Southern Song Army Organization

Timeline

1. 1127–1142Lin'an (present-day Hangzhou) · ZhejiangAfter Emperor Gaozong's southern crossing, the Three Commands (Palace Command, Command of the Mounted Guard, Command of the Infantry Guard) were re-established in Lin'an to oversee the imperial guard; the Bureau of Military Affairs held military authority without commanding troops, forming a civil-military divided administration.
2. 1271–1275Southeastern China · SoutheastAfter the fall of Xiangfan, the Southern Song urgently mobilized provincial troops, archers, and local militia to reinforce the Yangtze defense line; powerful ministers such as Jia Sidao attempted to consolidate the armies of Western Huai and along the river, but morale and combat power had greatly declined.
3. 1276–1279Yashan (Yamen, Xinhui, Guangdong) · GuangdongAfter the fall of Lin'an, the court in exile barely maintained a traveling court establishment in Fujian and Guangdong; Zhang Shijie led the remnants of the naval and land forces in a final resistance at Yashan, and with the annihilation of the entire force the Southern Song military system came to an end.