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Chapter 12 – The Mongols
(and the rest of east Asia)
Tang/Song China
• The Tang Dynasty (618-907)
produced Porcelain, Mechanical
Clocks, Block Printing, and
Explosive Powder.
• The Song Dynasty (960-1279)
produced Movable Type,
Paper Money and the
Magnetic Compass
The Mongols
• The Mongols were nomads of the Asian
steppes. They operated like pirates, only on
land. They frequently raided trade caravans.
– They were pastoralists – this means they didn’t
wander but followed seasonal patterns and
returned to the same areas over and over.
Temujin
Also known as Genghis Khan (which
means “Universal Ruler”)
Genghis Khan
• He was orphaned at age 9
– left clanless and lived in
extreme poverty. His life
became solely about
revenge and conquest.
• “ Man’s greatest good
fortune is to chase and
defeat his enemy, seize
his total possessions,
leave his married women
weeping and wailing and
ride his horse.”
The Mongol Conquests
• Over the next 21 years Khan leads the
Mongols in conquering much of Asia. His first
goal was China, but he switched focus west
onto the Muslim world because he was
angered by killings of Mongol traders by
Muslims.
• Mongols destroyed cities and populations
rather than controlling them.
Reasons for Genghis Khan’s Success
• He was a brilliant organizer
– Armies of 10000, 1000
man brigades, 100 man
companies, 10 man squads.
• He was a gifted strategist –
employed many tricks,
feints, varying strategies,
etc…
• He used cruelty/terror as a
weapon. Towns would
surrender in advance if they
heard of the Mongols in the
area.
Mongol Soldiers
• Lightning fast – could cover 120
miles/day at full gallop – superb,
lifelong horsemen. Each took 4
horses so they could ride for 10
days at a time.
• Resourceful – if food was scarce,
they’d gash the neck of one of
their horses & drink its blood.
• The stirrup – Invented 2nd century
BC, it allows the Mongol
horsemen to stand, turn, and
shoot arrows from the saddle.
Silk underwear stopped many
arrows .
The Khanates
By 1294 the Mongols had created the largest unified land empire in the history of the world.
The Pax Mongolica
• The Mongol Empire was split into 4 Khanates,
each ruled by a descendant of Genghis Khan.
• Rulers were actually tolerant and soon
adapted to their subjects (i.e. Ilkhans &
Golden Horde became Muslim).
• The Pax Mongolica (1250’s – 1350’s)
guaranteed safe passage for trade caravans.
Kublai Khan
• He began the Yuan
Dynasty in China. He
abandoned the steppes
of Mongolia and made
his capital in Beijing.
• Marco Polo was a
Viennese trader who
wrote of Kublai Khan’s
court – unbelievable to
Europeans.
The Fall of the Mongol Empire
• Kublai Khan failed twice to take Japan –
Samurai held them off both times.
• In 1368 China overthrows Mongol rule
• The Ilkhanate falls to Persia in 1330.
• The Chagtai Khanate dissolves in 1370.
• The Golden Horde falls in 1480.