10 MONGOL WARRIORS An ancient Mongolian saying is A Mongol without a horse is like a bird without the wings This Persian manuscript reflects the Mongols extraordinary horsemanship even in battle
11 INTRODUCTION than 1228 that was written at least partly to praise the leaders but also to record that era of history Other than this almost all writers even those who were in the Mongol service dwelt on tales of Mongol invasions and the destruction that resulted from it All these sources reveal information about the thrilling ascent of the Mongol warrior one of the most intriguing tales of the medieval world
12 The first mention of peoples who can be identified with Mongolia can be found in Chinese accounts from around 2000 BCE However the first inhab itants of whom there is certainty are the Xiongnu who were recorded to have lived there by about the fifth or fourth century BCE The Xiongnu are thought by mod ern Mongols to be their remote ancestors A NOMADIC PEOPLE The Mongols were pastoralists who were superb horse men and traveled with flocks of sheep goats cattle and horses over the immense grasslands of Central Asia The nomadic Mongols moved seasonally bring ing livestock and entire camps from one pasture to another They lived in portable dwellings called gers or yurts which were erected on wooden poles and covered with skin felt or hand-woven textiles in bright colors The ger was carried from place to place on horseback or by wagon CHAPTER 1 MYSTERIOUS MENACING MONGOLS
13 MYSTERIOUS MENACING MONGOLS A primary advantage of a ger is that it is easily transported an asset that remains in the dwellings of today Gers of the legendary Mongol warriors would have looked similar to this Mongols traveled with their food and clothing sources as well Their livestock provided milk meat and wool which was used to make felt They wore heavy coats lined with fur and boots made of felt and leather The Mongols also hunted and ate wild game and in especially hard circumstances drank the blood of their horses
