As the name suggests, cavalry is an army that fights on horseback. In fact, its strength lies in its strong mobility and impact capabilities. Our country is one of the earliest countries in the world to have cavalry. Before the Spring and Autumn Period, our country's battles were mainly based on vehicle warfare, and infantry only played a supporting role.
, the number of chariots became a symbol of military strength, and there was basically no cavalry. By the Spring and Autumn Period, infantry began to rise, and the army paid equal attention to chariots and infantry. There were a small number of cavalry in the armies of various countries, mixed with chariots and infantry, and they were only
An insignificant auxiliary force. In the Warring States Period, with the expansion of the scale of war, the diversification of tactics and the need for war with the nomadic people in the north, the cavalry officially entered the war stage as an independent branch. Therefore, our cavalry talk starts from
Speaking of the Warring States Period.
Warring States Period: (including Qin Dynasty)
History entered the Warring States Period, and wars had shifted from the rigid frontal battles of chariot tactics in the early years to more mobile and flexible combat methods. Cavalry emerged as an independent branch of arms. At that time, all major countries established cavalry units, such as Qin and Zhao.
The state of Zhao is said to have "thousands of chariots and ten thousand horses of cavalry". The army's combat gradually changed from mainly foot and cavalry to equal emphasis on chariots and cavalry. The biggest change was first made by the State of Zhao. The State of Zhao, located in the north, together with Lou Fan, Lin Hu,
The Xiongnu and other ethnic minorities were neighbors and suffered greatly from their border disturbances. However, Zhao's traditional chariots and infantry were at a disadvantage when fighting against the flexible and fast Hu cavalry. In order to change this situation, he enriched the country and strengthened its troops, and King Wuling of Zhao came to
The reform of "Hufu riding and shooting" was carried out in the country. He stated, "Today I will teach Hufu riding and shooting to the people." He reduced the number of chariots in the army and increased the number of cavalry. He also demanded that the Han nationality's traditional wide robes and large sleeves be changed to the Hu style.
The tight-fitting clothing was convenient for horseback shooting. From here on, the status of cavalry in various countries in the Central Plains gradually improved and became a major force in the army. Zhao State also had this powerful cavalry, making it a capable military force in the late Warring States Period.
Qin was a powerful country to contend with.
During the Warring States period, cavalry began to be used in large quantities in battles. Zhao State used infantry and cavalry to attack Linhu and Loufan "covered a thousand miles of territory". Li Mu used more than 10,000 cavalry to cooperate with infantry troops to defeat the Huns and annihilate more than 100,000 enemies. Qin State is also known for its excellent cavalry.
In the battle of Changping between Qin and Zhao, Qin general Bai Qi used 5,000 fine cavalry to intercept the Zhao army, which played a key role in annihilating more than 400,000 Zhao troops in the Changping battle. During the Chu-Han War, Liu Bang also used Qin's cavalry to counter Xiang Yu's cavalry.
The country's surrendered generals Li Bi and Luo Jia trained cavalry for the captains; Han Xin also used two thousand light cavalry to sneak attack the enemy camp in the battle to defeat Zhao (that is, the time when he formed the backwater formation).
The cavalry in the Warring States and Qin Dynasties were equipped with complete saddles and shackles, but without stirrups, which was very disadvantageous for horse fighting. Therefore, the main weapons of the cavalry at that time were bows and arrows, and their combat was mainly based on mounted archery. A small amount of bronze swords and halberds were used in combat.
(Swords are easy to break when chopping, and halberds are the main ones.) And special vests appeared at this time. (Armor used to protect war horses) From the unearthed terracotta warriors and horses, it can be seen that the Qin army at that time had adopted a mixture of vehicles, infantry, and cavalry.
In the formation, the pommel-horse figurines mainly held bows, wore small hats, tight-waisted narrow-sleeved robes, short armor, and short leather boots. They were dressed for riding and shooting. There was also a discussion of the use of cavalry in the art of war during this period. "Sun Bin"
"The Art of War" once said: "The danger is more than the cavalry."
Han Dynasty:
Entering the Han Dynasty, the golden age of the development of Chinese cavalry ushered in. Due to the need to fight against nomadic tribes such as the Xiongnu, the cavalry grew rapidly. Army combat changed from the previous emphasis on both chariots and cavalry to cavalry replacing chariots, and cavalry became the force that determines victory or defeat.
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When it comes to the development of cavalry in the Han Dynasty, we should talk about the Xiongnu cavalry. The Xiongnu are a nomadic people in the north. The whole family is a man who is good at riding and shooting. At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the Xiongnu was known as the "string-controller" with 300,000 people, always threatening the Han Dynasty.
The northern part of the country. The Huns are typical Asian light cavalry. As nomadic people, they grew up on horseback and are good at riding and shooting. They have excellent equestrian skills and excellent shooting skills. They only wear light leather armor and are very flexible.
