Chapter 7The Mongols

& African Empires

The Mongols

The Mongol people came from the north of China, known today as Mongolia.

The Mongols

In the 13th Century, the Mongols united the people of central Asia and spread across Asia from China to Russia, south into the Byzantine territory and the Muslim territory.

Later then even invaded parts of India.

The Mongols

In less than 100 years, the Mongols had built the largest land empire in history.

The Mongols

Their leader was Temujin, later known as Genghis Khan, who became his tribal leader at the age of 13 when his father was murdered. (1162 AD)

Genghis Khan means “universal ruler.” He was one of the greatest conquerors

in history. (See map page 167.)

The Mongols

The Mongols were fearsome warriors who terrorized the people they conquered.

They sometimes massacred entire populations as an example to those yet to be conquered, that resistance was futile.

The Mongols left fear, destruction, and death in their wake.

The Mongols

Despite the Mongols’ brutality, they allowed the conquered peoples to keep their own religions.

Many Mongols even converted to the religions of the people they conquered, especially Islam.

The Mongols

After Genghis Khan died, the Mongols continued to advance.

Finally the empire became too large for one ruler to manage, and it broke up into separate Mongol states, ruled by Mongol generals, usually descendants of Genghis Khan.

The Mongols

Several states that developed out of the vast Mongolian empire were◦ China◦ Russia◦ Central Asia◦ India

The Mongols

The Yuan Dynasty in China (1279-1368)◦ The Great Wall of China could not stop the

Mongols from invading China.◦ Genghis Khan’s grandson, Kublai Khan, a

learned a wise ruler, began the conquest of China.◦ Kublai Khan established the Yuan Dynasty.

The Mongols

Kublai Khan moved the capital of China to Cambaluc, modern day Beijing.

He built roads, invited missionaries, scholars, artists, merchants, and engineers from all over the world to China so he could learn from them.

Marco Polo, the Italian trader, lived in China and served the Khan for 17 years. (1271-1288 AD)

Mongols – Yuan Dynasty

After Kublai Khan died, the empire started to weaken because the Chinese resented foreign rule.

They eventually rebelled, and in 1368, they drove the Mongols back to Mongolia.

Mongols – Yuan Dynasty

Batu Khan, another grandson of Genghis, led the Mongols into Europe, attacking Russia, Hungary, and Poland.

The Europeans called the Mongols “Tartars,” the Greek word for hell.

They were called the Golden Horde because the Russians described their camps as “a camp of shining tents.”

Russia & the Golden Horde

Under the Mongols, the city of Moscow grew and became the capital of Russia.

Moscow was at the intersection of major rivers and was a crossroads for trade and communication.

Russia’s leaders cooperated with the Mongols.

Russia & the Golden Horde

By the late 14th century, the Russian princes challenged the Mongol rulers and Ivan III refused to pay tribute to the Mongols.

In 1480, the Russians again were in control and Moscow became the political and religious capital of the new state.

Russia & the Golden Horde

“Timur the Lame” began a new wave of Mongol invasions in the late 14th century.

He conquered Baghdad, Damascus, part of Asia Minor (Ottoman Turks), and invaded southern Russia.

Then he invaded India and crushed the city of Delhi in 1398.

He died before he could launch an invasion of China.

Tamerlane

The Indians called the Mongols “Mughals.” India had been able to resist Mongol attacks

until the 16th century when Babur “the Tiger” captured Delhi and established the Mughal dynasty (1526).

He brought law and order, increased Indian unity, and fostered art and architecture.

Akbar, a Mughal Muslim, was tolerant of other religions and gained the support of the Hindus.

Mughal Empire in India

China

Japan

Africa

Second largest continent Covers 1/5 of the earth’s land surface

AFRICA

The continent of the Egyptians & Carthaginians

Muslims took control of North Africa.

Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa (south of the Sahara Desert)

Africa

Kush (today northern Sudan) mentioned in II Kings.

Ancient Africa

Aksum defeated Kush in AD 330.

Ancient Africa

Aksum embraced Christianity. A Syrian Christian named Frumentius

brought the Gospel to them. Also Timothy had witnessed to the Ethiopian

eunuch who took the Gospel message to Africa.

Later the Muslims and the Romans cut off Africa from the West and European contact.

Africa

Most of African history is unknown because it wasn’t written down.

Because of trade and natural resources, however, parts of Africa became very wealthy.

Central & Western Africa

The mighty kingdom of Ghana developed in west Africa because they had iron ore and developed advanced weapons which enabled them to conquer other peoples.

Iron was the “ultimate weapon” of its day. Ghana’s enemies fought with ebony (hard

wood), but the Ghanaians fought with swords & lances.

Ghana

The Arabs, hearing of the vast gold and resources of the wealthy Ghana empire, made plans to attack.

