Mongol Decimal Military System

Timeline

1. 1261–1264Shangdu · Inner MongoliaIn the 1260s, Kublai and Ariq Böke contested the khaganate, both mobilizing steppe forces through the traditional decimal thousand- and ten-thousand-household units, making the military system a core organizational tool in the war of succession.
2. c. 1268–1270North China · North ChinaAfter quelling internal rebellion, Kublai linked the steppe decimal system with the Chinese levying system, using ten-thousand-household commanders to direct multi-ethnic forces in sieges such as Xiangyang against the Southern Song, demonstrating the system's mobilization and command effectiveness in long, cross-regional campaigns.