Travels of Marco Polo Part 22

The Travels of Marco Polo, Book 2 of The Great Kublai Khan and of Provinces Visited on Journeys Westward and Southward. Part 1, The Great Khan Kublai, His Capital Court and Government. Chapter 1, Of the Deeds of Kublai Khan, the Emperor Now Reigning. In this book, it is our design to tell you of the great achievements of the Great Khan Now Reigning, who is titled Kublai Khan. The latter title means in our language, Lord of Lords, and surely, he has every right to such a title, for in respect to number of subjects, extent of territory, and amount of revenue, he surpasses every sovereign that has ever been or now is in this world, nor has any other been served with such implicit obedience by those whom he governs. This will be made so evident in the course of our work, as to satisfy everyone of the truth of our assertion. Chapter 2, The Revolt of Nayan, Uncle of the Great Khan. Kublai Khan, it should be understood, is the direct and legitimate descendant of Genghis Khan, the first emperor and the rightful sovereign of the Tartars. He is the sixth, actually the fifth, Great Khan and began his reign in the year 1256, really 1260. He obtained the sovereignty by his valor, virtues, and prudence in opposition to his brothers who were supported by many of the great officers and members of his own family, but the succession was his in law and right. It is 42 years from the time he began to reign to the present year, 1298, and he is fully 85 years of age. Before he ascended the throne, he had served as a volunteer in the army and endeavored to take part in every enterprise. Not only was he brave and daring in action, but in judgment and military skill, he was considered the most able and successful commander that ever led the Tartars to battle. From that period, however, he ceased to take the field in person and entrusted the expeditions to his sons and his captains, excepting in one instance the occasion of which was as follows. A certain chief named Nayan, who, although 30 years of age, was kinsman to Kublai, has succeeded to the dominion of many cities and provinces, which enabled him to bring into the field an army of 300,000 horsemen. His predecessors, however, had been vassals of the Great Khan, motivated by youthful vanity upon finding himself at the head of so great a force, he resolved to throw off his allegiance and seize the sovereignty. With this in view, he privately dispatched messengers to Kaidu, another powerful chief whose territories lay toward greater Turkey, Turkestan. Although a nephew of the Great Khan, Kaidu was in rebellion against him and was his bitter enemy as a result of the fear of punishment for former offenses. To Kaidu, therefore, the propositions made by Nayan were highly satisfactory, and he promised to bring to Nayan's assistance an army of 100,000 horsemen. Both princes immediately began to assemble their forces, but this could not be done secretly, as not to come to the knowledge of Kublai. Chapter 3, How the Great Khan Marched Against Nayan. Upon hearing of their preparations, the Great Khan lost no time in occupying all the passes leading to the countries of Nayan and of Kaidu in order to prevent them from learning of the measures he was himself taking. He then gave orders for mustering, with the utmost speed, all the troops stationed within 10 days' march to the city of Khanbali, now part of Peking. These amounted to 360,000 horsemen, to which was added 100,000 foot soldiers consisting of those who were usually around him, and principally his falconers and domestic servants. In the course of 20 days, they were all in readiness. He had assembled the garrisons, kept up the constant protection of the different provinces of Cathay. It would have required 30 or 40 days. During this time, the enemy would have learned of his arrangements and would have united and occupied such strong positions as would best suit their design. His object was, by prompt action, to anticipate the preparations of Nayan, and by falling upon him while he was alone, destroy his power with more certainty than after he should have been joined by Kaidu. It may be proper here to observe, while on the subject of the armies of the Great Khan, that in every province of Cathay and Manzi, as well as in other parts of his dominions, there are many disloyal and seditious persons who were always ready to break out in rebellion against their sovereign. On this account, it became necessary to keep armies stationed at The Great Khan takes it to practice to change these armies every second year, and the same with respect to the officers who command them. By means of such precautions, the people are kept in quiet subjection, and no movement or outbreak of any kind can be attempted. The troops are maintained not only from the pay they receive out of the imperial revenues of the province, but also from the cattle and their milk, which belong to them individually, and which they send into the cities for sale. In this manner, they are distributed over the country, in various places, to a distance of thirty, forty, and even sixty days' journey. If even half of these corps were to be collected in one place, the statement of their number would appear incredible. Having formed this army in the manner