BC 2.4 The Kara-Khitan Khaganate
The Kara-Khitan Khaganate
The Kara-Khitan Khaganate, or Western Liao – Xi Liao in Chinese - was a Khitan empire in Central Asia. The dynasty was founded by Yelü Dashi, who led the remnants of the Liao Dynasty, to Central Asia after fleeing from the Jurchen conquest of their homeland in Manchuria. The Kara-Khitan state was destroyed by the Mongol Empire in 1218.
Kara Khitan (Hala Qidan) was the name used by the Khitans to refer to themselves. The phrase is often translated as the Black Khitans, but its original meaning is unclear today. Since no direct records from the empire survive today, the only surviving historical records about the empire come from outside sources. Since the empire took on trappings of a Chinese state, Chinese historians generally refer to the empire as the Western Liao Dynasty, emphasizing its continuation from the Liao Dynasty in Manchuria. The Jurchens referred to the empire as Dashi or Dashi Linya (after its founder), to reduce any claims the empire may have had to the old territories of the Liao Dynasty. Muslim historians initially referred to the state simply as Khitay or Khitai. It was only after the Mongol conquest that the state began to be referred to in the Muslim world as the Kara-Khitai or Qara-Khitai.
History of the Kara-Khitan Khaganate
The Kara-Khitai empire was established by Yelü Dashi, who led 100,000 Khitans into Central Asia from Manchuria by way of Mongolia. Yelü conquered Balasagun from the Kara-Khanid Khanate in 1134, which marks the start of the empire in Central Asia. The Khitan forces were soon joined by 10,000 Khitans, who had been subjects of the Kara-Khanid Khanate. The Khitans then conquered Kashgar, Khotan, and Besh Baliq. The Khitans defeated the Western Kara-Khanid Khanate at Khujand in 1137, eventually leading to their control over the Fergana Valley. They won the Battle of Qatwan against the Western Kara-Khanids in September 9, 1141, which allowed the Khitans to control Transoxania and forced Khwarezm to become their vassals.
Yelü soon died in 1143, and was followed by his wife, Xiao Tabuyan, as regent for their son. Their son, Yelü Yiliu, died in 1163 and was succeeded by his sister, Yelü Pusuwan. She sent her husband, Xiao Duolubu, on many military campaigns. She then fell in love with his younger brother, Xiao Fuguzhi. They were executed in 1177 by her father-in-law, Xiao Wolila, who then placed Yelü Zhilugu on the throne in 1178. The empire was weakened by rebellions and internal wars among its vassals, especially during the latter parts of its history. In 1208, the Naimans fled from their homeland and were welcomed into the empire of the Kara-Khitai. In 1211, the Naiman prince, Kuchlug, captured Yelü Zhilugu while the latter was hunting, ending Khitan rule in the Kara-Khitai empire. The Mongols captured and killed Kuchlug in 1218. The Mongols fully conquered the former territories of the Kara-Khitai in 1220.
I/ Administration
The Khitans ruled from their capital at Balasagun (in today's Kyrgyzstan). They directly controlled the central region of the empire. The rest of their empire consisted of highly-autonomous vassalized states, primarily Khwarezm, the Karluks, the Gaochang Uyghurs, the Qangli and the Western, Eastern and Fergana Kara-Khanids. The late-arriving Naimans also became vassals, before usurping the empire under the prince Kuchulug.
The Khitan rulers adopted many administrative elements from the Liao Dynasty, including the use of Confucian administration and imperial trappings. The empire also adopted the title of Gurkhan (universal Khan). The Khitans used the Chinese calendar, maintained Chinese imperial and administrative titles, gave its emperors reign names, used Chinese-styled coins, and sent imperial seals to its vassals. Although most of its administrative titles were derived from Chinese, the empire also adopted local administrative titles, such as tayangyu (Turkic) and vizier.
The Khitans maintained their old customs, even in Central Asia. They remained nomads, adhered to their traditional dress and maintained the religious practices followed by the Liao Dynasty Khitans. The ruling elite tried to maintain the traditional marriages between the Yelü royal clan and the Xiao consort clan, and were highly reluctant to allow their princesses to marry outsiders. In an innovation unique to the Kara-Khitai, the Khitans paid their soldiers a salary.
