The Mongols

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The Mongols The Mongol Empire
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I. Beginnings

• Mongol people roamed eastern steppe (vast stretch
  of dry grassland across Eurasia) in loosely
  organized clans
• Nomadic, pastoralist (herd domesticated animals)
• Horseback riding an essential part of life
• 1200 Temujin, a young clan leader, sought to
  unite Mongols under one leadership
• Fought and defeated rival clans
• 1206 at kuriltai (meeting of all clan
  chieftains), elected khagan (supreme ruler)
• accepted title Chinggis (or Ghengis) Khan,
  meaning universal leader

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II. Early Conquests

• First went after northern China in 1211
• Forced ruler of Tangut kingdom in NW China to pay
  tribute
• Fought and weakened Jin Empire
• Soon turned attention to Central Asia
• Angered by the murder of Mongol traders and
  ambassador
• Gained control over region by 1225
• Why so successful?
• Highly organized and trained
• Fighting units, called tumens, consisted of
  10,000 soldiers, most on horseback
• Gifted strategist would often trick/surprise
  enemy
• Cruelty as a weapon believed in terrifying
  enemies into surrendering
• If city fought back, would be destroyed, people
  killed/sold into slavery

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III. Mongol Empire

• Chinggis established capital at Karakorum on
  steppes north of China
• Summoned scholars from all corners of empire
• Created government framework based on both Muslim
  and Chinese ideas/traditions
• Creation of written Mongol language for
  recordkeeping and standardization of laws
• Mongol rule helped to stabilize some areas
  production and trade flourished between East and
  West
• Period from mid-13th to mid-14th century called
  Pax Mongolica (Mongol Peace)
• Chinggis died in 1227
• Third son, Ogedei, elected grand khan expanded
  empire to include Russia, much of the Islamic
  world, and China

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III. Continued

• Divide and conquered
• Mongol empire divided into four regions, or
  Khanates, each ruled by a descendant of Chinggis
• Khanate of the Great Khan (Mongolia and China)
• Khanate of Chagatai (Central Asia)
• The Ilkhanate (Persia)
• Khanate of the Golden Horde (Russia)

CHALLENGE QUESTION!
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IV. Russia Under the Mongols

• 13th century Russia divided into many warring
  kingdoms
• Refused to unite to fight Mongols easily
  defeated individually
• Mongols called Tatars (or tartars), meaning
  people from hell
• Russian nobility became vassals of the khan of
  Golden Horde
• Russian people began centuries of feudal bondage
• Feudalism in Russia lasts longer, more severe
  than in West
• The good and bad of Mongol rule
• Trade with Asia increases and economy grows
• Mongol rule led to isolation from West and the
  Renaissance
• Distinct culture mix of Asian and Western
  beliefs/traditions

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V. The Islamic Heartlands

• Captured and destroyed Baghdad in 1258
• Murdered last Abbasid caliph, along with 800,000
  more people (supposedly)
• Left Muslim empire without a central authority
• Will eventually lead to 3-way split Ottomans,
  Mughals, Safavids
• Mamluks (led by Baibars) in Egypt led rebellion
  against Mongols
• Cooperated with Christian crusaders in Palestine
• Mongols forced to retreat, but remained in
  control of a vast territory
• From edges of Byzantium to Oxus River in central
  Asia

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VI. Kublai Khan and China

• 1260 grandson of Chinggis accepts title of
  Great Khan
• Succeeded in conquering all of China
  in 1279
• Founded the Yuan Dynasty, lasted less than 100
  years
• Reunited all of China (including western and
  northern regions)
• Opened China up to more trade/foreign contact
• Tolerated Chinese culture, made few changes to
  government
• But, kept Chinese out of higher offices
• Believed outsiders were more trustworthy, because
  no local loyalties

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VI. Continued

• Changes in Chinese society
• Mongol women refused to adopt policies and
  practices of Chinese women
• Ended bureaucratic examination system (but it
  will return)
• Merchants and artisans experienced increase in
  status
• Reduced peasant taxes, restored granary (food
  storage) system

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VII. End of Mongol Rule

• Yuan dynasty in China declines
• After death of Kublai Khan (1294), Mongols never
  had as strong of leader
• Suffered many defeats in Southeast Asia in later
  years
• Overtaxed population
• Rebellions broke out across China, succeeded in
  overthrowing Yuan in 1368
• Led by secret societies, such as White Lotus
  Society
• Most of Mongol Empire fell apart throughout
  Eurasia in late 1300s, 1400s for similar reasons
• Golden Horde would remain the longest, have
  greatest impact

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CHALLENGE QUESTION 1

• Evaluate these two statements from Chinggis Khan
• "A man's greatest work is to break his enemies,
  to drive them before him, to take from them all
  the things that have been theirs, to hear the
  weeping of those who cherished them.
• "I will rule them by fixed laws so that rest
  and happiness shall prevail in the world.
• What do these two statements tell us about
  Chinggis Khan?
• 3-4 sentences

BACK
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Exit Ticket!

• Describe at least one effect/consequence of
  Mongol conquest in each of the following regions
  Russia/Eastern Europe, Middle East, China/East
  Asia.