Cuo once said in "Speeches on Military Affairs" that the Xiongnu had three major advantages that the Han army could not match: first, they were able to go up and down mountains and swaths, and go in and out of streams, and they were as good as Chinese horses; second, they were tired of dangerous roads: they could gallop and shoot.
, the Chinese cavalry cannot be matched; thirdly, the Chinese people cannot be compared with the wind and rain, and the ridicule and thirst are not sleepy. This also points out the great advantage of the cavalry over the chariot soldiers, and the chariot soldiers can only ride on the plains.
In order to exert its power, cavalry can also fight in narrow terrain and are more maneuverable and flexible than chariots.
In the Han Dynasty, in order to change the unfavorable and passive situation in fighting the Huns, the Han Dynasty vigorously developed cavalry. By the time of Emperor Wu, more than 100,000 cavalry were able to take the initiative. The battle against the Huns lasted for decades. The famous generals of the Han Dynasty, such as Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, etc.
He led tens of thousands of cavalry and used tactics such as outflanking and going deep into enemy lines to defeat the Huns. In 119 BC, Emperor Wu sent Wei Qing and Huo Qubing to attack with 50,000 cavalry each, and used hundreds of thousands of infantry and more than 100,000 horses to transport baggage.
Huo Qubing's troops penetrated more than 2,000 miles into the Xiongnu, defeated the enemy's Fenglangjuxu Mountain (in present-day Mongolia) and returned, which became a good story (the heroic deeds are really fascinating!)
An important achievement of this era was the establishment of the official horse system. In order to fight against the Xiongnu and develop cavalry, the Han Dynasty established a horse breeding system. During the Wenjing period of the Han Dynasty, the "Horse Restoration Order" was issued to encourage private horse breeding by exempting them from service. It was also promoted at the central and local levels
A specialized horse administration agency was established. The central government appointed Taipu (Bi Ma Wen) to manage, and local horse ministers were in charge. These officials were responsible for raising horses for military use. From the early Han Dynasty to the time of Emperor Wu, there were four horse stables.
More than 100,000 horses. This system ensured that the Han Dynasty consumed a large number of horses for fighting against the Huns.
In the Han Dynasty, cavalry developed and became the main force of the army, replacing chariots. In the Han Dynasty, there were already light cavalry and heavy cavalry. The light cavalry was basically unarmored, with bows and arrows as its main weapons, and smaller war horses.
Heavy cavalry wore armor and used close-combat weapons such as halberds, spears, and ring-shaped knives. They were equipped with tall horses for charging into battle. In the Han Dynasty, with the improvement of smelting technology, long iron knives with ring handles appeared that were more suitable for horseback combat (called ring-handled knives).
The first sword) has a thick spine and a sharp blade suitable for cutting, making it an important weapon for cavalry. Generally speaking, the main weapons of the cavalry in the Han Dynasty include: spears, knives, halberds, bows, crossbows (arm-opening crossbows), etc. During this period
The tactics of cavalry as a mobile force were also developed. The Han army used a large number of long-distance raids, roundabouts and outflanking operations in its battles with the Xiongnu.
Three Kingdoms, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties eras:
This was an era of war, and wars were very frequent, especially in the Sixteen Kingdoms. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, a large number of northern nomads entered the Central Plains. The use of cavalry reached a higher peak. All warring parties (mainly the north) used cavalry on a large scale.
Cavalry has become the most important unit on the battlefield, and our country's cavalry has also developed into the era of heavy cavalry.
In general, the military strength of the north was stronger than that of the south during this period. Most of the northern countries were governed by ethnic minorities. The initial armies were all cavalry. After the development, the number of infantry gradually increased, but the main force of the army was still cavalry, and a considerable number of cavalry were used in battles.
Participate in the war. For example, Fu Jian of the former Qin Dynasty used 270,000 cavalry to go south; when Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty invaded the Song Dynasty, he used 600,000 cavalry to cross the Huaihe River and approach the Yangtze River; in the battle of Zhongli in the Liang and Wei Dynasties, there were 20 cavalry among the 800,000 Wei army.
Forty thousand. It can be said that the scale of cavalry warfare in this period far exceeded that of the previous generation.