The empire ruled over a diverse population that was quite different from its rulers. The majority of the population was sedentary, although the population suddenly became more nomadic during the end of the empire, due to the influx of Naimans. In the southern provinces, most of their subjects were Muslims or Nestorian Christians, although a significant minority still practiced Buddhism. Although Chinese and Khitan were the primary languages of administration, the empire also administered in Persian and Uyghur.
II/ Religious influences
The Kara-Khitan had not, properly speaking a “State religion”.
It seems that they patronized the main religions of their new territory: Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, and Islam.
Even today, the religious beliefs of the Kara-Khitai court is a controversial subject among specialized scholar.
A/Buddhism and “The three Ways”
The “Three ways” or “three religious teachings” are Chinese expressions to commonly designate Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism together. During its rule on China, The Khitan dynasty patronized Buddhism and constructed a large number of temples.
There is a consensus for claiming that under Yelü Dashi, most of the Kara-Khitai Khitans followed a mix of Buddhism and traditional Khitan religion, which included fire worship and tribal customs, such as the tradition of sacrificing a gray ox with a white horse before depart for military expedition, the religious composition of the Kara-Khitai court in 1174 is not sure.
The most probable hypothesis is that the Kara-Khitan court was strongly multi-confessional, mixing some elements from Buddhism but also from Confucianism and Taoism, and even from Nestorian Christianity. Some elements attested that some family members of the Gürkhan were devout Buddhists. During the Kara-Khitan rule over Central Asia, it is attested that the Buddhist centers in Fergana and Transoxiana flourished again.
B/ Nestorian Christianity
Some names of the Kara-khitai Gürkhans are undoubtedly from Nestorian influence. It is the case of “Yilie” – Elias, which is a typical Nestorian name – and “Zhilugu” – which could be the equivalent of “George”. Nestorian Christianity was very common in Central Asia among local population and nomads alike, and was even still present in China between 6th and 10th where it was known as “The luminous religion”, “the religion of the Persians” or even “the fourth Way”, before being harshly persecuted. Some Nestorian fled and even possibly spread Christianity among the early Khitans, reaching Mandchuria where some Christian graves from that period have been discovered.
The presence of an influential Nestorian Church in late thirteenth-century Central Asia and China is confirmed by numerous literary sources, including the journal of Bar Sauma (a Nestorian monk from northern China), the writings of the Western monk John of Montecorvino, and those of Marco Polo. It is clear and very attested that between the tenth and fourteenth centuries, several Turkish tribes along the Silk Road and in northern China became predominantly Nestorian Christian, but it is uncertain whether this was due to the influence of Chinese missionaries or new missionary endeavors from the Middle East. It is the case of the Kereids, the Naimans, the Onggirats, the Uyghurs, and the Onggüts. A Nestorian Metropolite is still mentioned in Kashgar in the XIVth century.
A very important part of the Kara-khitan administration was Nestorian Christian – and the same thing would be also true under the Mongolian rule -
Recruited among Naimans, Persians and Uyghurs, the upper Nestorian society was very skilled at this time and had the advantage to master Uyghur, Syriac and even Persian alphabets and languages. The numerous Nestorian graves discovered in Central Asia at this time revealed that the Nestorians were highly educated and were integrated among the ruling elite, working as military officers and administrators.
The Kara-Khitan Khaganate was looking like a promised land after the terrible rule of the Qara-Qanid Turks. It is highly possible that such Naimans and Uyghurs spread their living faith to the court, leading to new individual conversion even among the Khitan ruling families, which could explains the Christian names used by some Gürkhan and the flourishing of the Nestorian Church in Central Asia at this time.
C/ Sunni Islam
A big part of the Kara-khitai territory was inhabited by Muslim majority since Central Asia was Islamized during the rule of the Qara-Qanids. The Gürkhan adopted a very tolerant religious policy, going as far as patronizing Islam, building minarets and madrassas in exchange of the loyalty of their Muslim subjects.
