Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Magyar army roster to the 9th-10th centuries



"... Now we'll speak about the system and order of the Turkics (that's how the Magyars are called in the Tactics), who have little or no difference from those of the Bulgars. This tribe is numerous and free-loving and has only one care, neglecting all other comforts and prosperity - to show courage against its enemies..."
"... They are armed with swords, mails, bows and long spears. Due to this most of them have a double weaponry in the battles, by wearing their spears on their shoulders and holding their bows in hands, using one or the other, depending on the case they have at hand. When they are chased, they overcome mainly with their bows.
Not only they themselves are armed, but also the horses of the notables are covered in front with iron or felt.
They pay great care and practice a lot in shooting from their horses."
Suggested army list:

Cavalry:
*Bők (Bodyguard unit) (metal scale or chainmail armor, round shield, longer spear and sabre) heavy horses with metal breastplate.
*Válogatott harcosok (=chosen warriors) (good leather armor or chainmail, composite bow, sabre, small round shield) better unit, fast pony with mainly felt breastplate
*Ínek (leather or no armor, composite bow, short spear, 2m)
*Válogatott kabarok (=chosen Kabars) (leather scale armor or chainmail, composite bow, sabre, small round shield) better unit
*Kabarok (from the 3 allied Khazar tribes) (composite bow, small maces, maybe shield)
*Csikósok (=Wranglers) (young boys, composite bow, war-axe) instead of peasants
Spear, war-axe and small maces were the cheaper weapons. Spears were about 2 meters long.

Infantry:
Dismounted version of cavalry units
30% of the cavalry should be Kabar. They were 3 Khazar tribes.
Magyar and other steppe settlements should be without walls this way they can defend them with cavalry.
ZOR in the Carpathian basin, mainly in the Lowlands (near Várad). Their number should be one tenth compared to the Magyar army (Magyars + Kabars)
Székely lófők (Szekler “notables”) (good leather armor or chainmail, composite bow, sabre) better unit, fast pony with felt or leather breastplate
Székelyek (=Szeklers) (composite bow, war axe, clothing or leather armor)

If you follow Osprey you should add more metal armor to these guys, too. Helmets need leather or chain “nape protector”. A modern military historian (B. Szabó János) suggested the notables might have used silk armor instead of metal. It was lightweight and similarly effective. He mentioned this kind of armor was used by Byzantines too.

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