An important development during this period was the invention of the stirrup. The earliest stirrups in my country were unearthed in the Western Jin Dynasty. It can be said that my country had stirrups in the Jin Dynasty at the latest. (However, some people say that the stirrups were invented by Europeans first.) The stirrups can It is said to be an epoch-making invention that has greatly promoted human civilization. In military terms, the emergence of stirrups has made it easier for cavalry to engage in close-quarter combat (with leverage) and is conducive to long-distance marches by cavalry. (Reducing fatigue) can more effectively bring out the advantages of cavalry with good mobility and strong impact. The invention of the stirrup in the West led to the emergence of Western-style heavy cavalry and knights in the Middle Ages. (A large and useless guy) During this period The cavalry was mainly heavy cavalry. At that time, the heavy cavalry men and horses were all wearing armor - armored riding equipment. The protection was very good and had a great impact on the infantry. The heavy cavalry at that time had very strong protection. In addition to bows and arrows, the cavalry weapons In addition, (no matter what era, this is always the main weapon of the Eastern cavalry.) Long weapons are widely used. The cavalry with better penetrating power uses spears (also called "spear + Xiao"), while the halberd is gradually eliminated. , became a ceremonial ornament. The short sword also became the standard weapon of the cavalry. Compared with the previous generation of ring-shou swords, the sword body of this period was widened, and the blade head was changed from a rhombus to a sharp front and a beveled back. , more suitable for actual combat.
Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties eras:
During this period, the cavalry had established its position in the military. In this era, both riding and foot were emphasized. Although the size of the cavalry in various countries was not as large as that in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the cavalry was still an important force and received greater attention.
The Tang Dynasty founded the country with martial arts. Taizong Li Shimin himself was good at using cavalry. His famous six mounts were called the Six Horses of Zhaoling. Therefore, the Tang Dynasty (especially the early Tang Dynasty) also attached great importance to the construction of cavalry. From the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, the army
Build and improve your own horse administration to prepare for military use. In the Tang Dynasty, there were many supervisors and herders in the border areas, which were managed by eunuchs. The supervisors of more than 5,000 horses were called superior supervisors, 3,000 supervisors were called middle supervisors, and the following were called subordinate supervisors.
In the 40 years from Zhenguan to Linde in the Tang Dynasty, there were more than 700,000 official horses, 8 workshops and 48 prisons, and more than 1,000 hectares of land.
During this period, cavalry equipment and tactics did not develop much, but there was no longer as much emphasis on heavy armored cavalry as in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Although there were still armored cavalry in the army, they were basically dominated by light cavalry. Cavalry was mainly used as a mobile force.
Advantages: Frontal attack and defense rely more on infantry.
Song, Liao, Xixia and Jin eras.
During this period, a large number of northern nomads rose up and became a threat to the Han Dynasty. The elites of these ethnic minority armies were mainly cavalry, and the development of cavalry also reached a climax again.
Let’s talk about the Song Dynasty first. The Song Dynasty was a dynasty with extremely low martial arts in the history of our country. Because in the Later Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties period, the horse-producing areas in the northwest were basically lost to the ethnic minorities that emerged during the Five Dynasties. Therefore, whether the Song Dynasty bought horses or exchanged horses in the border areas,
Methods such as (using supplies) or setting up supervisors could never meet the needs, so there was never a strong cavalry. In the Southern Song Dynasty, it was even worse. Even the cavalry of the Palace Front Division (i.e. the emperor's forbidden army) had one-fifth.
There was no horse available. (It's so pitiful.) The Song Dynasty liked to set up battle formations, so most of the cavalry were arranged in the formation. Basically, the cavalry was arranged around large-scale infantry formations to provide support or cover the flanks. For example, Song Taizong's "Ping"
"Rongwanquanba" is to combine the main infantry with chariots and form a dense formation in the middle. After the anti-cavalry, they are placed at the front, rear, left and right to serve as warning and cover. A formation to defend against the enemy's cavalry. Personally, I think this is similar to the way cavalry was used in early Europe.
Like this, the infantry square formation is the main force and the cavalry is used to strengthen the two wings. In fact, in this formation, the cavalry becomes the auxiliary force of the infantry, and it is the core infantry formation that is used to defeat the enemy and win.
The ethnic minority regimes established successively in the north all had relatively strong armed forces. The main force of the army was cavalry. The armies of Liao and Jin Dynasties paid great attention to the mobile combat of cavalry. Generally, regular soldiers in the army were equipped with several war horses.
Each regular soldier has three horses) and is very mobile. For example, in the Battle of Youzhou in the Liao and Song Dynasties, the Liao army relied on the flat terrain and the mobility of the cavalry to defeat Song generals Cao Bin and Pan Mei.
The Jin soldiers were also better than cavalry and good at field battles. It is said in history that "from the beginning of the Jin Dynasty, there was no one more powerful than this in the world." The Jin Kingdom had the famous Guaizi Horse. During the battle, the infantry was the main soldier, and the Guaizi Horse was used as a two-wing assault on the plains.
It has great advantages in fighting against the Song army.
The cavalry of this era were mainly northern ethnic minority cavalry. Their main weapons for combat were bows and arrows, sabers, and they were also equipped with special weapons such as maces. (The Jin people seemed to like this kind of weapon. There was a folk song at that time: It has
Jin Wushu, I have Marshal Yue; it has Guaizima, and I have Mazha Dao; it has mace, and I have Tianling Gai.) The cavalry at that time began to favor light equipment and less armor to gain greater mobility, but
All countries also have heavily armored troops. For example, the Xixia cavalry "Pingxia Iron Harrier" (its infantry is called "Hengshan Bubazi") is famous for its strong combat effectiveness by "riding good horses and wearing heavy armor".
