THE MONGOLS

1
THE MONGOLS

• Means for fast conquests

• Military Tactics
• Extraordinary abilities on horseback and special
  properties of their bows
• Mongol bows could shoot 1/3 further
• Composite structure of bow, jade thumb ring allow
  archers hand to withstand tremendous tension of
  bowstring

2
THE MONGOLS

• Means for fast conquests

• Military Tactics (cont.)
• Would destroy enemies marksmen from safe
  distance
• Ride horses into combat against enemy infantry

3
THE MONGOLS

• Means for fast conquests

• Adaptability
• Policy of inclusiveness
• Genghis Khans advisors were adherents of all
  religions and linguistic groups
• Indicative in the Mongols technique for seizing
  forts/cities
• Volley of flaming arrows
• Hurling of projectiles
• City residents had choice to surrender and
  assimilate or die!

4
THE MONGOLS

• Means for fast conquests

• Adaptability
• Mongol armies grow after each successive conquest
• Small elite groups oversee armies of recruits
• Turkic
• Iranian
• Arabian
• Played rivalries against each other (Christians
  vs. Muslims)

5
THE MONGOLS

• Spread of Plague

• The Mongol conquests opened overland trade routes
  and brought about an unprecedented commercial
  integration of Eurasia
• Long-distance trade under Mongols led to transfer
  of military and scientific knowledge

6
THE MONGOLS

• Spread of Plague

• Diseases including bubonic plague also spread
  over the trade routes of the Mongol empire
• Plague had lingered in Yunnan, transferred to
  central and north China, to Central Asia, to
  Kaffa, and from there to the Mediterranean world