Alan Military Tactics

[Michael Kerr]

Yet even after they were supposedly destroyed as a political entity by the Golden Horde they still resisted a few years longer in the Caucusus.
Friar William of Rubruck who was sent by St Louis of France as ambassador to the Mongol empire left an account of his journey during 1253-55 and he gave some interesting insights about the Alans even after they were supposedly conquered, he noted on his journey through the Caucusus that

To the south we had very high mountains, inhabited, on the slopes facing that wasteland, by the Circassians and the Alans or Aas, who are Christians and are still fighting against the Tartars.

When he asked why the Mongols had allocated 20 men to escort him through a mountainous pass near the Iron Gate he was bluntly told

In those mountains the Alans still resist

I think some moved deeper into the Caucusus, some submitted & a few joined the Cumans in their trek westward & ended up in Hungary. I think they became known as the Jassi.
BTW Alanus, I see in previous threads you often mention the sword & armour making skills of Roxolani/Alans if I can just add a few more of Friar William's observations on the armour of the Alans.
Friar William was curious about his escort's armour, he saw that 2 wore impressive looking "habergeons" or coats of mail & on inquiring about the makers of the armour he was told that they were obtained from the Alans, "who are good artificers and the best smiths". At the court of Mongke he saw 2 Alans present themselves before him armed in coats made of curved pieces of stiff leather, which were very uncomfortable & cumbersome while on foot.
Another source in regards to armour & weapons is Laonicus Chalcocondyles an Athenian writer (ca.1432-90) writing about Emperor John IV Comnenus of Trezibond he mentions in his work.

It seems that the Alans are spread out to the foot of the Caucusus; they are considered by far to be the best warriors in combat, and to make exceptional corselets. They take part in the worship of our Lord Jesus Christ, speak a language of their very own and forge a kind of bronze weapon, the so-called "Alanica".

I have never heard of an alanica.
Regards
Michael Kerr