18 1 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period ir. 



strength and bravery. They afterwards were divided 

 into two classes, the first consisting only of Boyars or 

 nobles, the second of all clfisses, and this last formed 

 afterwards the Dwor, from which comes Dwarane, or 

 possessors of serfs. These Drujina were peculiar to 

 Kussia, not being found elsewhere in Europe. The 

 members of the Drujina remained always attached to their 

 prince, the attachment being of a personal character, for 

 they seem to have had little sympathy either with the 

 country they came from, or that in which they resided. 

 This was caused by the feeble economical development of 

 the different peoples that formed the Russian nation, 

 there being nothing to tempt them to secure land or 

 settle permanently upon it. The support of these bands 

 was guaranteed by military requisitions, and by the 

 property of the prince. About the end of the twelfth 

 century the princes became settled, and the Drujina 

 obtained the right to hold land. To aid the Drujina in 

 war the princes often hired the Varegues, the Petchinage, 

 and the Torkye. They were all cavalry.^ 



In the early part of the thirteenth century a terrible 

 irruption of Mongolian horsemen, under the leadership of 

 the sons of Gengis Khan, swept over Russia and the 

 eastern portions of Europe, devastating and destroying 

 everything before them. They had already swept over 

 almost the whole of Asia. China had suffered under their 

 cruel invasions. From the Pacific to the shores of the 

 Black Sea these hordes of Tartar horsemen had overturned 

 monarchies and conquered and despoiled the inhabitants. 



Gengis Khan had established a military system that 

 proved the great ability of that celebrated commander. 

 His army, consisting entirely of cavalry armed with bows, 

 cimeters, and iron maces, was divided by hundreds, 

 thousands, and tens of thousands, under their respective 

 commanders. The numbers in his armies were almost 

 fabulous, and are no doubt greatly exaggerated. The 

 battles of Europe seem but petty skirmishes when 

 compared to the conflicts that have taken place on the 

 plains of Asia.^ Seven hundred thousand 



' Goudim Leffoovitch, 5. 2 Gibbon, vi. 210. 



Mongols are 



o 



