Notebook heading: Date: 11/7/2013 Topic: Mongol Empire By the end today s class our objective is to evaluate the impact of the Mongol Empire on the post-classical age. What is it? What is it evidence of? Mongols: Nomadic people from the steppes of central Asia Conquered (and settled) societies across much of Asia Largest unified land empire in world history Pride in skill on horseback discipline ruthlessness courage in battle Wanted wealth and glory conquered empires 1
Genghis Khan: 1162(?) 1227 Military and political genius united Mongols main goal: conquest Temujin first defeated his rival clans one by one accepted title Genghis Khan or universal ruler spent 21 years conquering much of Asia driven by revenge and conquest Man s greatest good fortune is to chase and defeat his enemy, seize his total possessions, leave his married women weeping and wailing, and ride his horse great organizer gifted strategist adopted weapons and technologies of his enemies used cruelty as a weapon Terrified his enemies into surrender If a city refused to open its gates to him, he might kill the entire population when he finally captured it Many towns surrendered without a fight Genghis Khan died in 1227 from a fall or illness His empire did not die with him, his successors continued its expansion. In less than 50 years, the Mongols conquered territory from China to Poland. They created the largest unified land empire in history. 2
The Mongol Impact As mentioned earlier, the Mongols were great diffusers of culture. Some Mongols were assimilated by those they conquered. In Persia, for example, most Mongols became Muslim. Elsewhere, Mongols either couldn t absorb those they conquered or intentionally didn t. In China, for example, Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis, dismissed the Confucian scholars, forbade marriage between Mongols and Chinese, and wouldn t allow the Chinese to learn the Mongol language. Because the Chinese weren t allowed to Mongolize, they didn t. They kept their own identity, and when they finally kicked the Mongols out in 1368, the Chinese were able to establish the Ming Dynasty under traditional Chinese practices, which they had never lost. There were, however, two major consequences of Mongol rule. The first is that Russia, which was conquered by the Golden Horde and treated as a vassal state, didn t unify or culturally develop as quickly as its European neighbors to the west. The second, and globally more important impact was that world trade, cultural diffusion, and awareness grew. Think about it: The Mongol empire touched Europe and very nearly touched Japan. It stretched southward to Persia and India making possible not only trade but also the transmission of the Black Plague in the fourteenth century. This one empire touched nearly all the major civilizations of the day. So, strange as it sounds, the often brutal Mongols, in their own way, brought the world together. By 1450, as the Mongol Empire was well into its decline, the world would never again be disconnected. What would Grandpa do? 3
after Genghis death four regional empires Khanate of the Great Khan (Yuan Dynasty) Khanate of Jagadai (central Asia) Khanate of the Golden Horde (Russia) Il Khan (Middle East/Islamic heartlands) Pax Mongolica Kublai Khan: first foreigner to rule all of China Yuan Dynasty united China for first time in 300 years abolished civil service exam enjoyed luxurious living as emperor the largest that was ever seen Marco Polo s description of Kublai Khan s palace built palace to enhance prestige failed attempt to conquer Japan Advice given to Kublai Khan: I have heard that one can conquer the empire on horseback, but one cannot govern it on horseback. What does that mean? My grandfather ruled from his saddle. 4
ornamental gilded embellished adorned abuts hart, stag, roebuck gerfalcon mew crupper vanguard multitude afoot battue comrades discourse pendants rendered subdued contrary midst canes varnished fancies 5
You decide and make a convincing argument Kublai Khan was similar to Genghis Khan He was different than him He strayed from his nomadic roots because On a Post It Note Who did more for the Mongol Empire? Genghis Khan or Kublai Khan or Give evidence to support your choice Your name Vote on the front board 6