myriarchy

Tibetan administrative district

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July 1, 2026

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The term "myriarchy" refers to a military command of ten thousand men, originating from ancient Greece. In the context of Tibetan history, the Mongols organized Tibet into 13 myriarchies, which were administrative districts theoretically comprising 10,000 families each. This administrative structure was established during the period of Mongol overlordship, aiming for a unified authority, though other monasteries and sects actively contested the supremacy of the Sa-skya lama who held temporal power.12

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Tibet
Disunity, 9th to 14th century
…many small estates into 13 myriarchies (administrative districts each comprising, theoretically, 10,000 families). The ideal was a single authority, but other monasteries, especially ’Bri-gung and Phag-mo-gru of the Bka’-brgyud-pa sect, whose supporters controlled several myriarchies, actively contested Sa-skya’s supremacy.
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…many small estates into 13 myriarchies (administrative districts each comprising, theoretically, 10,000 families). The ideal was a single authority, but other monasteries, especially ’Bri-gung and Phag-mo-gru of the Bka’-brgyud-pa sect, whose supporters controlled several myriarchies, actively contested Sa-skya’s supremacy.
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