The Mongols and Feudal Japan Notice the chaos occurring in the image.

Long after the Huns had dominated Asia and attacked a falling Roman Empire, another strong Asian civilization began to dominate. The Mongols were located north of China and were a reason for the Great Wall. Mongols were about 800 years after the Huns who were also a reason for the Great Wall

RUTHLESS AND DEADLY SPEED 39-Large numbers of soldiers and a huge cavalry emphasized speed when attacking. A cavalry is soldiers on horseback. Stirrups allowed for both hands to be used for warfare. Stirrups were not uniquely Mongol however. They were invented in northern China around the 3rd century. The Huns, in fact, used them in their invasion of Europe. Medieval knights adopted stirrups as well and some historians have argued that stirrups are a factor in feudalism because of the importance of cavalry and the money in a horse which creates the separation of the classes.

The Mongol Empire Genghis Khan was the conqueror & first to be called “Khan” or “ruler.” Ogodei Khan (son) who in death saved Western Europe. Kublai Khan (grandson) became the 1st emperor of the Yuan dynasty which ruled China for over a hundred years. Genghis Khan had appointed his son Ogodei as his heir and his death is often sighted as the reason for the end of the expansion…Mongolian rule was that all tribes had to gather to vote for new ruler and thus warriors had to return to Asia to vote and halt their attack on Europe. There was conflict between different grandsons (civil war) and through lost years and conflict, the Mongols never make it back to Europe. By the time Kublai Khan rules the focus is on China in the East and the unity that Genghis had created is gone.

The one area the Mongols were not able to conquer was Japan. The khans tried to conquer Japan twice but failed; once in 1281 because of a “divine wind” or “kamikaze” - it wrecked his fleet of 140,000 soldiers and saved Japan and they decided it wasn’t worth it. Historians believe it is the largest number of lost soldiers in a naval attack ever.

Japan 40-Having escaped defeat by the Mongols, feudalism persisted in Japan. Like in Europe, a strict class structure existed based on land, loyalty, and military power.

41(p.1)-Feudalism Comparison Japan Western Europe Emperor-absolute ruler yet most of the real power was with the… Shogun-military leader who had most the political power due to the military (king) (upper noble) Sakuramachi Tokogawa shogun

41(p.2)-Feudalism Comparison Japan Western Europe Daimyo-landowners who helped organize the military Samurai-highly trained warriors who followed a moral code of behavior called bushido like the knights’ chivalry. The Bushido characteristics of honesty and loyalty are still an important part of the Japanese society today. Peasants-everyone else who were heavily worked and taxed (lesser noble) (knights) (serf)