DBA Armies

The Qara-Khitan or Western Liao state was formed by Khitan refugees fleeing the Jurchen conquest. Yeh-lu Ta-shi collected Khitan garrison units and allied tribesmen in Mongolia, moved west, defeated the eastern Seljuks and the Qarakhanids and founded an empire south of Lake Balkash with its capital at Balasaghun, taking the title of Gur-khan “universal ruler”. Tribal cavalry were actually a disciplined standing army recruited from nomad tribes. One large army had every cavalryman with bow, lance, sword, mace and armour, but only a tenth on armoured horses. There is no evidence of effective Qara-Khitan infantry or artillery, but vassals may have provided militia. Kuchluk (leading Naimans fleeing the Mongols) seized the last Gur-khan in 1211, but then failed to impose his own rule. References: Soldiers of the Dragon C. Peers, The Perilous Frontier T.]. Barfield Defending Heaven ]. Waterson, The Empire of the Qara Khitai in Eurasian History Michal Biran.