Chapter 14

MONGOLS

The Big Picture◈ The Mongols interrupted the big post-classical empires◈ Extended the world network through re-defining long distance trade

routes◈ Chinggis (Genghis) Khan and his successors brought under their

control◆ Central Asia◆ China◆ Persia & Iraq◆ Tibet◆ Asia Minor and Southern Russia

◈ Last Nomadic group to be a formidable challenge to settled civilizations 2

Remember (Pastoralism vs. Agriculture)◈ Pastoralists offered women a higher status in

society◈ SOOOOO Mongol Women:

◆ Could initiate divorce◆ Could remarry if widowed◆ Served as political advisors◆ Active in the Military

◈ Basic unit was the tribe → kin-related clans with leaders elected by the free men of the group

◈ Leadership skills = courage in battle 3

The Mongol Empire◈ One major contribution facilitated

worldwide networks of exchange and communication

◈ No real cultural impact◆ Did not spread any major religion◆ Did not spread their language or

culture

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Temujin (1162-1227) AKA Genghis Khan◈ United and led the mongols◈ People didn’t want to follow him at

first was captured and had to escape◈ Eventually

◆ Capitalized on shifting tribal alliances and betrayals

◆ Enemies were indecisive◆ Incorporated warriors from

defeated tribes into his own forces

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Let’s make sure◈ Ogedei → Son 2nd Great Khan

◆ Continued expansion into central Asia etc◈ Mongke → Grandson 4th Great Khan

◆ Iraq and Syria◈ Kublai → Grandson 5th Great Khan

◆ Yuan◈ Golden Horde

◆ Batu Khan → Grandson

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Mongol Expansion◈ Two major reasons for Mongol

expansion under Genghis Khan◆ The newly united Mongols needed

a common task or else they would fragment and fall apart (big picture)

◆ He needed external resource with which to reward his followers

◆ 1st Goal = CHINA

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Mongol Expansion◈ 1209 = Marks the beginning of Mongol conquest◈ Conquests continued for about 50 years under Genghis Khan and

his grandsons ◆ Ogodei◆ Mongke◆ Kublai

◈ Final empire contained ◆ China, Korea, Central Asia, Russia, Much of the Islamic

Middle East, and Parts of Eastern Europe

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The Mongol Military◈ Genghis Khan reorganized the

entire social structure of the Mongols into military units◆ Of 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000

warriors◆ Allowed for effective control

and command◈ Conquered tribes =broken up and

dispersed throughout these units

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The Mongol Military◈ Displayed incredible discipline and

loyalty◆ People that deserted their unit in

battle → put to death◆ Unit leaders fought alongside

their men◆ ALL Mongols benefited from

the wealth that flowed into the Mongol Empire from conquered civilizations 11

The Mongol Military◈ Brutal and ruthless military tactics

◆ All who resisted Mongol rule → Slaughtered along with their wives, children and dependents

◆ Cities destroyed◈ Their brutality worked as psychological warfare also

◆ Many of those that heard about the Mongols were afraid and voluntarily surrendered

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Mongol Efficiency◈ Mobilized human and material resources◈ Detailed census taking

◆ Knew how many people they controlled and what resources were available to them

◆ Allowed them to effectively tax the people◈ Set up an effective system of relay stations

◆ Provided for rapid communication◆ Fostered trade

◈ Centralized Government◆ Scribes translated laws into the various languages

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Political ◈ Mongol rule was generally tolerant

◆ Religious toleration◆ Administrators drawn from Islamic and CHinese worlds◆ Intellectuals taken from conquered kingdoms

◈ Trade and cultural exchange flourished◆ Pax Mongolica◆ Protect merchants

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Economics◈ Wanted to foster trade◈ Allowed merchants free use of their relay

stations◈ Often offered merchants 10% more than their

asking price

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China and the Mongols◈ Goal → Extract wealth from China◈ In order to do so → must accommodate the Chinese

