Download The Mongols - Fort Thomas Independent Schools

The Mongols:
The Terror of Civilization or
the Maker of New Worlds?
What are you expected to Know?
-How do they live/survive?
-Who was Chinggis Khan?
-Why was their military so successful?
-What happened to the Empire after Chinggis’ death?
-Who was Kublai Khan?
-How did Kublai Khan impact China?
-What is the Pax Mongolica?
-Why did the Mongols finally Decline?
-Who was Timur/Tamerlane?
Migration and Expansion
Nomads live off their animals and follow their
migratory patterns. HERDERS/PASTORALISTS
Also survived on hunting, horsemen
Every male 15-70 had to serve military
Greatest strength in mobility
Limited agriculture—geographical limitations.
Animals: Sheep, Goat, Yaks, Oxen
Live in Yurts –mobile homes
Some convert to Buddhism, Islam
Often in conflict with Tatars
Turkish, central/west Asia, Russia
Rise of Mongols
Competition for resources kept them under
constant threat of violence Pastureland began
to disappear b/c drop in temperature
Forced to trade or ‘expand’ for resources
Temujin (Genghis Khan) united Mongols
(Chinggis) Genghis Khan
 Organized Military Resources vs. Tatars
 Mongol tribes against the Tatars
 1206 CE: Khuriltai (an assembly of the Mongol nobility)
 Give title “Chinngis Khan”
 Khan of All Between the Oceans
 Borrowed Turk script; 1st written works, use to write laws
 Reforms of the religion, laws and politics of the newly
united people.
 Greater Mongolia included the Mongolian Plateau and
the Gobi Desert.
Organization
He organized his people into units of ten, a hundred, a
thousand, and ten thousand, and the head of a unit of ten
thousand would have a strong personal relationship with
Chinggis himself.
That kind of loyalty was to be extremely important in
Chinggis's rise to power and in his ability to maintain
authority over all the various segments of his domain.
Warfare--- Inventive
Genghis Khan: “Submit and live, Resist and
die”
Horses were fast and flexible
Could ride for days
Use biological warfare (plague ridden bodies)
Fake out- pretend to withdraw
Hit-and-run raids- hit town etc then run and
outride sedentary cultures, hide
Compound bow: skilled at shooting it while
riding (range 350 ft, opponents only 250 ft)
Mongol Invasions before 1259
Mongol Empire 1227-1405
Legacy of Genghis Khan
Religious Tolerance
1st Mongolian Script (writing)
Support for trade and crafts (Pax Mongolica)
Legal Code specific to the Mongols'
pastoral-nomadic way of life
According to his wishes, upon death his
territory was divided between his sons and
grandson (4 main divisions)
Mongol States after 1259
2
1
3
4
Division of the Empire: Area I
China – Kublai Khan
Khublai Khan: Chinggis Khan’s
grandson: consolidated Mongol rule
in China
Destroyed Song Dynasty in 1279
Area #2: The Golden Horde
Russia & Europe - Batu
Overran Russia in 1237
Moved into Eastern Europe: Poland,
Hungary, and East Germany
Ruled Russia but kept large number local
rulers intact
Mostly, people were Christian but Mongols
were Muslim
Encouraged conversion but not force
Controlled area until 15th century
Central Asia: Ruled by
Chaghadai
Area #3
Central Asia
This area will be in constant conflict with
area #1-China under Kublai Khan
Persia: Ruled by Hulegu Area # 4
West Asia; Arab Area
Khubilai Khan's brother Hulegu, destroyed the
Abbasid Dynasty by occupying the city of Baghdad
Employed local bureaucrats
Converted to Islam
Not support agriculture, but support trade
Local rulers allowed to continue as long as
Delivered tax revenue
Maintained order
Prevented further invasions by Mamluks in Egypt
(Saladin)
YUAN CHINA
Kublai Khan
 Grandson of Genghis Khan
 Very cosmopolitan- allow many artisans etc
visit
 Attacked Song dynasty in China 1260s
 Still a few holdouts: Confucian bureaucrats
and Chinese generals
 Established Yuan dynasty (1271-1368)
 Overall, held Chinese in contempt
 Chinese-style dynasty
 Fixed and regular tax payment system
 Strong, centralized government
 Foreigners, not Chinese, in civil service
 Chinese subjected to different laws
 Four-caste system
YUAN CHINA
Rule of China
Mongols kept nomadic way of life and turned vast
tracks of land they captured into pastures
Amnesty to Chinese who fought against Mongols
Tax System; Local Administration
Supported/Accepted Islam, and
Christianity…promoted Buddhism.
Condemned Daoism, Confucianism
Unsuccessful in his conquest of Vietnam, Burma, and
Japan.
YUAN CHINA
Divisions
Outlawed intermarriage between Mongols
and Chinese
Forbade Chinese from learning Mongol
language
Brought foreigners into govern, lack of
confidence in Chinese…disdain for
Confucianism.
Noted tolerance for traditions and religions.
YUAN CHINA
Trade and Commerce
Promote Silk Roads; Guarantee Liberty and
Social Standing for Merchants
Countered Chinese ideas of Traders
Postal system: Connect Beijing to Vienna
w/ communication system of horse relays
Unified system of paper money; conversion
system
Diplomatic missions with Europe
Gender Roles
Property Rights; Control Household
Freedom to move around town
Refuse to accept footbinding
Individual accounts of women going to war,
choosing their own mates, riding in hunts
Chabi- wife of Kubilai Khan
Important advisor
Desired to accept Chinese culture without being
overwhelmed by it
Spread Buddhism in high circles of government
Convinced husband not to treat Chinese harshly
"Pax Mongolica"
Peak of Mongolian rule when large
areas of Europe and Asia under their
rule
Allowed relatively safe trade and
contacts between different cultures
Eliminated tariffs, taxes on
imports/exports
Decline of the Mongols
Successful conquers but poor administrators
Excessive spending
Leadership struggles
Collapse of Yuan Dynasty- by peasant
Yuanxhang which created Ming dynasty
14thc. Plague greatly weakened Nomads
Depopulation/labor shortage
Resurgence of Chinese
By 1350, most of territory reconquered by other
armies; by early 1400s, most dissipated into local
cultures