After the dissolution of the Kara-Khitan state, the remaining Khitans in the west were assimilated into the Mongol tribes, while some other, like “Buraq Hajib” fled to the south and converted to Islam. Notably, their descendants founded a local dynasty in Ilkhanate Kirman province, where even some queens ruled.
The Kara-Khitan Army
I/ The Kara-Khitan Ordu
Trusted and well-equiped elite, chosen to defend the Kara-Khitan general. In the words of the Muslim historian Juwayni, the Kara-Khitai army was a "mighty wall". The 'hardest' section of this mighty force was, of course following exemple of the Imperial Bodyguard (the huwei). Made up of a number of selected soldiers, mainly from the small Khitan ruling elite but also trustworthy Naimans, Kanglis and Karluks, the Gürkan's bodyguard served to protect Kara-Khitai princes both on the field of battle and at home. Originally, when the Khitans ruled northern China, their military could be divided into three groups: the ordu - the crack troops of the emperor -, then the mounted tribal army - composed of Khitans and nomadic auxiliaries - and eventually the militia, comprised of Chinese infantry. The disciplined, armoured, and well-armed ordu from chinese inspiration, however, did not entirely survive to the transition from North China to the Central Asian steppe as an institution. Without any doubt, these elite warriors, even mixed with Central Asian influence and tradition, are a small remnant vestige from that golden age.
A/ The Gürkhan's Bodyguard & Khitan Nobles (Xiliao Tie'Bing)
According to the Liao Shi (the history of the Khitans in China), each soldier had to provide their own arms: "nine pieces of iron armor, along with saddle clothes, bridles, armor of leather and iron for the horses according to their strength, four bows, four hundred arrows, a long spear" along with food and other resources necessary for the campaign. Unfortunately, after their departure into Central Asia, the new Kara-Khitan Empire did not have comparable resources available to it when compared to China. Overall, the number of Kara-Khitan armored cavalry was few, but deadly. Notably, two hundred armored horsemen (the tie bing) accompanied Yelu Dashi as he began his march from China to Central Asia. These nobles armed with lance and mace will put up an effective charge against anyone that threatens the Gurkhan.
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B/ Khitan Horsearchers
These Khitan nobles, true to their nomadic tradition, fight with a powerful compound bow in the style of their forefathers. Protected with lamellar armor, and armed with a mace, they are the Gurkhan's most versatile soldiers.
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C/ Khitan Elite Macemen
A favorite and effective weapon of the steppe, the mace is cheap to make and maintain, and can smash bone and armor alike. These Khitans, well armored and trained have dismounted to participate in a siege and are highly valuable crack troops.
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D/ Khitan Heavy Spearmen
While steppe peoples normally did not fight on foot, occasionally it was vital to defend a chokepoint, assault a besieged settlement or maintain a line. These Khitans are heavily armed and armored and possess large shields of Chinese inspiration. Highly effective against cavalry, these Khitans have only to fear strong melee troops.
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II/ Auxilliaries and vassals of the Kara-Khitan Khaganate
Most of the troops of the Kara-Khitai Khaganate was not of Khitan extraction. The main part of the available troops came from the Kara-Khitans vassals or from neighbouring countries: Among the recruited troops were Uygurs, Kangli and Naimans. The Uyghurs and the Naimans were very implicated in the administration, but also formed an important part of the officers.
It seems that during the XIIth century, a lot of naiman migrated in the Kara-khitan Khaganate for being recruited as mercenaries, soldiers or administrators. It eventually led to the "Kutchulug issue", when the Naiman prince Kutchulug found exil in the Kara-Khitan territory but then made a coup.
The problem of how to control vassals was a significant one in the medieval age. Like in the Islamic world, many vassals were given control of a land grant - an Iqta in the arabic world -, in return for their loyalty. While effective at establishing loyalty, at least initially, these grants would often enable vassals to run private fiefdoms, which in a generation or two could either declare independence or become the power behind the King's throne. Maintaining control over vassals in a khanate was even harder, and loyalty was maintained through an elaborate system of patronage, marriages, and titles. As is well known, these ties were incredibly difficult and costly to maintain, and often disappeared upon succession or the hint of dynastic decline. Princesses were incredibly valuable and were used as political currency to strengthen the ties that bind. Ultimately a vassal's loyalty was fickle, and it was this fickleness that broke the Kara-Khitai Empire.
