1. The Mongolians
A Nomadic Empire

2. Pastoral Nomads
Dependent on horses, camels, goats, sheep, cattle, yaks, reindeer
Not in the Americas – No domesticated animals
Feature of Pastoral Nomads - generally less productive - needed grasslands for grazing - smaller populations - lived in kinship groups / clans - more equality -mobility

3. Pastoral Nomads
Deep connection with agricultural neighbors - sought access to food / manufactured/luxury goods -Adopted Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam
Formation of states was difficult but possible - Chinggis Khan –unified the tribes - almost all men became warriors
Mastered lands not suitable for agriculture
After 1000bce horseback riding changed the lives of the nomads

4. The Xiongnu The first nomadic empire
Mounted warfare made empire possible -horses of the steeps
Centralized hierarchical system
Served as a model for Turkic and Mongol Empires
Extracted tribute from China and other nomads

5. Xiongnu

6. Arabs and the Turks
Greatest impact of nomads was from Arabs, Berbers, Turks, and Mongols created largest empires
Byzantium, Persia, India, and China were all controlled at least for a time by formerly nomadic people
Bedouin Arabs – camel nomads - effective fighters - made trade through Arabia possible

7. Bedouin – Crucial to Islamic Expansion

8. The Mongol Empire Created the largest land empire in history
Extensive connections of nomads with agricultural neighbors – trade/tribute -mostly interested in exploiting neighbors
Mongol population – only 700,000
Mongols - the last great nomadic state

9. From Temujin to Chinggis Khan
Temujin created the Mongol Empire
Shifting alliances, betrayals and military victories - reputation as a great leader
1206 – tribal council recognized him as “Chinggis Khan” (universal leader)
Wide expansion after unification
By the time of his death, the mission of Chinggis Khan was to “unify the world”

10. Chinggis Khan

11. Mongol Military Successes
Well-led, organized, disciplined army - conquered tribes were broken up and scattered among units - all members of a unit were killed if any deserted in battle - leaders shared the hardships of their men - elaborate tactics: encirclement, retreat, deception - horses of the steeps
Reputation of Brutality - those who resisted were destroyed

12. Mongolian Battles

13. Mongolian Bureauocracy
elaborate census taking and systematic taxation
system of relay stations for communication and trade
encouraged commerce
lower administrative posts to Chinese and Muslim officials
practiced religious toleration

14. China and the Mongols
Destructive in northern China, more tolerant in South – accommodation of populace - landowners guaranteed their estates in return for support - gave themselves a dynastic title (the Yuan) - built a new capital—Khanbalik (Beijing)
But the Mongolians were still harsh - Mongols didn’t become Chinese - Mongol law discriminated - women had a surprisingly good quality of life
Rebellions forced the Mongols out

15. Persia and the Mongols
Very destructive – many Muslims massacred - Agriculture messed up – turned into pasture land
Mongols were transformed in Persia - large scale conversion to Islam - extensive use of Persian bureaucracy - Mongol elites learned Persian
Mongols were assimilated when the empire fell apart

16. Russia and the Mongols
Russia was devastated – they could not unite - destruction of cities - widespread slaughter - deportation of skilled workers
Did not occupy Russia - invaded for tribute, taxes and slaves - Moscow was the primary tax collector which made it powerful
Russia broke free of Mongolian rule by 15th century
Remember – Russia = Christian/Orthodox Church

17. Mongol Empire

18. Mongol Empire

19. A Eurasian Network
Towards a Global Economy - produced little, not active traders - but they promoted trade as a source of tax revenue - created relatively safe travel across central Asia (Marco Polo made the trip and got home safe)
Cultural Exchange - thousands of artisans were forcibly relocated to Karakorum (Mongol Capital) - Chinese technology and Art flowed West - Europe benefited greatly from these encounters - scholars argue that Europe’s rise to power has its’ foundations with the Mongols

20. The Plague (aka Black Death)
Spread across Eurasian trade routes
Spread by fleas on rats (Jews blamed)
first biological warfare – Mongols catapulted plague infested bodies into enemy towns
Plague responsible for breakdown of Mongol Empire and eliminating trade routes -this is why Europeans sought other routes to Asia
1/3 – 2/3 of Europe died - undermined serfdom -more equality for women

21. The Plague