Mongols Quotes

“The first key to leadership was self-control, particularly the mastery of pride, which was something more difficult, he explained, to subdue than a wild lion and anger, which was more difficult to defeat than the greatest wrestler. He warned them that "if you can't swallow your pride, you can't lead.”
― Jack Weatherford, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

“Despite his image as a bloody tyrant, Genghis was also forward thinking. His empire had the first international postal system, invented the concept of diplomatic immunity, and even allowed women in its councils. But more importantly, the Mongols were also unprecedented in their religious tolerance.”
― James Rollins, The Eye of God

“Khatun (queen) is one of the most authoritative and magnificent words in the Mongolian language. It conveys regality, stateliness, and great strength. If something resists breaking no matter how much pressure is applied, it is described as khatun. The word can form part of a boy’s or girl’s names, signifying power and firmness combined with beauty and grace. Because of the admitted qualities of khatun, men have often borne names such as Khatun Temur, literally ‘Queen Iron’, and Khatun Baatar, 'Queen Hero’.”
― Jack Weatherford

“The seasons drift. Time is fluid and people change. But I have never lost faith... even if the world turned upside down I could still find you.”
― Threads of Time

“First, is the image, so far projected here, of Mongols draped in gilded cloth that would gladden the heart of a Liberace really true?”
― Thomas J. Allsen

“Hoelun stepped into her tent with thyme in her coatskirts that were hitched up in her belt, and leeks in her hat, that was off. The blue spire of bark she had worn as Yesugei's wife never left her, but often did more than perch on her head.”
― Bryn Hammond, Against Walls

“God had mercy, he knew. The Mongols had none.”
― Conn Iggulden, Khan: Empire of Silver

“Quelque huit millions de personnes sont ainsi soumises par une armée de trente mille cavaliers. Les historiens réfutent aujourd’hui les récits des contemporains sur les centaines de milliers de « païens sauvages », détruisant tout sur leur passage. La force principale des Mongols, leur « bombe atomique » est le cheval. Chaque cavalier se doit d’en posséder trois, un de rechange et un autre pour son bagage. Une armée, fût-elle de cent mille hommes (or, les chroniqueurs parlent de deux cent cinquante à trois cent mille), aurait besoin d’une quantité de chevaux telle qu’elle ne pourrait trouver à les nourrir que dans certaines régions bien délimitées de l’empire conquis. La première bataille opposant Russes et Tatars sur les bords de la Kalka s’achève, nous l’avons vu, par la victoire des envahisseurs. L’une des raisons en est le petit nombre des guerriers mongols (trente mille) qui donne l’illusion aux armées russo-polovtsiennes de la faiblesse ennemie. En conséquence, les princes n’ont pas besoin de s’unir ni de mener une action concertée. La faiblesse démographique des Mongols exclut, de la même façon, qu’ils occupent les territoires conquis.”
― Michel Heller, Histoire de la Russie et de son empire

“La langue russe a gardé pour toujours des termes financiers d’origine tatare : kazna (trésor), kaznatcheï (trésorier), tamojnia, tamga (douane), kabala (asservissement temporaire pour cause de dettes), kabak (établissement autorisé à vendre des boissons alcoolisées). Sans oublier le mot diengui (l’argent) et la désignation des pièces de monnaie : kopeck, altyne. Le système fiscal mongol devait demeurer des siècles durant en Russie, sans équivalent dans toute l’Europe féodale.”
― Michel Heller, Histoire de la Russie et de son empire

“I am a Mongol. To remove crowns from fools is our greatest joy in this world.”
― James Erwin, Crusader Kings II: Tales of Treachery

“During the thirteenth century Genoese traders in the Black Sea port of Caffa struck a deal to run slaves captured in the Caucasus by the Mongols to the Mamluk rulers of Egypt, shipping them to the Nile Delta via the Black Sea and Mediterranean, whereupon the slaves would be forcibly impressed into the Mamluk army. Effectively this meant that the Christian Genoese were directly responsible for supplying workers to a power that was doing its best to crush the western crusader states of Syria and Palestine.”
― Dan Jones, Powers and Thrones: A New History of the Middle Ages

“It was all chaos, confusion and dust,
Head and eyes were flecked with blood,
Rocks crash through with a roar,
Among stupefying shrieks,
The Mongol Kalmak proceed.

Oshpur the shepherd lord
Scouts with eagle eyes
In search of the forty sons -
Smoke obscures.

Entering the fray,
Smoke-maned Manas is a panther
Loping toward his prey.”
― Manaschi

“Монголи любили різноманітні змагання, тож організовували дебати між конкурентними релігіями так само, як організовували борцівські поєдинки. Вони починалися в певний день, і за ними спостері­гала група суддів. «...» Здавалося, жодна сторона не могла переконати опонентів у чомусь. Зрештою, коли вплив алкоголю міцнішав, християни перестали переконувати когось логічними аргументами та вдалися до співу. Мусульмани, які не співали, відповіли на це гучним цитуванням Корану, намагаючись заглушити голос християн, а буддисти почали мовчазно медитувати. Дебати, під час яких вони не могли переконати чи вбити один одного, закінчилися так, як закінчувалися більшість монгольських святкувань: усі були просто занадто п’яні, щоб їх продовжувати.”
― Jack Weatherford, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World