The Mongolian armor was used by the armed forces of the Mongol Empire (1206–1368). Chain mail was very uncommon among Mongol soldiers, who instead used lamellar armor, scale armor, and brigandine. Some armor could also have a laminar structure. The Mongols called their armor “quyaq” (kuyak, huyag), which means “shell.” Russians during the time of the Golden Horde often used the term khuyag or kuyak to designate their Mongolian-style armor. The history of Mongolian armor dates back far before the time of the empire.
History of the Mongolian Armor
A heavy coat fastened at the waist with a leather belt to carry the warrior’s sword (“kilij”) or scimitar, dagger, and maybe a saddle axe was the basic armor of the warrior in the sparse cultural setting of Mongol nomadism.
This fur-lined robe-like clothing had a button closure a few inches below the right armpit and was closed by crossing the left flap over the right.
Anti-Arrow Silk Clothing
Undergarment clothing with long, broad sleeves was worn under the outer coat. Genghis Khan (1158–1227) oversaw the widespread use of strong silk for this undergarment.
When an arrow struck silk, the arrow would coil around it rather than pierce it. This would make it simple to remove the arrow by gently teasing the fabric.
In this way, the Mongols avoided the more painful process of breaking the arrow’s shaft, forcing it into the skin, and pushing the arrowhead remnants out of the skin.
Evolved into a Brigandine
Over time, the Mongolian coat armor evolved into a brigandine armor by being lined with metal for further protection, like European gambesons.
Felt and leather boots rounded out the Mongolian armor. However bulky they were, they were comfortable and broad enough to fit trousers inside before they were laced firmly.
Even without heels, the boots’ thick, fur-lined bottoms would keep your feet toasty when paired with wool or synthetic felt socks.
Types of Mongolian Armor
- Quyaq – a general term for denoting Mongolian armor (kuyak).
- Hatanga degel – a robe made of soft materials that could be enhanced with elements like mirror armor, pauldrons, etc. The alternative pronunciations are hatangu or hatanga degel.
- Huus quyaq – made of leather plates, has analogs in Tibet and China.
- Ilchirbilig quyaq – a chain mail quyag. Perhaps the word “ilchirbilig” is of Turkic origin.
- Chargah – a soft armor made of organic materials (leather, fur). Often worn in conjunction with a more reliable quyag.
- Hudesutu quyaq – lamellar or laminar armor. The classification varies. Often depicted in Persian, Chinese, and Japanese miniatures.
- Kurche – a plate armor that protects the abdomen.
Mongolian Armor During the Mongol Empire
When the Mongols invaded Europe in 1240, they brought with them the Mongolian armor that they used to ravage Kievan Rus’ and seriously devastate the Kingdom of Hungary.
Towards the end of the 13th century, Mongolian armor became immensely popular in Eastern Europe, particularly in Hungary, and was adopted in western Europe some decades later.
The Chinese Empire and other Central Asian and Middle Eastern nations the Mongols faced served as inspiration for this hybrid armor that Mongol Empire warriors wore over the course of centuries. Scale and lamellar armor were the most common types of Mongolian armor.
Hardened Leather
Scale and lamellar reinforcement were the dominant types of armor for the Mongols. A typical Mongolian armor weighed approximately 22 lb (10 kg) in total. Hardened leather and iron were fastened together on a fabric substrate (often silk) and worn over the coat. After being boiled to soften it, the leather was coated with pitch to make it watertight.
Chain Mail
Chain mail’s high price, cumbersome size, and challenging maintenance history made it a well-known but uncommon kind of armor for the Mongols. The elite of the Mongol army were mounted archers who needed armor that would not restrict their movement while riding.
Therefore, iron mail may not have been widely used in Mongol armor. Due to the nomadic lifestyle of the Mongols, Mongolian armor was often lighter than its Eastern and Western equivalents.
- See Also: How Strong Were Archers in History?
Plate Armor
Manufacturing chain mail or plate armor required high-intensity work methods and permanent buildings that were not feasible under nomadic conditions.
The Mongols occasionally omitted arm protection in order to draw a bow more quickly. The Mongol army was all about speed and precision.
On the other hand, the Mongol helmet was conical and fashioned from plates of varied sizes of iron or steel. This helmet also had leather that had been coated with iron and hung down to protect the neck.
With ear flaps and a broad flap brim that was reversible in winter, the helmet was an ideal piece of armor. Helmets for the less well-off Mongol troops were often constructed of leather.
Contemporary Accounts
The following is a description of the Mongol arsenal from the Ystoria Mongalorum by Giovanni da Pian del Carpine (1183–1252), the oldest European source about the Mongols:
“Iron or steel is used for the top of their helmets, while leather is used for the lower portion, which protects the throat and neck. While the vast majority of [Mongols] use leather armor, some have an iron harness built in the following style:
Many plates of thin iron, each about the size of a finger and the length of a hand, are punched together. They drill eight tiny holes in each plate and insert three straight leather straps. They stack the plates vertically and secure them to the aforementioned straps using smaller, softer straps threaded through the perforations.
One little apron is folded over and stitched to another at the top so that the plates can be securely attached. Thus, the plates provide homogeneous protection, and identical armor is created for their horses and soldiers. The armor is so shiny that a man can look directly at his reflection.”
Ystoria Mongalorum, by Giovanni da Pian del Carpine (1185–1252).
One of the five pieces of armor that Mongol horses wore was the headpiece, which was attached to both sides of their neck.
How Strong Was the Mongolian Armor?
While Mongol arrows could pierce every sort of armor available at the time, the Roman Catholic chronicler Thomas the Archdeacon (1200–1268) claimed that the Mongol warriors wearing leather armor were pretty much safe against the enemy arrows. But he did mention that the Mongols feared the crossbow.
As a result of the Mongol invasions, their lamellar armor became popular in other nations, including China (such as the Yuan Dynasty, 1271–1368) and the Middle East (such as the Ilkhanate, 1256–1335).
Tamerlane (Timur), a prominent Mongol warlord from the 15th century, demonstrated this well by outfitting his cavalry with Mongolian lamellar armor and relying on Mongol armor in general. Of both Turkic and Mongol descent, Tamerlane was unable to become the Mongol emperor since he was not a descendant of Genghis Khan.
References
- PDF: Thomas Of Spalato And The Mongols: A Thirteenth-Century Dalmatian View Of Mongol Customs.
- Featured Image: Flickr @William Cho.
