Source: John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, in Christopher Dawson, The Mongol Mission, London: Sheed and Ward 1955. Carpini on Battle Tactics When they draw all the battle lines just as they are (about) to fight.The chiefs or princes of the army do not take part in the fighting but take up their stand some distance away facing the enemy, and they have beside them their children on horse-back and their womenfolk and horses; and sometimes they make fig- ures of men and set them on horses. They do this to give the impression that a great crowd of fighting men is assembled there. They send a detachment of captives and men of other nationalities who are fighting with them to meet the enemy head-on, and some of the Tartars (Mongols) may perhaps accompany them. Other columns of stronger men they dispatch far off to the right and the left so that they are not seen by the enemy and in this way they surround them and close in and so the fighting begins from all sides Sometimes when they are few in number they are thought by the enemy, who are surrounded, to be many, especially when the latter catch sight of the children women, horses and dummy figures... They reduce fortresses in the following manner. If the position of the fortress allows it, they surround they are going to join battle, it, sometimes even fencing it round so that no one can enter or leave. They make a strong attack with engines (catapults for slinging large stones) and arrows and they do not leave off fighting by day or night,so that those inside the fortress get no sleep;the Tartars however get some rest, for they divide up their forces and they take it in turns to fight so that they do not get too tired.If they cannot capture it in this way they throw Greek fire (napalm); some times they even take the fat of the people they kill and, melting it, throw (catapult) it on to the houses, and wherever the fire falls on this fat it is almost inextinguishable. While they are pitched before the fortification they speak enticing words to the inhabitants making them many promises to induce them to sur-render into their hands. If they do surrender to them, they say: "Come out, so that we may count you according to our custom" and when they come out to them they seek out the artificers (artisans) among them and keep these , but the others, with the exception of those they wish to have as slaves, they kill with the axe.... __ 1. Describe the battle tactics of the Mongols. 2. How could these tactics be seen as barbaric? 3.How could these tactics be seen as not barbaric?

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Source: John of Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols, in Christopher Dawson, The Mongol Mission, London: Sheed and Ward 1955. Carpini on Battle Tactics When they draw all the battle lines just as they are (about) to fight.The chiefs or princes of the army do not take part in the fighting but take up their stand some distance away facing the enemy, and they have beside them their children on horse-back and their womenfolk and horses; and sometimes they make fig- ures of men and set them on horses. They do this to give the impression that a great crowd of fighting men is assembled there. They send a detachment of captives and men of other nationalities who are fighting with them to meet the enemy head-on, and some of the Tartars (Mongols) may perhaps accompany them. Other columns of stronger men they dispatch far off to the right and the left so that they are not seen by the enemy and in this way they surround them and close in and so the fighting begins from all sides Sometimes when they are few in number they are thought by the enemy, who are surrounded, to be many, especially when the latter catch sight of the children women, horses and dummy figures... They reduce fortresses in the following manner. If the position of the fortress allows it, they surround they are going to join battle, it, sometimes even fencing it round so that no one can enter or leave. They make a strong attack with engines (catapults for slinging large stones) and arrows and they do not leave off fighting by day or night,so that those inside the fortress get no sleep;the Tartars however get some rest, for they divide up their forces and they take it in turns to fight so that they do not get too tired.If they cannot capture it in this way they throw Greek fire (napalm); some times they even take the fat of the people they kill and, melting it, throw (catapult) it on to the houses, and wherever the fire falls on this fat it is almost inextinguishable. While they are pitched before the fortification they speak enticing words to the inhabitants making them many promises to induce them to sur-render into their hands. If they do surrender to them, they say: "Come out, so that we may count you according to our custom" and when they come out to them they seek out the artificers (artisans) among them and keep these , but the others, with the exception of those they wish to have as slaves, they kill with the axe.... __ 1. Describe the battle tactics of the Mongols. 2. How could these tactics be seen as barbaric? 3.How could these tactics be seen as not barbaric?

Answer 1

Carpini describes Mongol battle tactics as follows:1. **Deployment Strategy**: Mongols draw battle lines just before fighting, with chiefs positioned at a distance with their families and dummy figures to create the illusion of a larger force.2. **Diversions and Surroundings**: They send detachments of captives and fighters to engage the enemy head-on, while stronger forces are sent around to flank and surround the enemy, initiating fighting from all sides.3. **Siege Tactics**: Mongols surround fortresses, sometimes fencing them off completely. They employ constant attacks with engines, arrows, and Greek fire, depriving defenders of sleep. They rotate forces to maintain freshness. If necessary, they resort to throwing melted fat or Greek fire to set structures ablaze, making fires nearly impossible to extinguish.4. **Psychological Warfare**: Mongols use enticing words and promises to persuade fortress inhabitants to surrender. Once surrendered, they separate artisans for retention and kill the rest, except those deemed suitable for slavery.

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