The Yam's Spies: Mongol Espionage and the 'Arrow Riders'

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the intelligence-gathering side of the Mongol Yam system. Beyond mail and trade, the Yam relay stations served as a vast espionage network, with yamchi riders doubling as spies. They discuss the use of gerege passes for access, the role of the Mongol yargu (judges) in interrogations, and how Kublai Khan's Yuan dynasty employed the Yam to monitor rebellions and foreign powers. Specific figures like the Persian historian Rashid al-Din and the Chinese official Khubilai's loyal minister Ahmad Fanakati are mentioned, along with the use of secret codes and the Yassa law code's provisions on intelligence. The episode also covers a famous incident in 1274 when Mongol spies in Japan were captured, leading to the aborted invasion. Fresh angle on the Yam: its function as a 'secret service'. #MongolEmpire #YamSystem #Espionage #KublaiKhan #Yamchi #Gerege #Yassa #RashidAlDin #YuanDynasty #Intelligence #SteppeHistory #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #SecretService #MongolSpies #JapanInvasion #AhmadFanakati #HistoricalEspionage #GenghisKhan #SilkRoad Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo