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Goryeo Heavy Armored Cavalry
Goryeo heavy armored cavalry (also called iron cavalry or armored cavalry in historical records) were elite shock troops with both soldiers and horse…
Timeline
- c. 950–1000Korean Peninsula · GoryeoAfter the founding of Goryeo, referencing Tang and Khitan military systems, the state organized armored cavalry units combining iron armor, horse armor, and mounted archery, becoming one of the main forces of the central army and frontier garrisons.
- c. 1018–1022Northwestern border of the Korean Peninsula · Northwestern frontierIn battles such as the great victory at Giju in 1018, Goryeo heavy armored cavalry coordinated with infantry and naval forces to effectively strike Khitan armies, becoming a key force in resisting northern nomadic cavalry.
- c. 1231–1270Korean Peninsula · GoryeoFacing the wave of Mongol cavalry, Goryeo heavy armored cavalry still played a role in the defense of Ganghwa Island and mountain warfare on the peninsula, but prolonged war attrition gradually led to adjustments in the scale and tactical standing of the armored cavalry.
Sources
- 三国史记·世家列传 — 金富轼等 (1145)
- The Cambridge History of China, Volume 6: Alien Regimes and Border States, 907–1368 — Herbert Franke, Denis Twitchett (1994)