Hunkering Down

The tactic of raiding takes on a whole new meaning when the Mongol hordes sweep in from the distant grasslands of Mongolia, far to the east. They arrive on swift war ponies, with as many as five ponies for each warrior.

The Mongols are able to cover great distances in a single day, by swapping off their mounts. This enables them to arrive at a target before their surprised victims even know they are approaching.

This accelerates an already existing trend of erecting walls around any potential target, as a deterrent to attack. Wealthy noblemen build great stone castles, while most important towns are enclosed in stone fortifications.
Mongol invasion, 1200s map

  Horsemen from the East
The Mongols conquer thousands of miles of territory in just a few years. They butcher half a million civilians in Beijing, during their invasion of China. They slaughter a similar number in Baghdad, on their way west into Europe.  Over time, however, the Mongol leadership fragments into rival factions, and they lose their grip on power before heading back towards Mongolia.

Castles and fortifications, 1200s

  Hiding Behind Walls
With so much fighting, and the persistent threat of invasion, medieval people are understandably obsessed with security and protection. Although there are no machines to help with the construction, castles and fortified walls are built literally everywhere.  The stones are raised into position using animals, ropes, rollers and pry bars. When you consider the effort it would take to erect these massive walls, with such huge individual stones, you get an idea of just how hair-raising these times must have been.


Medieval fortified sites, 1200s map

  Defensive Fortifications
Each RED dot on this map indicates the location of a castle or walled town. That's a lot of material and effort, just to get through the day without being overrun by hostile neighbors. Eventually, however, cannons are developed that can knock down any wall, no matter how thick. This brings an end to the strategy of trying to withstand a siege by sitting tight behind stout walls. In the future, great armies will be forced to meet in the field, to settle matters in open battle.