"The Bridge between Eastern and Western Cultures" All empires from sunrise to sunset have been given to us, and we own them. -Guyuk Third Great Khan of the Mongols The Mongolian Empire

Mongol Images

Who were the Mongols? Nomads who lived on horseback-from the Asian steppes Herded sheep and traded horses with the ancient Chinese and Persians. Transhumance— circular pattern of migration of cattle, sheep, and goats

How did they live?  Tribes: –Divided into kin-related clans –Traveled in small groups of two or three families. –When needed could combine into large confederation

 Mobile  Disciplined  Siege Warfare  Short bows  350 yards compared to longbow’s 250 yards

Caravanserai

Yurts

Genghis Khan  Born Temujin  Father poisoned by rival clan leader  Building the Mongol War Machine  Mounted warriors  Tumens,10,000 troops  Messenger force  Adopted gunpowder, cannons

Genghis Khan  All who surrender will be spared; whoever does not surrender but opposes with struggle and dissension, shall be annihilated. --Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan Temujin = Chinggis = Genghis  United Mongols –speed and mobility –spies to gather information about the enemy –formal code of honor with military forces –messenger force to communicate between units  Male dominated but women had influence within the family  Elected supreme ruler of all Mongol tribes in 1206 –Kuriltai [meeting of all chieftains]

 Method of ruling:  Motto: submit and live, resist and die  People could keep their religions, used their knowledge to make the empire better  Always open to new ideas/religions  Established laws to make peace throughout the Asian empire  Commerce excelled because trade routes were safe (silk road)  Pax Mongolica = intercontinental trade

Genghis Khan’s death  Upon Genghis’ death the Mongolian Empire was divided into four successor empires or khanates.  China- Kublai Khan (Yuan Dynasty)  Inner Eurasia- Chagatai  Caspian and Black Seas, Russia- Khanate of the Golden Horde  Persia and Iraq (Ilkhanate)

Mongols in China  12 th century attacked the Jin Dynasty –Method: if cities resisted attacks their inhabitants were killed or made slaves  1207 – forced NW Chinese kingdom to be a vassal

Driving West…The Golden Horde  Took control of Kiev as it was becoming vulnerable (1200’s)  Russia was a vassal to the Mongols for 250 years –Beginning of serfdom in Russia lasting until 1860’s –Regardless, some cities grew due to the increase in trade b/c of the Mongols (Moscow) –Influenced military and political organization –Isolated Russia from Western Europe and their developments

Attack on Islam  Hulegu = Ilkhanates –Ends Abbasid Caliphate when they sack Baghdad (1258) –Local rulers were allowed to continue ruling as long as they taxed the people and maintained order--facilitated trade  Mamluk (slave dynasty in Egypt) –Stopped the spread of Mongols in Egypt

Effect on Europe  Successive invasions of Eastern Europe  Destroyed Kiev, supported rise of Muscovy  Invasions halted/tempered by succession disputes

Effect on South Asia  Raided into Indus Valley for decades, sometimes into Gangetic Plain  Timur the Lame (Tamerlane) destroyed Delhi 1398  Periodic incursions until Mughal invasion of early 1500s established Mughal Empire north of Deccan

The conquest of northern China Beijing

Conquest of western Inner Eurasia and northern Iran

Conquest of Black Sea steppes and invasions of Russia and eastern Europe Mongols on the plain of Hungary Mongol withdrawal from Europe

Conquest of Southwest Asia End of the Muslim Caliph and the Abbasid empire Mamluks stop the Mongols in Syria

xxx Conquest of southern China Attempted invasions of Japan (1274 and 1281)

Mongolian Empire at its height in 1200’s CE

Mongol Impact  Pax Mongolica –United large territory for about a century 2 continents were united under one rule; safe trade; etc  Cultural diffusion –Gun powder –Trade of food, tools, ideas –Money for traders (esp. in Venice and Genoa) –Bubonic Plague (AKA Black death) –Killed 1/3 of W. Europe and 50% of the population in other areas One cause for end of feudalism in W Europe

Kublai Khan Yuan Dynasty  China—end of Song Dynasty  Capital in Beijing  Kept Mongols and Chinese separate  Government: only Mongols and foreigners [Muslims] …no Chinese in high positions.  Respected and were interested in Chinese culture  Ended Civil Service Exam  Postal/communication system connected Beijing to Vienna using horses; 1400 postal stations; trade flourished; merchants converted their money to Chinese paper money

Women in Kublai Khan’s Court  Mongol women would not blend with Chinese culture (i.e.: foot binding)  Kept their rights to property and freedom to move around town as they pleased  Many fought in wars too  Chabi-Kublai Khan’s wife-she was a good buffer between Mongol and Chinese society

Kublai Khan Continued  Marco Polo –From Venice –Served in the court for 17 yrs –Wrote about his travels to China…no one believed him  Increased the status of artisans/actors/merchants  Mongols built a navy and tried to invade Japan…twice (1274 and 1281) –Kamikaze (sacred wind)– this showed the Mongols could be stopped  Reduced peasant taxes; maintained their cropland  Wanted to implement education to the peasants

Coast of Nagasaki Japan

An anchor stone from a Mongol vessel

Yuan Dynasty falls  Defeat in Japan and Vietnam hurt their image  Mongol rule got soft…inflation  Kublai’s successors were weak –Divided the empire among various generals by 1350, most of the empire was reconquered by other armies  White Lotus Society: dedicated to overthrowing the Yuan Dynasty  Ming Dynasty –Ruled for 300 years

Trade  Built up roads, extended the Grand Canal in China  Set up post offices/trading posts  Protected merchants, gave them a higher status  Set up merchant associations  Allowed safe passage to everyone

Religious Tolerance No intention of spreading own religion Offered tax benefits to all religious leaders Muslims brought to China to help with administration

Bridges  More Asian products available to Europe  Europeans travel to Asia, return with great stories  Marco Polo spends 17 years in Mongol court  His book inspires European imagination

Bridges  Portuguese look for quicker route to Asia around Africa  Columbus sails west with Marco Polo’s journal - trying to find Mongol China

Bridges  Would Columbus have been inspired to sail the ocean blue without the dreams of riches inspired by Marco Polo’s writings?  Can we give Genghis Khan and the Mongols credit for the Age of Exploration?

Summary  Began as nomads and challenged the sedentary peoples for control  Often portrayed as barbarians; destructive conquerors, but they brought peace, religious toleration, laws and unity to their empire  Empire included Central Asia, China, Persia, Tibet, Iraq, Asia Minor, and Southern Russia  Bridged gaps between East and West

Big Ideas ANALYSIS:  How did the geography of central Asia affect the development of the nomadic cultures? –How did these people adapt to their environment? –What advantages did their adaptations give them?  Discuss the military organization, techniques, and strategies of these Asian nomads. –How did these abilities make their military so formidable?

Central Asia Nomadic Peoples Transhumance Byzantine Empire Ottoman Turks 1071 Battle of Manzikert Constantinople captured 1453 Syria Palestine Overtook Abbasids Seljuk Turks Turks

Central Asia Nomadic Peoples Transhumance Byzantine Empire Ottoman Turks 1071 Battle of Manzikert Constantinople captured 1453 Syria Palestine Overtook Abbasids Seljuk Turks Turks Genghis Khan Mongols 1. Kublai Khan Yuan Dynasty 2. Chagatai 3. Ilkhanate Hulegu Baghdad 1258 Persia 4. Golden Horde Hegemony Silk Road

Armesto Map  mesto_theworld/interactive_maps/armesto_ maps/ch_13-1/ mesto_theworld/interactive_maps/armesto_ maps/ch_13-1/