Andrzej Gliwa
Prace Historyczne, Numer 143 (4), 2016, s. 703 - 735
https://doi.org/10.4467/20844069PH.16.036.5338Asymmetric warfare in the Tatar military art of war in the early modern period
An analysis of military operations conducted by Tatar hordes in the 16th and 17th centuries reveals that they were basically shaped by asymmetric warfare. Their characteristic features were the secrecy of actions until the moment of attack, the use of instruments of information warfare and espionage, the total character of military operations directed against the civilians, their material resources and economic infrastructure involving terrorist tactics and psychological methods of influence aimed at intimidating assaulted communities. The actions of Tatar hordes basically focused on non-military environment with the use of not only classic military tools but also combinations of political and economic means in the form of various economical and demographic pressures. Conducting asymmetric military actions was, for the Giray dynasty, one of the most important tools for the successful achievement of their political goals as well as for supporting the economy of the Crimean Khanate through a stable transfers of slaves and supply of stolen material goods.