◆ Use the Chinese administrative practices, taxation system, and postal system

◆ Took a Chinese dynastic title → The Yuan◆ Transferred capital from Karakorum in Mongolia to Beijing in

China ◈ Mongol rule in China was STILL VERY HARSH, exploitative,

foreign and resented◈ Mongols did NOT become Chinese and did not Accommodate

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Kublai Khan◈ Grandson (but who isn’t) of Genghis ◈ Mongol ruler/creator of the Yuan Dynasties

(1271-1294)◈ Improved roads◈ Built Canals◈ Lowered some taxes◈ Supported scholars and artists◈ Limited the death penalty and torture◈ Supported peasant agriculture ◈ VERY HARSH STILL

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Mongols being Mongols◈ Many still lived, ate, slept, and

gave birth in Yurts they put up everywhere

◈ Planted steppe grass within the capital and let animals roam freely

◈ Didn’t use civil service exams◈ Didn’t learn Chinese

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Mongol Decline◈ Mongol rule in China declined in the

mid-1300s◈ Many factors caused this decline

◆ Division among the Mongols◆ Rising prices (inflation)◆ Epidemics of the plague◆ Growing peasant rebellions

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Marco Polo◈ Merchant from Venice, Italy◈ Traveled throughout the

Mongol Empire for almost 3 decades

◈ Kept a diary of everything he encountered and experienced

◈ Primary way in which Europeans learned about the East

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Gender Roles◈ Mongol women had a strong

role originally◈ They remained aloof from

Confucian Chinese women◈ Refused to adopt foot binding◈ Retained right to property and

control in the household◈ Freedom of movement

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Reaction by Confucianists ◈ Thought of the Mongols as “uncouth barbarians”◈ Refusal to reinstate the exam system was resented◈ The bolstering of artisans and merchants bothered them◈ Mongols liked popular entertainment raising the status of actors

and actresses which went against the earlier hierarchy

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Chinese lower class reaction ◈ Kublai's policies favored peasantry,

protecting the agricultural land from Mongol cavalry men turning it into pasture

◈ Famine relief measures were introduced

◈ Tax and labor burdens were reduced

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Persia and the Mongols◈ Conquest of Persia

◆ Much quicker and more violent than that of China

◈ 1258◆ Capital of Baghdad sacked

◇ End of Abbasid dynasty◇ More than 200,000 people

massacred

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Persia◈ Many Mongols in Persia were heavily influenced by the Persians

there:◆ Adopted Islam◆ Left government operations in Persian hands◆ Learned Persian◆ Some turned to farming and abandoned nomadic ways◆ Some married local people

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Devastation to Persia◈ Peasants pushed off their land due to heavy

taxation◈ Nomadic Mongols with their herds of animals

turned agricultural land into pasture, wasteland, and desert

◈ Irrigation channels → neglected

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Exploitation of the Russians◈ Russian princes required to send tribute to

the Mongols◈ Variety of heavy taxes on Russian people◈ Continuing border raids◈ Tens of thousands of Russians sent into

slavery

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Influence on the Russians◈ Although the Mongols weren’t influenced much

by the Russians, the Russians were influenced by the Mongols◆ Adopted Mongols’ weapons

◇ Court practices◇ Diplomatic rituals◇ Taxation system◇ Military draft 28

End of Mongol Rule in Russia◈ Mongol rule in Russia started to decline by the end of the 1400s◈ Major causes of this decline

◆ Divisions among Mongols◆ Growing strength of Russian state → now centered on the

city of Moscow

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Russia and the Mongols◈ Heavy devastation to Russia

◆ Perhaps more than in Persia◈ Mongol conquest of Russia →

Khanate of the Golden Horde◈ Mongols defeated the Russians, but

did NOT occupy Russia◆ Russia had little to offer◆ Less developed economy◆ Not located along any major trade

routes30

Decline of the Mongols◈ Mongols too few in number, settled populations massive◈ Any interaction resulted in acculturation◈ Mongol rule resented by conquered populations ◈ Settled populations began to use firearms

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