Makbai Khan (center, on the white horse) and his general staff survey the scene as they prepare for another campaign!
Prior to 1204AD the Mongols were a disparate band of nomadic clans, and spent too much time warring amongst each other to be a real threat to their neighbors. In that year however, a young warrior named Temujin defeated the last of his rivals to unify the nation and become "Great Khan" . Temujin is perhaps better known today as Genghis Khan.
Mongol armies were highly organized, on a decimal basis, and mostly mounted on horses, which meant they could travel long distances in rapid periods of time. At its peak, the Mongol army consisted of 40 tumen (a "group" of 10,000 men). Each tumen comprised 10 minghan (1,000 men each) made up of 10 jagun (100 men) made up of 10 arbun (10 men).
Each year, representatives of each of the Mongol clans would gather at the annual kuriltai (sort of like an annual general meeting if you like) and the Great Khan would assign campaigns and other tasks for the coming year.
Makbai Khan is really hoping that the Great Khan will ask him to lead his forces against the Rus (who occupied the land now known as Russia) at the next kuriltai. That is still a few months away yet though, so we will see how that turns out then.
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