Mongol Era:
During this era, the Mongolian cavalry became a symbol of terror in the eyes of the enemy. The Mongols pushed cavalry tactics to the peak of the cold weapon era. The advantages of cavalry such as long-distance raids, detours, and outflanks were brought to their limit.
The Mongols implement a system of one hundred households and one thousand households, and all the people are soldiers, and the officers are hereditary. They "mount their horses to prepare for battle, and dismount their horses to gather and herd." They prepare their own weapons and equipment to go out in war, and in peacetime they are ordinary herdsmen. In order to ensure the combat effectiveness of the army, Mongolia
People often train their troops through large-scale hunting, and children are also specially trained in horseback riding and archery abilities from an early age. In addition, there are outstanding tacticians such as Genghis Khan, Muhuali, Subotai, and Tuo Lei. The Mongols became the leader of the time.
The most powerful army in the world conquered an unprecedented vast territory. It eliminated the Song, Jin, and Xixia in the east, defeated Khwarizm in the west, conquered the Russian grasslands, defeated the Western coalition, and fought all the way to the Danube River. (If
The Great Khan of Mongolia is not dead at this time! I don’t know where he was hit!)
The Mongolian army was basically cavalry in the early stage, and its field force in the later period was also cavalry. The Mongolian cavalry has super mobility. A soldier often has more than six war horses, which are used in rotation and can often advance nearly a hundred kilometers a day. The main functions of the Mongolian cavalry
The weapons are bows and arrows. The Mongolians, who have been riding and shooting for many years, can pull strong bows. The Mongolian bows are made of mixed wood and bones. They have strong penetrating power and a long range. They can maneuver at high speeds (even sideways).
Retreat and turn around to shoot) Mongolians who shoot accurately can inflict great damage on the enemy before a short-range battle. Because the Mongols often bring their own weapons, in addition to arrows and sabers, the soldiers also carry their favorite weapons such as spears.
, maces, rope nooses (used to tether horses, and can also tether people on the battlefield), etc. In terms of armor, the Mongols mainly use leather armor, which is light and strong. Although it is not as protective as iron armor, it is
It has gained greater mobility. It is worth mentioning the Mongolian horse. Although the Mongolian horse is smaller and not as good as the Arabian and Aryan horses, it is fast and tall, but the Mongolian horse is highly adaptable, resistant to rough feeding, and easy to feed.
Gain weight and have a long lifespan. They are very suitable for long-distance marches and operations without logistical support. These horses can find food everywhere. They can march fifty to one hundred kilometers a day on grassland terrain and can be used all year round. And the most important thing is that the mother of the Mongolian horse
Horses can produce three to four hundred kilograms of milk during their nurturing period, which has become an important source of food for the Mongolian army who fight outside for a long time and do not need logistical support. (In addition, it is plundered.) The Mongols are nomadic people, and their people grow up in bitter cold places.
, have extremely strong tolerance for harsh climates, have very low requirements for material conditions, and have fighting power that is unmatched by ordinary farming people. (It's just that they have to go to humid and hot places. Such as the rainforests of Southeast Asia.)
Ming and Qing dynasties and later eras:
Firearms developed vigorously after the Ming and Qing Dynasties. With the emergence of specialized firearms units and artillery, the status of cavalry gradually declined. After the Ming Dynasty, there were very few cavalry as the main strategic force, so I won’t go into detail here.
The cavalry in the Ming Dynasty mainly fought in conjunction with other arms and were equipped with firearms. (Riding iron?) The famous general Qi Jiguang set up a chariot camp, which was a way of fighting with infantry, chariots and cavalry. "The Che Ying Kou Da Compilation" written by Sun Chengzong of the Ming Dynasty
Chu also conducted further research on this tactic. He also developed a strategy of first bombarding with firearms (fire preparation?) and then using cavalry to attack infantry. (It is similar to the strategy of the Napoleonic era, right?)
By the Qing Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty thought that it founded the country with bows and horses. When it was founded, the Jurchen and Mongolian cavalry were traditional cavalry. There was little development, and they did not pay attention to firearms. As a result, our country ended up being arbitrarily bullied by the foreign powers. At that time, it was already
In the era of firearms, the status of cavalry was even lower. Until the emergence of positional warfare consisting of machine guns and trenches, it basically lost its status in the military and gradually withdrew from the military stage. Only with the emergence of its successors, armored and mechanized units, did cavalry become
It has a history and is only used on certain celebratory and ceremonial occasions.
In the age of cold weapons, those who win the cavalry win the world