gofer articles

The Mongolian yurt is no camping tent but a veritable mobile home – latch it to a few horses as the locals do and you might virtually call it an RV!
Yurts are much more technical as opposed to Native teepee (also spelled “tipi” nowadays) more familiar to most Americans, but can be positioned in mere minutes: below ten, typically – which makes them similar to a camping tent in this respect!
They are larger than teepees and house several pieces of full-sized furniture, yet with sufficient manpower (normally a family of ten or so individuals) they are swiftly set up and can be just as quickly packed up.

The strength of the ancient Mongolian empires is frequently attributed to their fast and hardy horses, and the people’s intimate relationship with them.
But a case can be made that their yurts were also a contributing factor, perhaps secondary in value but deserving the recognition of a top-five placement nonetheless.
Far from being a lightweight camping tent, the yurt was a true home for these roaming warriors of fate, who followed treasure and adventure to create a history like no other on earth.

All things considered, though the ponies helped them ride for a while, it was the yurt that provided housing for their support – wives, families, and non-fighters who contributed them the essential supplies.
Unlike the cities to which the Mongol warriors laid siege, their own homes were safely far behind, and the overall mobility the yurt provided became a great tactical as well as strategic advantage.

The Mongols did not come by their empire as a result of fear and terror by itself, in spite of their historical status.
As much as their steeds and yurts helped them conquer, so too did a relatively enlightened hands-off policy help them maintain their holdings.
Subject towns, cities, and whole countries had but to acknowledge Mongol suzerainty, in effect paying a regular tribute, and were mainly left on it’s own to otherwise continue their affairs in pretty much the same way as before.