described, The Great Khan proceeded towards the territory of Naon, and by forced marches, continued day and night. He reached it at the end of twenty-five days. So prudently was the expedition managed that neither the prince himself nor any of his dependents were aware of it, all roads being guarded in such a manner that no persons who attempted to pass could escape arrest. Chapter four of the battle that The Great Khan fought with Naon. Upon arriving at a certain range of hills, on the other side of which was the plain where Naon's army lay encamped, Kublai halted his troops and allowed them two days of rest. During this interval, he called upon his astrologers to ascertain by their act and declare in front of the whole army which side would win. He declared that Kublai's forces would be the victorious. Confident of success, they ascended the hill with cheerful willingness the next morning and confronted the army of Naon. They found the enemy poorly posted without advanced parties or scouts, while the chief himself was asleep in his tent with one of his favorite wives. Upon awakening, Naon hastened to form his troops as best he could, lamenting that he had not started to join Kaidu sooner. Kublai took his station in a large wooden castle borne on the backs of four elephants, whose bodies were protected with coverings of thick leather hardened by fire, over which were housings of cloth gold. The castle contained many crossbowmen and archers, and above it flew the imperial banner adorned with representations of the sun and moon. His army, which consisted of 30 battalions of horsemen, each battalion containing 10,000 men armed with bows, he disposed in three grand divisions. Those which formed the left and right wings he extended in such a manner as to outflank the army of Naon. In front of each battalion of horsemen were placed 500 infantry armed with short lances and swords, who, whenever the cavalry made a show of flight, were trained to mount behind the riders and accompany them, alighting again when they returned to the charge, and killing with their lances the forces of the enemy. As soon as the order of battle was arranged, an infinite number of wind instruments of various kinds were sounded, and these were succeeded by singing, according to the custom of the Tartars, before they engaged in a fight. The battle begins at a signal given by the cymbals and drums, and there was such a beating of these instruments and such singing that it was wonderful to hear. By order of the Great Khan, the signal was first given to the right and left winds, and the great drums of Kublai Khan began to sound. Then a fierce and bloody conflict began. The air was instantly filled with a cloud of arrows that poured down on every side, and vast numbers of men and horses were seen to fall to the ground. The loud cries and shouts of men, together with the noise of the horses and the weapons, were such as to inspire terror in those who heard them. Once their arrows had been discharged, the warring parties engaged in close combat with their lances and swords, and with maces shod with iron. Such was the slaughter, and so large the keeps of bodies of men, and more especially of horses, that it became impossible for either side to advance upon the other. The portion of the day remained for a long time undecided, victory wavering between the contending armies from morning until noon, for so zealous was the devotion of Nayan's people to the cause of their master, who was most liberal and indulgent towards them, that they were all ready to meet death rather than turn their backs to the enemy. At length, however, Nayan, perceiving that he was nearly surrounded, attempted to save himself by flight, but was presently made prisoner and conducted into the presence of Kublai, who ordered him put to death. This was carried into execution by wrapping Nayan in two carpets which were violently shaken until the spirit had departed from the body. The reason for this peculiar treatment is that the sun and the air should not witness the shedding of the blood of one who belonged to the imperial family. Those of his troops that survived the battle came to make their submission and swear allegiance to Kublai. They were inhabitants of the four noble provinces Nayan, who had privately undergone the ceremony of baptism but had never made open profession of Christianity, thought proper on this occasion to bear the sign of the cross in his banner, and he had in his army a vast number of Christians who were left among the slain. When the Jews and the Saracens perceived that the banner of the cross was overthrown, they taunted the Christian inhabitants saying, Behold the state to which your banners and those who followed them are reduced. On account of this derision, the Christians were compelled to lay their complaints before the great Khan, who ordered the former to appear before him and sharply rebuke them. If the cross of Christ, he said, has not proved advantageous to the party of Nayan, it was consistent with reason and justice inasmuch as Nayan was a rebel against his lord, and to such wretches it could not give its protection. Let none therefore presume to charge the god of the Christians with injustice, for he is the perfection of goodness and of justice.