What is a military-patronage state?

Answer 1

The first appearance of a military patronage state was around 1258 after the Mongols sacked Baghdad from the Muslims. This was shortly after the Crusades and the Muslim armies were fatigued and weakened. No one expected the Mongols to come through the way they did and defeat one of the great powers of the time. As a way of maintaining control over the territories they had recently acquired the Mongols developed what would come to be known as a system of ruling called "military patron states." Because the Mongols were nomadic herdsman they would pillage a city (often with devastating death counts and brutality) and then move forward to the next city. The conquered city was then left to rule itself with one catch, they had to pledge patronage to the Mongols military force.