have to be a history buff or, more particularly, a military history buff and an ethnography buff to really get into it. But I am one, so it worked for me. The closest thing I can compare it to is The Washing of the Spears, a book about Shaka Zulu's army, which I also really enjoyed. 4.5 stars.

[António Vasconcellos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Book as a lot of valuable information regarding the strategy and tactics of the mongols outside the battlefield, how they used intelligence via spies, merchants, embassies and vanguard forces that rode more than 50km ahead of the army.
The simple fact that the mongols never started a war before first gathering the most intelligence possible, geographically(The terrain and alternative routes), politically and militarily to take advantage in every possible way before it even started, it discredits the myth around the Mongols descentralized way of rule, and started a war ramdonly without preparation and consideration about who the enemy was.
It shows how the mongols adapted to the various theatres of war they faced with new enemies besides the ones from the steppe, with special mention the campaign against the Song.
It also shows exactly how the mongols proceeded to recruit new soldiers from the new conquered territories.
Also it is the first book I've seen that actually demonstrates the formations of the Mongol army one by one, at least the reported by the sources that are close to the ones knowned to us, as the sources lack almost any valuable info on this topic.
With a final opinion of the author about the legacy in the next centuries warfare.
Recommend this book.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short history of the Mongol Empire focusing on their military. It was very interesting learning how what was essentially a nomadic tribe adapted to different aspects of war, such as sieges, naval combat, and armored knights. The organization of the book could have been better and I wish the maps at the beginning of the book had been spread out through the book.

[Greta Cady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

A bit repetitive at times, but the intro chapter is an especially useful summary of Mongolian history. Good contextual analysis of how and why the Mongols did what they did best.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. The prologue and the first chapter are probably the best summary of the story of an empire I’ve read. Much of the content is repeated across the book (e.g., the story of the caravan in Otrar). Still, a fairly easy read.

[Jake Mcconnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty in depth analysis of Mongol tactics. Everything you ever wanted to know about Mongol logistics, leadership, strategy, and pay much any other aspect of the Mongol fighting force. Perfect for any history buff.

[Paul A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every aspect of Mongol military organization, logistics, and tactics are covered here. Each section is not overly long, but May manages to pack quite a lot detail and information in each section, going deeper than most popular histories regarding the Mongols. Training, weapons and armor, medical care, and many more topics are addressed thoroughly and succinctly.

[Robert Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

E version is glitchy

I did enjoy reading the actual content of the book, however it was formatted in a weird way and couldn't be read from beginning to end because some of the chapters couldn't be completely read.

[Pronto · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent overview of the methods behind this fascinating civilization's rise to power and subsequent conquests. My interest in the Mongols has only grown deeper after reading this book.

[Mathieu Robichaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on the mongols.

[Jeffrey Cavanaugh · Rating 2 out of 5]

A rather poorly organized and written examination of Mongol military methods.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Its my second read, actually.

Timothy May begins with a succinct history of the Mongol Empire in the first chapter, then covers specific aspects of their mode of warfare -- the traditional horseback steppe-warrior archery and traditional steppe decimal-based division of soldiers, the continual incorporation of new and successful elements of warfare including siege engines and gun-powder based explosives, the constant need of the Mongols to obtain and hold onto grazing pasture for their horses and the limiting factor this played on their ability to commit troops to given areas, and the intense focus on discipline and complete intolerance of disobedience. This book also covers major battles including the Mongol victories over the Naiman in 1204, the Russians/Rus at Khalkhiin Gol in 1224, the Jin in 1227, and the Khwarazmians in 1233. May describes the types of weapons and body armor (hard leather primarily) used by Mongol soldiers, describes the food they ate, and the types of horses they road. He closes the book with a discussion of the way the Mongol armies tactics and style of warfare influenced their European contemporaries, later armies that developed in Eurasia, and even modern armies in WWII and beyond.

Overall I'd say this book is a well-written, thoroughly researched, succinct, and objective look at the way Mongolians conducted war in the 12th and 13th centuries.

[Dima · Rating 2 out of 5]

For those of you who never get enough of Chinggis Khan and his Mongolian Empire, the book by Timothy May will be quite handful. It’s no where near as exciting as the Soviet published A.G Yan historical novel based on the surviving accounts of a learnt dervish from Bukhara (forgot his name - the book's in Jakarta). It' also not as good as Jack Weatherford’s Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World [also have a go at History of Money by the same author]. But if you’re a fan, then any account on the Great Khan and his legacies is good enough.

There’s plenty to read about Mongol’s conquest, their tactics and strategies at war, how they prepare their army, or if these nomads really did had any army in the modern sense, and so forth. Not much about the terror we like to get clear about, but there are some obvious hints.

I won’t bother about how academic this book is, especially since Timothy uses a rather academic language. May can sound boring at times, but he's always quick at it, which is good. so don’t be too scared about his choice of language, it wont drain you. It’s clear enough to let your imaginations run wild, and it’s short. The thick impression is mainly due to glossary and bibliography sections which are a third on their own. So yes, you are reading a dissertation of some sort.

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always on the lookout for books that fill out non-Western history, a large blank area in my library. "Mongol Art of War" by Timothy May is a nice, thin volume that covers its subject basically and lucidly. A brief political history provides the context for a bottom-to-top examination of the steppe-warrior tradition practiced by the Mongols: horse, weapons, armor/clothing, tactics, operations, strategy.

May's prose is simple and to-the-point. He doesn't get bogged in in massive academic qualifiers and hair-splitting. Despite source materials being scattered throughout half-a-dozen non-Western languages, May pulls together the story, offering analysis to better understand the reasoning behind Mongol campaigns. Dispelled is the notion that Genghiz Khan and his successors were bloody-minded maniacs intent on nothing but killing and destruction--it all served a strategic purpose. Such violence was selective, not indiscriminate, as terror brought more surrenders than sieges.

This is a good book to have on the shelf, and it was fun to read.

[Mohammed Abdikhader Firdhiye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my Military History University course.

This my professor said was the most complete military history book of The Mongols art of war, their importance for military history.

It is a hailed newer book in the field and i can see why it was very dense with alot data, alot about Central Asia,Western Asia,East Asia history,names,peoples but it was fascinating, objective written about them, their warfare. There was no western bias,myths about the barbaric horde. More respect, admiration for how modern their military system was compared to Medieval European warfare.

[Malvika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in a simple, engaging narrative style, this book clearly analyses the Mongols on each parameter of warfare. An eye opening book and one that definitely left me wanting to know more about this fascinating culture.

[Reza Amiri Praramadhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most detailed books about the Mongols' military organisation and strategy. It makes me wonder who's the true barbarian at the time, the West, or the Mongols, considering the latter's militarily superior tactics and discipline.

[Collarbone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, though not what I expected. I thought it would be a translation, like The Art of War or The Book of Five Rings, but it is a modern-written, collegiate level, military history dissection. Very detailed.

[Jintong Shi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An academic treatise on the Mongols. Cool.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

May's work has fascinating information on how the Mongols dealt with their many enemies. I would recommend this work to be in the bookshelves of those who want to study the topic of Mongol warfare.