THE MONGOLS & CHINGGIS KHAN Global History: Spiconardi

Origins of the Mongols

 Geography  Steppes  grasslands that are not easily cultivated  Extreme Temperature Range Winters could reach -57ºF Summer could reach 96ºF What is missing from these landscapes?

Origins of the Mongols  Social Organization  Nomadic Pastoralists  Nomadic Pastoralists  herded domesticated animals  Clans  Clans  group of people from a common ancestor Mongols could not marry within the same clan  Mongols had no written language or agriculture Mongols lived in yurts If this is the case, then technically the Mongols don’t meet the criteria of a what?

Origins of the Mongols Mongols would carry their possessions in these yurts as they wandered in search of pastures and resources

Recap Questions  Describe the geography of Mongolia.  How was Mongol society organized?  What type of existence did Mongols live?

Chinggis Khan “Man’s greatest good fortune is to chase and defeat his enemy, seize his total possessions, leave his married women weeping and wailing, ride his horse, use the bodies of his women as a nightshirt and support…” Read this quote attributed to the Great Khan. What do we know about him based on this quote?

Chinggis Khan  Early Influences  Assassination of father by a tribe called the Tartars via poison  Harsh conditions of Central Asian Steppes  Constant tribal warfare Hardened Chinggis and made him tough  Mother’s arrow story  inspired Chinggis to unite Mongols

Conquests …In the period from 1180–1220, Mongolia experienced a drop in the mean annual temperature, which meant that the growing season for grass was cut short. Less grass meant a real danger to the Mongols’ animals, and, since the animals were truly the basis of the Mongols’ pastoral-nomadic life, this ecological threat may have prompted them to move out of Mongolia. A second reason often mentioned is the attempt by Mongolia’s neighbors in north and northwest China to reduce the amount of trade with the Mongols. Since the Mongols depended on trade for goods that they desperately needed—such as grain, craft, and manufactured articles—cessation [halting] of trade, or at least the diminution [reduction] of trade, could have been catastrophic for them…Unable to obtain goods that they so desperately needed, the Mongols’ response was to initiate raids, attacks, and finally invasions against these two dynasties.… Source: “The Mongols in World History,” Asian Topics in World History online, Columbia University (adapted) According to this excerpt from “The Mongols in World History,” what are two reasons the Mongols began conquering new lands?

Chinggis Khan’s Conquests

Mongol Army … The Mongols had developed a composite bow made out of sinew and horn and were skilled at shooting it while riding, which gave them the upper hand against ordinary foot soldiers. With a range of more than 350 yards, the bow was superior to the contemporaneous [co-existing] English longbow, whose range was only 250 yards. …a sturdy stirrup enabled horsemen to be steadier and thus more accurate in shooting when mounted. A Chinese chronicler recognized the horse’s value to the Mongols, observing that “by nature they [the Mongols] are good at riding and shooting. Therefore they took possession of the world through this advantage of bow and horse.”… Source: Morris Rossabi, “All the Khan’s Horses,” Natural History, October 1994 What are two military inventions that aided in the Mongol conquests? How did those inventions assist in conquests?

Mongol Army  Excellent horseman  Since food was scarce  warriors drank blood of horse to sustain himself  Silk under armor  prevented deep arrowhead wounds

Mongol Army  Military Tricks  Dummy army  False retreats  additional forces attack by surprise  Weapons  Fold-away catapult  Siege towers  Gun-powder charges  Army could travel 70 miles a day

Chinggis Khan’s Legacy

 Unites Mongol people  Organized vast empire into 4 regions called Khanates  Perhaps the two most important contribution were:  Isolation of Russia Cuts off Russia from advancements of Western Europe during the Renaissance  Created the largest contiguous land empire ever

Death  Chinggis Khan dies in 1227 C.E., but his death is shrouded in uncertainty  Thrown from horses?  Pneumonia?  Died from wounds by a Tangut princess in self defense from rape?  Territory divided among sons  Ogedai is elected universal khan