Wanderlust World Wanderlust World No. Contrary to the notion that Mongol armies garrisoned conquered urban centers, the Mongols typically avoided stationing large occupation forces in cities. Instead, they employed a system of indirect rule, appointing local administrators — often existing elites or cooperative notables — to govern on their behalf under Mongol oversight.
This approach allowed the Mongols to control a vast empire stretching from China to Eastern Europe with a relatively small military footprint. It minimized the need for permanent garrisons, reduced logistical burdens, and leveraged local knowledge for tax collection and order maintenance. Cities that surrendered without resistance generally retained their administrative structures; those that resisted faced destruction or harsh reprisals as a deterrent.
Notable examples include the preservation of bureaucratic systems in Persia under the Ilkhanate and in Russia under the Golden Horde, where local princes ruled as Mongol vassals.