The armor of the Mongol warriors was relatively light by the standards of the medieval world, and it was designed to allow mobility rather than to provide maximum protection. The basic armor of the Mongol warrior consisted of a cuirass (a body armor), a helmet, and a set of greaves (leg armor), all made primarily of leather. The armor was light enough to allow the warrior to move quickly and to fight from horseback, but heavy enough to provide some protection against arrows and swords.
The Mongols did not use metal armor in the same way as the European knights, and they did not use chain mail or plate armor. The reason was partly that the Mongols did not have the metallurgical tradition to produce large amounts of high-quality armor, and partly that the Mongols preferred mobility to protection. The light armor of the Mongols was, in effect, a deliberate choice, and it was one of the factors that gave the Mongols their tactical advantage.
The Cuirass
The cuirass was the basic body armor of the Mongol warrior. The cuirass was typically made of hardened leather, and it was reinforced with metal plates in some cases. The cuirass covered the chest and the back, and it was held in place by leather straps. The cuirass was designed to provide protection against arrows and swords, but it was light enough to allow the warrior to move freely.
The most elaborate of the Mongol cuirasses were the lamellar cuirasses, which were made of small plates of metal or hardened leather laced together in horizontal rows. The lamellar cuirass was a sophisticated piece of armor, and it was particularly effective against arrows. The lamellar cuirass was, however, also more expensive and more time-consuming to produce than the simple leather cuirass, and it was typically reserved for the more senior warriors.
The Helmet
The helmet was the basic head protection of the Mongol warrior. The helmet was typically made of leather or iron, and it was designed to protect the head and the neck. The helmet typically had a brim that extended over the neck, and it was often equipped with a nasal guard that protected the nose.
The most elaborate of the Mongol helmets were the iron helmets of the senior warriors. The iron helmet was a sophisticated piece of armor, and it was particularly effective against swords and arrows. The iron helmet was, however, also more expensive and more time-consuming to produce than the simple leather helmet, and it was typically reserved for the more senior warriors.
The most famous of the Mongol helmets was the “kaik” helmet, a type of conical helmet that was widely used by the Mongols and the other steppe peoples. The kaik helmet was made of iron or hardened leather, and it was typically equipped with a nasal guard and a brim. The kaik helmet was a distinctive piece of Mongol armor, and it was widely copied by the armies of the successor states of the Mongol Empire.
The Greaves
The greaves were the basic leg protection of the Mongol warrior. The greaves were typically made of leather, and they were designed to protect the legs from arrows and swords. The greaves were held in place by leather straps, and they were typically worn over the trousers.
The greaves were not as elaborate as the cuirass or the helmet, and they were typically made of simple leather. The greaves were, however, an important piece of armor, and they were a major factor in the protection of the warrior’s legs.
The Shield
The shield was not a major part of the Mongol warrior’s equipment. The Mongols preferred mobility to protection, and they did not use shields in the same way as the European knights. The Mongols did, however, use small bucklers, which were round shields about 30-40 cm in diameter, and which were held in the hand and used to deflect arrows and swords.
The small buckler was a useful piece of equipment, but it was not a major factor in the protection of the warrior. The Mongols relied primarily on their mobility to avoid enemy fire, and they used the buckler only as a last resort.
The Lack of Heavy Armor
The Mongols did not use heavy armor in the same way as the European knights, and they did not use chain mail or plate armor. The reason was partly that the Mongols did not have the metallurgical tradition to produce large amounts of high-quality armor, and partly that the Mongols preferred mobility to protection. The light armor of the Mongols was, in effect, a deliberate choice, and it was one of the factors that gave the Mongols their tactical advantage.
The light armor of the Mongols was a major disadvantage in close combat against heavily armored opponents, particularly against the European knights in the thirteenth century. The Mongols compensated for this disadvantage by using superior tactics, including the feigned retreat and the envelopment, which allowed them to avoid close combat whenever possible. The Mongols also used the long range of their bows to kill the heavily armored opponents before they could close to close combat.
The Legacy of the Mongol Armor
The Mongol armor was a major factor in the success of the Mongol military, and it was widely copied by the armies of the successor states of the Mongol Empire. The light armor of the Mongols was particularly well suited to the conditions of steppe warfare, and it was one of the keys to the success of the Mongol military tradition.
The legacy of the Mongol armor is also visible in the modern world. The emphasis on mobility and the use of light armor are both features of the modern military that can be traced, in part, to the Mongol military tradition. The Mongols were, in this sense, a model of military innovation, and the light armor is one of the most distinctive features of the Mongol military tradition.
Sources
- Timothy May, The Mongol Art of War (Barnsley, 2007).
- David Morgan, The Mongols (2nd ed., Oxford, 2007).
- Christopher I. Beckwith, Empires of the Silk Road (Princeton, 2009).