A/ Warlords of the Tarim
Drawn from among the nobility of the Tarim Basin, these warlords are heavily armored professional lancers. Their diverse equipment, from diverse inspiration relfected the swirl of different ethnicities, mainly Uighurs, but also some Karluk Turks and Kereyids, and even some neighbouring Tibetans and Tanguts. Enriched by the treasures of the Silk Road and fiercely protective of their domain, they are willing to meet any foe. Armed with lance and shield, as well as wealthy enough to equip horse armor, they maintain the cataphract traditions of the East.
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B/ Uyghur camel-lancers
Useful animals on a long voyage across deserts, the camel also has had numerous military applications, and can be used to harass horses as well as charge down infantry. Provisioned by the Gurkhan himself, along with the aid of Uighur merchant families, these armored Camels could be invaluable against nomads encroaching from the desert or mounted ghulams.
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C/ Uyghur Infantry
Drawn from the Uighur people in the east of the Kara-Khitan Empire, these city folk are armed with a spear and sword, as well as some armor provided by themselves. Unlike a number of other steppe empires, the Kara-Khitai made good use of their sedentary populations not only as a militia but also as infantry on campaigns. "Civilian warriors" were highly prized and were used on numerous occasions to good effect, and Uighurs from the cities took part in the defense of Kashgar and Kucha. Generally well equipped with good morale, these warriors could also prove problematic if the city dared rebel.
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D/ Naiman Nobles
The Naimans were a 'Mongol' tribe, which occupied what is now Northern Kazakhstan and Eastern Mongolia in the 12th Century AD. Overall, most of the Naiman population were nomads, while some made their living in the Taiga forests of Siberia through hunting furs. Both Buddhism and Nestorian Christianity could be found among the Naiman, though the Naiman elite was mainly Christian. The Naiman frequently fought with other Mongol and Turkic tribes over resources, women, and households and often succession disputes threatened to unravel the Naiman clan. Originally subjects of the Kara-Khitai, the Naimans gradually shifted their loyalty over the course of the 12th Century to the Jin Dynasty of North China. The power of the clan was shattered in 1204, when the Khan of the Naiman was killed fighting against Temujin's forces. Guchulug, the last remaining scion of the Naiman nobility, fled to the Kara-Khitan Empire with a number of Naiman tribesmen and Mongol refugees. The Gurkhan, in need of reinforcements against intransigent vassals and the rising Khwarezm Empire chose to invite Guchulug to his court. However, Guchulug had other plans and raided numerous towns on his way to the capital, where he formed an alliance with Shah Mohammed, the ruler of Khwarezm. Guchulug proceeded to usurp the Kara-Khitan Empire, and split the empire's lands with the Khwarezmian Empire. The usurper's rule was not to last, and the Mongols in 1218 overran what was left of the Kara-Khitan empire, and absorbed any lingering remnants of the Naiman into the Mongol army.
Like the Mongols, the Naiman fought in a similar style with a rough mixture of around thirty percent heavy cavalry while the rest were light horse archers. In contrast with many of their Turkic counterparts, the Mongol and Kara-Khitan style of warfare frequently used heavy cavalry as a reserve unit to break down a weakened formation and cause a mass rout. These Naiman Nobles are equipped with heavy lamellar armor and carry a lance to charge down foes. In melee, they carry a Mongol sabre to cut down both mounted foe and infantryman alike.
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E/ Naiman Lancers
The Naimans like other Mongol tribes used lancers and heavy cavalry quite effectively. Most of the time lancers were positioned as a reserve unit, and when their formation had become sufficiently weakened, or the foe demoralized with arrows, lancers charged through rendering man from horse, and flesh from armor. Numerous battles, such as Badger's Pass in China or the battle of Kalka river saw lancers as instrumental to the Mongol victory. These refugees from Naiman lands, fight in the same Mongol fashion, and will prove invaluable to fight either a great Khan or a Gürkhan.
