The Mongols

1
The Mongols
Homeland
2
Carmen Sandiego in The Gobi Desert, Mongolia
3
Thats One Mighty Big EmpireLargest empire
created by one single person
"The greatest happiness is to vanquish your
enemies, to chase them before you, to rob them of
their wealth, to see those dear to them bathed in
tears, to clasp to your bosom their wives and
daughters"      -GENGHIS KHAN
4
Pre-Empire Characteristics

• Nomadic (pastoralism)
• Tribal (therefore lots of war)
• Largely illiterate (because nomads dont do job
  specialization!)
• Economic system herding flocks, raiding booty
  along the edges of powerful civilizations like
  China
• Social System clan family importance
  constant low-level fighting over pasture, water,
  slaves, resources, etc.

5
Holy Empire, Batman!

• 1206-1227 Genghis Khan conquers a huge empire
• Unifies the Mongols themselves by breaking down
  kinship ties (comparable to Muhammads use of
  Islam to unify all Arabs). Like the Arabs, he
  then distracts Mongols from in-fighting by
  conquering others
• Empire China to Syria and Russia to Korea
• capital at Karakorum
• Began a period of stability known as the Pax
  Mongolica
• The original empire broke up in 1260 but didnt
  completely dissolve

6
The Breakup
7
After Genghis Khans Death

• Divided into 4 main segments ruled by parts of
  the Khans family and lasting into the 1400s
• Great Khan (Yuan Dynasty of China)
• Khanate of Chaghadai (Central Asia trade
  routes)
• Golden Horde (Russia, Northern Eurasia)
• Khanate of Persia (eastern portions of the former
  Abbasid Caliphate)

8
Results of the Pax Mongolica

• Pax Mongolica The Mongol Peace time of
  stability and peace caused by all of Eurasia
  basically being under the rule of a single entity
• Facilitated contact between various parts of
  enormous land area from Mediterranean to Pacific.
• Promoted interaction between peoples of many
  different ethnicities, religions, cultures.
• Enabled exchange spread of ideas, goods,
  technologies, disease.
• The Bad The Mongols caused destruction
  subjugation
• Dislike of the Mongols made the people under
  their rule feel more unified