The Ghanaians repelled them.

Ghana

However, the contact brought them trade with the Arabs.

The trans-Saharan caravan trade flourished:◦ Gold and slaves from Africa to Arabia◦ Salt, horses, cloth, swords, books from Arabia to

Africa.

◦ Also the Arabs brought a written language to Ghana: Arabic.

◦ Much of what we know about the Ghanaians was recorded in Arabic by Arab and Ghanaian scholars.

Ghana

The Ghanaians called their land the kingdom of Ouagadou (wa-ga-doo), but their king was known as “Ghana” or warrior king.

As they fame and wealth of their kings spread, the country where he resided became known as Ghana.

Eventually, Ghana was invaded by the Muslims and was shattered.

Ghana

Out of the ruins of Ghana arose another great African empire: Mali.

Mali

Mali was made up of the Mandingo people who spoke the Mande language.

The Mandingoes accepted Islam early in the Arab invasions of Africa.

Mali became a key region in the Islamic world of the Middle Ages.

Mali

The Mali people called their rulers “Mansa,” meaning emperor or sultan.

Mansa Musa became the most famous ruler in the history of the western Sudan.

Mali

Matrilineal Principle of Succession: the son of the king’s sister becomes the inherits the throne.

Mansa Musa was the grandson of one of Sundiata’s (the previous ruler) sisters.

Musa is an Arabic version of Moses.

Mansa Musa

Mansa MusaHe ruled Mali from 1307 – 1332. His accomplishments included extending Mali’s boundaries through war and diplomacy, promoting trade & commerce, and spreading learning. He was a very devout Muslim.

Mansa Musa’s HajjMansa Musa made his hajj to Mecca in 1324. “The spectacular wealth displayed by his entourage so dazzled the people on his line of march that their descendants still talked about it one hundred years after it occurred.”

Mecca was thousands of miles from Niani, Musa’s capital, across barren wastelands.

They took 80-100 camel-loads of gold dust, each weighing about 300 pounds.

About 60,000 people travelled in the caravan.

Mansa Musa was very generous and left expensive gifts in Mecca and Medina. He gave gold to anyone who performed some service for him.

Mansa Musa’s Hajj

On his return trip through Cairo, Egypt, he was excessively generous. He gave gold to everyone.

As a result,◦ He ran out of money and had to borrow some to

get home.◦ He flooded Cairo with so much gold that it took

more than 12 years for the economy to recover from the inflation left behind.

Mansa Musa’s Hajj

Charles V’s atlas The atlas shows an African monarch wearing robes and a crown, holding a scepter and a nugget of gold. The inscription reads: “This Negro lord is called Mousse Melly (Musa of Mali)…So abundant is the gold…in his country that he is the richest and most noble king of all the land.”

Songhay

The Songhay empire developed along the Niger River. It expanded about the same time as the decline of the Mali empire. The Songhays captured Gao, a Mali city, which became the most important settlement in the region.

Traders traveled in caravans to Gao via Egypt and North Africa.

Songhay

The Songhay ruling class converted to Islam, but the common people mostly kept their tribal religious practices.

Songhay

Mansa Musa (of Mali) took two Songhay princes hostage to keep a rival king whom he had dominated from rebelling.

Ali Kolon and Sulayman Nar, while serving Musa, made plans for escape.

After gaining the trust of the Malians, they managed to escape by hiding arms and provisions along the route they would one day take to return home.

Songhay

As Mali declined, Songhay grew in strength and power.

The fiercest warrior king ever to appear in Africa was Songhay King Sunni Ali Ber in 1464.

He captured Timbuktu in 1468. This city had a great university called Sankore which attracted scholars from all over Africa.

Songhay

Sunni Ali Ber

Sunni Ali Ber also captured Jenne, another leading city of Mali.

Jenne was famous for its advances in medicine, including complex surgeries.

It also had a large university with thousands of teachers conducting research in many subjects.

Jenne was known as a beautiful city with attractive waterways and enchanting architecture.

Songhay

Jenne was known as a beautiful city with attractive waterways and enchanting architecture.

Songhay

Jenne was beseiged by Sunni Ali Ber for 7 years, 7 months, and 7 days.

At last the city surrendered, but the city was spared because the Songhay people admired their courage.

Songhay

Songhay society was built upon a caste system.◦ Kings and descendants of original Songhay people◦ Caretakers of horses◦ Smiths for making weapons◦ Fishermen◦ Traders◦ Army◦ War Captives & Slaves

Songhay

During Europe’s “Dark Ages” three great African empires provided the main advance of human knowledge.

On separate pilgrimages to Mecca, two African emperors dispensed more than $10 million apiece in charity.

Until the invention of firearms the might African warriors of the Sudan were never conquered.

Interesting facts