Of the Election of the Emperor Occoday, and of the Expedition of Duke
Bathy.
On the death of Zingis-chan, the dukes assembled and elected his son
Occoday, Ugadai, or Oktai-khan, emperor in his place; who immediately, in a
council of the nobles, divided the army, and sent Bathy, or Baatu-khan, who
was next in authority, against the land of Altissodan and the country of
the Bissermini[1], who were Saracens, though they spoke the language of the
Comanians. Bathy defeated these people in battle; but the city of Barchin,
which was surrounded with strong walls, resisted for a long while, until
the Tartars filled up the ditches and won the place, which they destroyed.
Sargat surrendered without resistance, for which the city was not
destroyed, but many of the citizens were slain and made captives, and much
spoil was taken, and the city was filled with new inhabitants. The Tartars
marched next against the rich and populous city of Orna, in which were many
Christian Gassarians, Russians, and Alanians, and many Saracens, the lord
of the city being of that nation. This town stands on a large river, and is
a kind of port, exercising great trade. Being unable to reduce this place
by force, the Tartars dammed up the river, and drowned the whole city, with
the inhabitants and their goods. Hence they invaded Russia, and besieged
Kiow a long while, which they at length took, and massacred the
inhabitants. This was a large and populous city, but is now reduced to
nothing, and scarcely has two hundred houses: and when we passed through
Russia, we found immense numbers of human skulls and bones scattered about.
From Russia and Comania they proceeded against the Hungarians and
Polonians, where many of them were slain: and had the Hungarians withstood
them manfully, the Tartars had been utterly defeated. In their return from
thence, they invaded and defeated the pagan Morduans: whence they marched
against the Byleri of greater Bulgaria, which they almost entirely
destroyed. Thence they proceeded to the north against the Bastarci of
greater Hungary, whom they conquered; and going farther north, they came to
the Parossitae, and thence to the Samogetae, reaching even to the ocean;
and from thence returned into Comania.
[1] The Busurmen, Musurmen, or Mahometan inhabitants of Turkestan. - E.
SECTION XVI.
Of the Expedition of Duke Cyrpodan.
At the same time Occoday-khan sent duke Cyrpodan with an army to the south,
against the pagan Kergis, who have no beards, whom he subdued. After which
he marched against the Armenians, whom he conquered, and likewise subdued a
part of Georgia. The other part of that country is likewise under
subjection, and pays an yearly tribute of 20,000 yperperas. He thence
marched into the dominions of the great and powerful soldan of the Deuri,
whom he defeated; and proceeded to the country of the soldan of Aleppo,
which he subdued; and afterwards reduced the caliph of Baldach or Bagdat to
subjection, who is forced to pay a daily tribute of 400 byzants, besides
baldekins[1] and other gifts. Every year the Tartar emperor sends
messengers to require the presence of the caliph; who sends back great
gifts besides the regular tribute, to prevail on the emperor to excuse his
absence.
Duke Cyrpodan and his army still propose to invade more distant countries,
and have not yet returned into Tartary.
[1] This is probably a manufacture of Bagdat or Baldach, from whence its
name; and may have been flowered silk or cloth of gold. - E.
SECTION XVII.
Of the Military conduct of the Tartars.
Zingis-khan divided the Tartars into companies or divisions of ten, of, an
hundred, and of a thousand each, every one of which had its appropriate
officer. Over every ten millenaries he placed one general; and over an army
of several bodies of ten thousand men, two or three dukes, one of whom had
the superior command. When they join battle against their enemies, unless
the whole army retreat by common consent, all who fly are put to death. If
one, two, or more of a decury proceed bravely to battle, and the rest do
not follow, the cowards are slain. If one, two, or more of the decury are
made prisoners and the rest do not rescue them, they are put to death.
Every man must have two bows, or at least one good bow, three quivers full
of arrows, an axe, and certain ropes to draw the military machines. The
rich or officers have sharp-pointed swords, somewhat curved and sharp on
one edge. They wear helmets, coats of mail, and cuisses, and their horses
even are armed. Some have their own armour and that of their horses made of
leather, ingeniously doubled and even tripled. The upper parts of their
helmets are of iron or steel, but the hood which protects their neck and
throat is of leather. Some have all their defensive armour composed of many
small plates of iron, a hand-breadth long and an inch broad, perforated
with eight small holes, by which they are tied with small leather thongs to
strong thongs of leather underneath, so that the plates overlap each other
in regular series, and are firmly knit together. The armour both of men and
horses is often made in this fashion, and is kept finely burnished. Some
carry lances having hooks, to pull their enemies from horseback. Their
arrow-heads are exceedingly sharp on both edges, and every man carries a
file to sharpen them. Their targets are made of wicker, but they are hardly
ever carried, except by the night guards, especially those in attendance
upon the emperor and the princes.
The Tartars are exceedingly crafty in war, in which they have been
continually engaged for the last forty-two years against all the
surrounding nations. When they have to pass rivers, the principal people
secure their garments in bags of thin leather, drawn together like purses,
and closely tied.
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