Who had the better military? The Tang Dynasty or the Carolingian Empire?
Who had the better military? The Tang Dynasty or the Carolingian Empire?
Gabriel Bailey
Benjamin Jackson
The Tang. It has a standing army.
Doesnt matter anyway, both Franks and Tang were utter shit at securing the loyalty of their people. Charlemagne's sons mangled the Empire. The Tang gave way too much power to the Jiedushi frontier generals and one of them revolted in the worst Chinese revolt in history.
Nathaniel Long
Tang's standing professional army is ~500K.
Carolingian Empire could field ~30K and ~100K for theoretical max.
Landon Cox
At the heat of things, the size grew to ~800K. As said, regional generals got too powerful and once one of them died, balance was broken and rebellion took place.
Liam Robinson
Nigga, you serious? Early Medieval and highly decentralized state compared to the most militaristic and culturally advanced Chinese Imperial dynasty? You could have at least chosen the Byzantines.
Noah Ortiz
What about military quality?
Henry Cook
Standing professional army vs feudal lords with small retinues and unprofessional levies raised for brief campaigns.
Colton Thomas
So you’re not going to talk about logistics or military equipment? encyclopedia.com
Ethan Harris
Imagine the US as the Tang and the Carolingian as Iraq army.
Iraq army isn't bad at all. Its better than no-army. But falls short of US's army in numbers, training, experience, equipment, economic power, etc.
William Roberts
The Tang would dwarf it. A small regional general() from frontier of Tang would probably give hell to Carolingian armies.
Levi Allen
I'd think it would go without saying that a standing professional army would have both logistical capabilities and large sources of quality equipment, but I'll give that article a read. Keep in mind when we're talking about how impressive the Carolingian Empire was, it's in comparison to its neighbors. Petty English kings, steppeniggers, and disorganized bands of Slavs make the Carolingians look quite impressive.
Kayden Price
Robert Campbell
Tang army was mostly cavalry to deal with Steppe tribes, their infantry were defeated by the Arabs
Asher Campbell
>their infantry were defeated by the Arabs
Talas was fought over a span of days and was inconclusive until the Tang regulars were betrayed and surrounded by both their Karluq mercenaries and the Arabs, so this is hardly a good measure of their ability.
Jacob Foster
It wasn't Tang regulars but rather their allies. They were on the frontier of their expansion, so their influence was at its weakest.
David Walker
Tang.
Zachary Peterson
Tang and Carolingian were completely different level of military power.
Landon Foster
What the fuck happened in 660?
Jack Long
Tang defeated Turkic khangate and pacified western region.
Andrew Foster
Subjugated the Gokturks/Turks/Xiongnu
Carson Ross
Tang
Brayden Hernandez
Tang had better quality
Professional standing army versus disparate groups of feudal lords.
Logan Roberts
So a few battles in the 700s is a reflection of an entire military over three centuries?
Liam Williams
lets get this straight
arabs btfo the tang
franks btfo the arabs
so franks>tang
Camden Mitchell
Wrong. Only around 20% is cavalry. 10% crossbowmen, 10% archers, 60% melee infantry. That's from a Tang general's book with regards to the steppe invasions.
Tyler Gomez
But what if it's like rock-paper-scissors?
Tyler Richardson
Arabs only won 1 border conflict(Talas) against Tang, and that's largely due to the betrayal of Tang allied forces. It didn't really damage Sino-Arab relationship and Tang didn't lose control of western region until An-Shi rebellion.
Henry Parker
During the An Shi rebellion, the Tang dynasty asked for help from the Arabs too. They sent like ~4000 men to assist Tang dynasty. Once they were successful, they were granted land/resources for colonization with the local Chinese. This was one of the first instance of permanent muslim areas
Henry Jones
>Who had the better military? An Empire that had a state-funded standing army or the Empire where to raise a single fucking cavalryman it needs an entire village?
Andrew Perry
Kek
Imagine if Constantine VI had married Rotrude and then seen how ass backwards that empire was (despite larping as hard as possible)
Thomas Ramirez
FRANKED.
Brayden Brooks
What’s up with this meme that a standing army is superior to mustering troops? Why did the Franks manage to defeat the Umayyad caliphate?
Brandon Sanchez
Who had the better military?
The ashanti or the ottoman empire?
Ayden Ward
The Byzantine Empire at the time of Charlemagne could have wrecked the Franks and wipe the floor with them, both in terms of size of land armies and navy wise, but chose not to because they were interested in building a common front against the Arabs.
Colton Lopez
LMAO, the Byzantines couldn’t even defeat the visigoths and the lombards. Both of which are far weaker than the Carolingian empire. What makes you think that the Byzantines could defeat them?
Samuel Lewis
*were
Henry Gomez
it really is too bad that the byzantines were never really stable except under the few instances of a powerful emperor like Basil
Nolan Gomez
>Result: decisive Tang strategic and tactical victory
Angel Allen
That's BS tho
Neustria alone could raise 50000 calvary men.