Skip to main content

Mongol Empire

Mongol Empire - Part 9: Siege Warfare Revolution: How Nomads Learned to Take Walled Cities

The Mongols were steppe nomads who had never besieged a city. Within decades, they were systematically destroying the greatest fortifications in the world. How did they adapt so quickly – and what does it teach us about organizational learning?

Mongol Empire - Part 4: Meritocracy of the Steppe: Promotion by Ability, Not Birth

In an age of hereditary aristocracy, the Mongols promoted blacksmiths' sons to supreme command. This radical meritocracy created the most effective military leadership in history – and offers lessons modern organizations still struggle to learn.