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F/ Naiman Horse-archers
Like the Mongols, the Naiman fought in a similar style with a rough mixture of around thirty percent heavy cavalry while the rest were light horse archers. Refugees from the Mongol hordes, these Naiman Horse archers will serve under your banner in exchange for protection. Armed with a compound bow and sabre, they will rain a barrage of arrows upon the Gurkhan's enemies.
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G/ Naiman Spearmen
Normally nomadic peoples did not dismount to fight their foes. Instead, captured prisoners of war, bandits, and sometimes whole civilian populations were given arms and forced to fight against their clansmen. As a result, these men would often perish, and the shock of fighting one's own relatives or friends broke down enemy morale. However, in the case where an army could not find or coerce captives, they would dismount themselves for a siege or to maintain a line. These Naiman have dismounted to be medium spearmen for the Gurkhan. Not highly trained or dedicated they can hold a line for a while.
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H/ Naiman Archers
Born and raised in the saddle, these nomad archers have dismounted for the Gurkhan. Just as powerful on foot as they are on horseback, these archers are flexible and deadly.
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III/ Militia and local warriors of the Kara-Khitan Khaganate
Unlike a number of other steppe empires, the Kara-Khitai made good use of their sedentary populations not only as a militia but also as infantry on campaigns. "Civilian warriors" were highly prized and were used on numerous occasions to good effect. Moreover, the "Western" Khitans mobilized some local tribes - Karluks, Kanglis or Kyrghiz - for defending their new homeland.
A/ Uyghur Camel Skirmishers
Camels were critical pack animal of the Silk Road. Hardy creatures, they could traverse the barren wastes of the Gobi and Taklimakan deserts without too much trouble. Useful against horsemen, these skirmishers are drawn from the Uighurs of the desert and fight with javelins and swords.
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B/ Uyghur Militia
Like all steppe rulers, sometimes a militia is useful for garrisons or minor skirmishes. These Uighurs have been allowed arms to garrison or buttress the local force. Not especially adept or delighted warriors, their javelins are useful but they will rout if forced into a prolonged melee.
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D/ Nomad Tribesmen
Despite the near constant flux of peoples and goods across the Central Asian steppe, a ruler's need for troops has not abated. Whether to build a grand steppe confederation or an empire, a ruler would be wise to bring horse archers, the staple of Central Asian warfare, into his army from among the disparate peoples of the steppe. For instance, in the Kara-Khitan Empire, tribes such as the Karluks, Kangli or Kypchaks and Dila (among many others), were brought into service through the direct allocation of payment from spoils of war, rather than given land or titles. As a result, the Kara-Khitan Empire maintained a stronger (though more expensive) hold over its tribal auxiliaries than other contemporaries, such as the Seljuks. Most of these troops were expert and mobile light horsemen and they were expected to field their own equipment.
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E/ Nomad Archers
These troops are dismounted archers drawn from the various peoples of the steppe. However, these people of the steppe rarely dismount, in certain circumstances it is useful either to gain a higher vantage point, rate of fire, or to participate in a siege. With their sturdy compound bows they will put up an efficient barrage, but will need to be defended as they will melt in melee.
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Credits:
Units: (models and textures)
- Shaoding Team
- Mount&Blade12th Team
- ChenyJR (main part of the roster)
- Rev. (main part of the roster)
- Yelü Dashi (Nomad aux; Tarim warlords)
- Koultouras (Uyghur militia)
- Sumskilz (Naimans)
- v1499 (Uighur infantry, heavy spearmen)
- RusichiTW (for textures)
- Byzantineboy (Naiman textures and shields)
Unit descriptions:
- A_Su
Special thanks to:
- Shaoding Team (again)
- Againster
- IGdood
- Faerrum Aeternum Team
- Gigantus
- Byzantineboy (project leader)
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Re: [Preview. BC 2.4]The Kara-Khitan Khaganate
excellent work BC team 
Originally Posted by VINC.XXIII
