In order to strengthen and develop his armies he introduced the process of decimalization in which military units were divided into decimal units of 10,100,1,000, and 10,000, with the tihiien of 10,000 being the major fighting unit. In addition, where possible he broke up tribal structures and rewarded with command postings those who had been loyal to him during the lean years of his rise to power. The breakup of the tribal composition of his fighting force was to have profound effects on the loyalty, discipline, and effectiveness of his army. Family and clan had been replaced by unit, and loyalty was given first to the unit and its commander and indeed ultimately to the Qa'an himself. The new decimal military structure completely undermined the old Turco-Mongol social setup, and a fundamental realignment took hold. Old tribal identities did not completely disappear, and those tribes such as the OnggCit and Qongirrat who had remained loyal to Temiijin throughout the hard years retained some integrity and sense of continued identity, whereas the Tatars, Merkits, Keraits, Naimans, and other former enemy clans were more forcefully and thoroughly broken up. Hence there existed examples of Onggiit tihnen but never Tatar Hittieit. Tribal loyalty had been replaced with unit loyalty and obedience to the tihiien commander. Ultimately, of course, loyalty and allegiance were awarded to the royal Golden family, the Chinggisids. As long as wealth and prosperity continued to roll in, that loyalty and allegiance did not waiver. Strict discipline and a well-defined chain of command with duties and responsibilities itemized and standardized gave every soldier a position in the brave new world that the Mongols were carving out for themselves.
The ortiu (base camp) was a tightly regulated unit, and its layout and organization were often uniform so that newcomers and visitors would immediately know where to find the armory, the physician's tent, or the chief. The fighting men, which included all males from 14 to 60, were organized into the standard units, named arbans (10 men), jaguns (100 men), minghans (1,000 men), and tiimens (10,000 men), and these units were overseen by the tiimen quartermaster, called the jurtchi. Such an organization meant that no order would ever have to be given to more than 10 men at any one time. Transfers between units were forbidden. Soldiers fought as part of a unit, not as individuals. Individual soldiers, however, were responsible for their equipment, weapons, and up to five mounts. Their families and even their herds would accompany them on foreign expeditions.
KESHIG
Above all these various groupings, Chinggis created an elite force originally formed from his most loyal and longest serving companions. This bodyguard, whose size reflected the Great Khan's prestige and power rather than any imminent danger to his life, numbered 10,000 men at the time of the 1206 quriltai. The keshig, or imperial guard, were recruited from across all tribal barriers, and the unit's tasks multiplied as it increased in size. Membership in the keshig was regarded as a supreme honor, and as such, enlistment in its ranks was an alternative to the necessity of hostage taking for the highborn. The powerful nobility would be honored rather than shamed by the presence of their offspring in the imperial household. In addition, service in the royal household constituted military and administrative training. The keshig formed the breeding ground for the new elite and the future ruling classes. The children of any potential rival or source of conflict could therefore serve honorably at court and be painlessly co-opted into the ruling establishment.
The keshig were handsomely equipped and armed. An ordinary soldier in the imperial guard had precedence over a commander in the rest of the army. It was from this unit's ranks that the future generals and top commanders were selected. It was early recognized as a military academy as well as an administrative training school.
The training of the rest of the army was the responsibility of its officers. Officers were expect(;d to inspect their troops regularly while on active service and to ensure that they were all fully equipped. This extended to such details as ensuring that each soldier had his own needle and thread, and if it were found that a soldier was underequipped or lacking in any item of clothing, armor, or weaponry, his commanding officer was deemed responsible and would be liable for punishment. During military engagement if any soldier lost or dropped any item of his personal gear or equipment, the man behind him would have to retrieve and return the lost item to its owner or suffer punishment, which could mean death. Death was also meted out to anyone who fled before the order to retire had been issued, anyone looting before permission had been granted, and for desertion. Discipline was exceptionally strict in the Mongol army.
World History
