Medieval Armies: Nine Empires That Fielded Over a Million Troops

Key facts

• The Song Dynasty (960–1279) fielded over 1,000,000 men, with close to 80% of the state budget spent on equipment and salaries.
• The Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) used the weisuo conscription system, requiring each household to provide one military-aged male with supplies, and still had 850,000 men in the 1500s.
• The Tang Dynasty (618–907) initially raised 600,000 men through the fubing system in the 7th century, later growing to nearly one million.
• The Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1646) had an estimated 500,000 to 750,000 men, with the Kaijeeta Sainya household guard numbering tens of thousands.
• The Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526) peaked at close to 500,000 men in the 14th century, mainly cavalry, and was conquered by the Mughals in 1526.
• The Byzantine Empire (330–1453) had 350,000 men in the 6th century, including the Varangian Guard founded in the late 10th century.
• The Sasanian Empire (224–651) maintained over 300,000 troops and was destroyed by the Rashidun Caliphate in 651.
• The Mongol Empire (1206–1368) advanced into Europe with 150,000 men, mostly cavalry, and could cover up to 100 miles a day by swapping horses.