1. The
Mongols
Man on horse killing wolves

2. From their home on the steppes of Central Asia, the Mongols eventually ruled most of Eurasia
Largest contiguous land-based empire in history

3. Steppes are… Grassland from northern China to Hungary
Western steppe was home to the Aryans
North of Gobi Desert
Very little rain (west more rainy), grassy, extreme temperature range summer/winter

4. Mongolians were pastoralists
Mongols on horses

5. …and nomads didn’t “wander”
followed seasonal patterns to find water and grass for animals
Mongols cooking/RVs
lived in clans: groups with common ancestor

6. Yurt
Lived in yurts or gers

7. Yurts are still used in Mongolia today

8. Known for skill on horseback
Mongol on horseback

9. army had 3 horses per soldier
invented stirrup--could stand, turn, shoot
silk underwear under armor for protection
13th century saddle

10. Genghis Khan named Temujin (1162-1227) 1206 united Mongols
Chingghis or Jenghiz
named Temujin ( )
1206 united Mongols
given title Genghis Khan or Universal Ruler
1221 controled Central Asia
Genghis Khan

11. Feared yet Respected
organized army decimal units: = platoon, 100 = company, 1000 = brigade
employed clever strategies
adopted weapons & technology
used cruelty as weapon
Tricks: fake retreat, make army look bigger with “dummies”
New weapons: captured Chinese engineers, forced them to work for him

13. There can be no doubt that even if for a thousand years to come no evil befalls the country, yet will it not be possible to completely repair the damage, and bring back the land to the state in which it was formerly.
Hamd-Allah Mustawfi
describing damage to Tigris and Euphrates Valley
in The Geographical Part of the Nuzhat al-Qulub

15. The Four Khanates Mongol empire by 1260
Destroyed irrigation system on Tigris/Euphrates
Sacked numerous cities, some never recovered

16. Kublai Khan grandson of Genghis established Yuan Dynasty in 1279
moved capital to Beijing
Mongols lived apart from Chinese
encouraged foreign trade

17. Marco Polo Kublai Khan welcomed many foreigners
considered more trustworthy than Chinese
spent 17 years in China
told stories years later while imprisoned during war between Genoa and Venice
Travels of Marco Polo

18. Failure to Conquer Japan
1274 forced Koreans to build massive fleet--largest invasion until WWII
1281 typhoon destroyed fleet
Japanese praised kamikaze “Divine Wind”

19. Fall of Mongol Empire after Kublai Khan’s death resentment grew
Chinese taxed to finance war
floods cause famine, disease
1368 Ming overthrow Yuan
only Golden Horde continues