Mongolian Yurt No Mere Camping Tent
2011
The Mongolian yurt is no camping tent but a veritable mobile home – latch it to several horses as the locals do and you could almost call it an RV!
Yurts are much more complex as opposed to Native teepee (also spelled “tipi” these days) more common to most Americans, but can be set up in mere minutes: below ten, generally – which makes them much like a camping tent in this respect!
They are larger than teepees and house several pieces of full-sized furniture, yet with adequate manpower (normally a family of ten or so people) they are rapidly set up and can be just as quickly packed up.
The power of the ancient Mongolian empires is frequently attributed to their fast and hardy horses, and the people’s intimate relationship with them.
But a case can be made that their yurts were also a contributing factor, possibly secondary in importance but deserving the recognition of a top-five placement nonetheless.
Far from being a flimsy camping tent, the yurt was a true home for these roaming warriors of destiny, who followed treasure and adventure to create a history like no other in the world.
All things considered, though the ponies helped them ride for a while, it was the yurt that provided housing for their support – wives, families, and non-fighters who contributed them the necessary supplies.
Unlike the cities to which the Mongol warriors laid siege, their own homes were safely far behind, and the total mobility the yurt provided became a great tactical in addition to strategic advantage.
The Mongols did not come by their empire because of fear and terror by itself, in spite of their historical standing.
As much as their steeds and yurts helped them conquer, so too did a relatively enlightened hands-off policy help them maintain their holdings.
Subject towns, cities, and whole countries had but to acknowledge Mongol suzerainty, in effect having to pay a regular tribute, and were mainly left by itself to otherwise continue their relationships in pretty much the same fashion as before.