Mongol Imperial Army

Timeline

1. 1206Source of the Onon River (Koyich Lake) · Mongolian PlateauGenghis Khan unified the Mongol tribes, organizing thousands, hundreds, and tens by decimal units, conscripting herders as warriors, and establishing the basic organizational framework of the kheshig guard and campaign armies.
2. 1219–1260Battlefields from Central Asia to Eastern Europe · Eastern EuropeMongol armies advanced westward in multiple columns against Khwarazm, Persia, and the Rus' principalities, famed for cavalry outflanking, sieges, and psychological warfare; tamma troops and local surrendered forces were incorporated into the conquest system.
3. 1271–1280Battlefields of North China and the Jianghuai region · ChinaAfter founding the Yuan dynasty, Kublai coordinated Mongol, Han, tamma, and newly surrendered armies in the southern campaign against the Southern Song; the Bureau of Military Affairs commanded all forces nationwide, while hereditary military households and postal relay stations sustained prolonged operations.
4. 1274–1293Sea of Japan and Jiangnan ports · East AsiaThe Yuan twice dispatched armies against Japan, both thwarted by storms, and also campaigned against Annam and Java, showing both the attempts and limits of extending the imperial army toward naval warfare and expeditionary logistics.
5. c. 1350–1368Central Plains and Dadu · ChinaThe Red Turban Rebellion and warlord fragmentation eroded Yuan military strength; generals like Chaghan Temür briefly counterattacked but could not reverse the decline, and after the Ming northern expedition in 1368 the Yuan military organization in the Central Plains collapsed.