ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between the production, trade and maintenance of warhorses and processes of empire building in medieval Asia. In general, the state authorities proved reluctant to stimulate private production as they, for obvious reasons of security, preferred to keep a close eye on both the production and the imports of warhorses. The chapter discusses several post-nomadic institutions that were highly significant as they were specifically geared to mobilize, organize and remunerate an army that remained based on the employment of massive numbers of Central Eurasian horse-warriors. Nokor is the second nomadic concept that was thoroughly transformed but remained in full operation after the nomadic conquest of sedentary lands. The survival of the (semi-)nomadic conquerors after the conquest of sedentary societies continued to hinge on the production, trade and use of Central Eurasian warhorses.
