Indian Antiquary Vol 16

SR No.: 032508
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 408
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

Page 139

APRIL, 1887.]
CHINGHIZ KHAN AND HIS ANCESTORS
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most figure in Asiatic history, not only from the strong, that they speedily increased the great area which he conquered, but still more from the circuit of his dominions. length of time which his conquests remained How so much was done so quickly and with in his family, and the deep impress he made so very few errors, is a great pazzle, until we upon the polity of the Asiatic peoples. Timur realize what an elaborate and perfect machine compared with him was but a transient meteor, Chinghiz had created in his highly organized and it must also be remembered that the wea. army, or rather his nation organized like an pons which Timur fought with were ready army. “The nomad nations," says an historian to his hand, while those which Chinghiz Khân of Russia, "are armies, irregular indeed, but used he had to make. It is not, therefore, easily put in motion,prompt, and always on foot; strange that his name should occur in so much whatever they leave behind them, can be of the poetry of the desert, and should even guarded by old men, women and children. To have reached the far west; where, as Colonel such nations war is not an event; for long Yule has argaed, Chaucer's Cambuscan Bold marches produce but little change in the habits probably represented our hero through the of a wandering people; their houses, their prointermediate form of Father Ricold's Camius visions march along with them; and this is of Can. It is more strange that he should have some importance in uncultivated and uninhabeen almost lost sight of in English literature. bited forests." There was no distinction among
D'Ohsson has admirably condensed the the Mongols between civilian and soldier; all accounts of him left us by Juveni, Rashidu'd were soldiers who could carry arms, save per. din, &c. Chinghis Kh&n, he says, owed his haps a few Shamanist medicine men. They triumphs to the strength of his will and the could live anywhere where their horses and resources of his genius, in which he enlisted cattle could find pasturage. They were kept all kinds of muans as justified by his end. together also by a most rigid discipline. Each Perfidy and treachery were drawn upon, as tribe was broken up into small sections of ten much as the strong arms and robust frames of men, each with its leader; nine such leaders chose his soldiery. The terror he inspired deprived a tenth for their centurion; nine centurions simimen of courage to defend themselves. Neverlarly chose a millenarian ; and ten of these latter, did a conqueror more despise the human race, a divisional commander, who had charge of and well might he do so. The Mongols in 10,000 men or a tuman; and in giving orders their original home were among the most each officer, from the leader of 100,000 to the wretched of men, wandering with their herds leader of ten, had to give them to ten inferior in an elevated region of farther Asia under an officers only, and each of them to ten others, and inclement sky, and with very hard surroundings. soon, everyone being responsible to his immediate So poor that, as Rashida'd-dîn says, only their superior alone. No man could change his secchiefs had iron stirraps. The chief of a few tion or company, and the most implicit obedience small tribes of shepherds such as these, after was exacted from all. If a commander comfighting for years with adversity, first secured mitted fault it was provided that the the rule over his own people, then broke the meanest soldier might be sent to summon him yoke binding him to his fendal superior; and, for punishment, and if he was at the other reinforced by a succession of hordes which he extremity of the Empire, and in command of first defeated, he subdued the nomadic world 100,000 men he would, on an order arriving in of Asia. Lastly he broke in upon China and such hands, submit himself at once to the bas. Persia, the two greatest contemporary Empirestinado or to execution. “Very different," says in the world, trampled upon them, and marched Juveni, " is what one sees elsewhere," referring with such continuons success, that he professed to the customs of the Muhammadans, "where, as that God had given him the empire of the soon as a slave who has been bought with money, world; and when he died in the midst of his becomes possessed of ten horses, his master conquesta, he left his sons an empire so well must speak to him with some deference ; much organized, and an army so well equipped and more so if he has given him command of an
" Kelly's Russia, p. 1-88.