1. The Mongols
Unit4, October 30th and 31st

2. Why historically significant?
“The Mongols made no technological breakthroughs, founded no new religions, wrote few books or dramas”
Why historically significant?

3. The Mongol Empire at its height

4. Chronology of the Mongol Empire
Reign of Chinggis Khan
Conquest of northern China
Conquest of Persia
Conquest of Russia
1258 Capture of Baghdad
Conquest of southern China

5. The Mongols and Eurasian Empire
Built the largest empire in history stretching from Poland to China
13.8 million square miles
100 million people
Chinggis/Genghis Khan

6. Nomads of the Asian steppe
Geography of the Steppe
Dry grassland of Eurasia
Two main expanses
Central Asia to Eastern Europe
Mongolia
Climate
Little rain
Dramatic seasonal temperature differences
Nomadic Way of Life
Pastoralists
Skilled horse riders
Travel in clans

7. Nomads of the Asian Steppe
Steppe Nomads and Settled Societies
Often interact
Some interactions peaceful = trade
Sometimes nomads raid towns and cities
Strong state or empire could protect its lands from these invasions

8. The rise of the Mongols
Genghis Khan was born in 1167 and was known for uniting the Mongols
In the early 1200s, he begins campaign of conquest
By 1225, controls Central Asia
Known as Genghis the Conqueror
A brilliant organizer, strategist
Uses brutality to terrorize enemies, force surrenders

9. Leader of the Mongols
He mastered the art of steppe diplomacy which called for displays of personal courage in battle, combined with intense loyalty to allies, a willingness to betray others to improve one’s position and the ability to entice other tribes into cooperative relationships
Was responsible for bringing together all Mongol tribes into a single confederation

10. The Mongol empire Death and Succession The Khanates
Genghis Khan dies in 1227
Successors continue conquests for 50 years, but they divide up the Mongol Empire into four territories
Conquer territory from China to Poland
The Khanates
In east, Mongols conquer northern China and invade Korea
In west, Mongols take Kiev and threaten Vienna and Venice
In 1250s, Mongols turn their attention to Persia
By 1260, Mongol Empire split into khanates, four regions

11. Shortly after Chinggis Khan’s death, his empire split
into four Khanates

12. The Mongol Art of War
Great horsemen and archers who were deadly accurate
Large, quickly moving armies
“cutting edge weapons”
Masters at psychological warfare by using combined fake retreats and slaughtering entire cities
“By putting cities to the sword, they let terror run ahead of them”
John Fairbank
Their arrows could kill enemies at 200 meters (656 feet)
If enemies surrendered without resistance, the Mongols usually spared their lives, and they provided generous treatment for artisans, craft workers, and those with military skills
In the event of resistance, the Mongols ruthlessly slaughtered whole populations, sparing only a few, whom they sometimes drove their armies as human shields during future conflicts
A “ger”

13. The Mongols as rulers
The Mongol rulers are tolerant of other peoples, cultures
Some Mongols adopt local ways, leading to split among khanates
The Mongol Peace
Peaceful period from mid-1200s to mid-1300s called Pax Mongolica
Much east-west trade, exchange of ideas during this period

14. Under the Mongols, there was unprecedented long-distance trade
Mongols encouraged the exchange of people, technology, and information across their empire
Weatherford: the Mongols were “civilization’s unrivaled cultural carriers…”
Marco Polo en route to China

15. Kublai khan becomes emperor
A New Emperor
Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis, becomes great khan in 1260
Kublai conquers China by 1279
Beginning a New Dynasty
Establishes Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368), period of peace, prosperity
Kublai adopts Chinese ways, builds capital at Beijing
Failure to Conquer Japan
In 1274 and 1281, Kublai tries but fails to conquer Japan
Massive second invasion destroyed by typhoon
As Emperor of China, Kublai Khan encourages foreign trade and his government was administered by both Mongols and non-Chinese advisors
He allowed religious freedom, but dismantled the Confucian exam system

16. Mongol rule in china The Mongols and the Chinese Foreign Trade
Mongols live separately from Chinese, follow own laws
Mongols keep top government posts, put Chinese in local positions
Kublai extends Grand Canal to Beijing, builds highway
Foreign Trade
Trade increases under Kublai, sending Chinese products to other lands
Kublai invites merchants from other lands to China

17. Mongol rule in china Marco Polo at the Mongol Court
Venetian trader Marco Polo visits China in 1275
Polo returns to Venice in 1292; tells stories of what he saw in China
fabulous cities, fantastic wealth
Burning “black stones” (coal) to heat Chinese homes
Kublai Khan’s government and trade in Beijing
These stories gathered into a book; most readers doubt its truth

18. The end of Mongol rule Declining Power Yuan Dynasty Overthrown
Failed expeditions to Southeast Asia show weakness of Yuan Dynasty
High taxes cause resentment
Yuan Dynasty Overthrown
Kublai dies in 1294; successors are weak
In 1300s, rebellions break out, leading to formation of Ming Dynasty
Decline of the Mongol Empire
Mongol rule collapses in Persia in 1330s; in Central Asia in 1370s
By end of 1300s, only Mongol rule in Russia remains, the Golden Horde

19. Impact of the Mongols
“The Mongols created a single economic, cultural, and epidemiological world system”
Mongol Exchange
New methods of warfare
Trade from Venice to Beijing and beyond
Demographic change via the plague and major population shifts
Altered the political histories of Russia, China, Europe
Unparalleled cultural diffusion