Yuan Dynasty and Mongol Empire

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Yuan Dynasty and Mongol Empire
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The Extent of the Mongol Empire
The Mongols built a vast empire across much of
Asia, founded the Yuan dynasty in China, and
opened China and the region to greater foreign
contacts and trade.
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The Mongols
In the 1200s a nomadic people called the Mongols
burst forth from Central Asia to create the
largest land empire in history.
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Mongolian Steppes
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Xinjiang Region Typical Uygher Mongol Yurt
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The Universal Ruler

• Separate Clans
• Mongols divided into separate clans, each led by
  a khan, chief
• Khans rose to power through military skills,
  ability to lead
• 1100s, Temujin, powerful khan, began to conquer
  rivals, unite Mongol clans

• Genghis Khan
• 1206, Temujin completed task, took name Genghis
  Khan, Universal Ruler
• Set out to build empire, organized Mongols into
  powerful military machine
• Strict discipline, demanded loyalty, rewarded
  those who pleased him

• Campaign of Conquest
• Mongol forces began bloody campaign of conquest
  highly mobile armies
• Employed brutality, psychological warfare burned
  towns, killed inhabitants
• Sent agents ahead to instill fear soon people
  surrendered without a fight

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Mongol Invasions
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Mongol Warriors
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Mongol Archer
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The Mongol Empire
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The MONGOLS Golden Horde

• Temujin --gt Genghis Khan Universal Ruler
• 1162 - 1227
• from the steppe dry, grass-covered plains of
  Central Asia

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The MONGOLS Golden Horde

• Genghis Khans Tax Laws
• If you do not pay homage, we will take your
  prosperity.
• If you do not have prosperity, we will take your
  children.
• If you do not have children, we will take your
  wife.
• If you do not have a wife, we will take your
  head.
• Used cruelty as a weapon ? some areas never
  recovered from Mongol destruction!

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Gold Saddle Arch Mongols, 13c
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Gold Saddle, Front View Mongols, 13c
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The Golden Horde

• Golden Horde stood ready to invade western Europe
• Grandson Batu learned of Great Kahns death,
  suddenly turned back
• India, Western Europe escaped Mongol wrath
• Most of Eurasia devastated
• Millions had died, entire cities annihilated

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• The Mongol Peace
• Mongols built empire with brutality, ruled
  peacefully
• Tolerated local beliefs, ways of life, allowed
  local rulers to stay in power as long as they
  paid tribute to Mongols
• Some Mongols adopted aspects of more civilized
  cultures Mongols in Central Asia, Persia,
  adopted Islam

• Stability in Asia
• Mongol Empire established peace, stability across
  Asia
• Some historians call period Pax Mongolica,
  Mongol Peace
• Guarded trade routes across Asia, allowed trade
  to increase people, goods, ideas flowed across
  Asia
• Some believe Black Plague spread from Asia to
  Europe during period

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Mongol Nobleman, late 13c
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Robe of a Mongol Nobleman, early 14c
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Yuan Golden Bowl, 13c
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Yuan Porcelains Ceramics
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How were the Mongols able to build a vast empire
across much of Eurasia?
Answer(s) army was skilled and well organized,
rules promoted loyalty and obedience tactics
involved brutality and psychological warfare
built fear in those they conquered
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The Yuan Dynasty

• Great Kahn
• 1260, Kublai Khan became Great Kahn of Mongol
  Empire
• Determined to complete conquest of China begun in
  1235

• Southern Song
• Mongols ruled northern China
• Southern Song dynasty ruled in south, fiercely
  resisted Mongols
• 1279, Song defeated Kublai Khan created Yuan
  dynasty

• Kublai Kahn Rules China
• As emperor, Kublai Khan tried to gain loyalty of
  Chinese subjects
• Adopted Chinese practices, gave dynasty Chinese
  name

• New Capital
• Kublai Khan moved capital to near what is now
  Beijing
• Built Chinese-style walled city, lavish palace,
  adopted Chinese court ceremonies

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Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty, 1279-1368 C.E.

• Kublai Khan r. 1260-1294
• Pax Mongolica Mongol Peace
• Tolerated Chinese culturebut lived apart from
  them. ?
• No Chinese in top govt. posts.
• Believed foreigner were moretrustworthy.
• Encouraged foreign trade foreign merchants to
  live and work in China.
• Marco Polo

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Kublai Khan Rules China

• Mongol Identity
• Kublai Khan tried to rule as Chinese emperor
• But took care to see Mongols not absorbed into
  Chinese culture
• Mongols lived apart from Chinese, had little in
  common

• Separation
• Individual friendships between Mongols, Chinese
  discouraged
• Mongols forbidden to marry Chinese
• Different laws, taxes for Chinese could not own
  weapons, serve in military

• Limited Power
• Kublai Khan distrusted Chinese, limited power
• Chinese officials served at local level, could
  not hold high government posts
• Mongols invited foreigners to hold government
  office

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Taxes to Trade

• Mongols burdened Chinese with heavy taxes
• Large part of taxes supported public-works
  projects
• Chinese laborers built new roads, extended Grand
  Canal
• Improvements made shipping rice, other goods from
  southern China to northern China easier, more
  reliable

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Summarize How did Mongol rule in the Yuan
dynasty affect life for the Chinese?
Answer(s) made the Chinese subordinate to the
Mongols limited their power
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End of the Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan dynasty weakened during the last part of
Kublai Khans reign. One cause was a number of
military defeats. All of his invasions into
Southeast Asia failed, and Mongol armies suffered
huge losses.
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Mongol Warriors
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Military and Monetary Losses
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Identify Cause and Effect What factors led to
the end of the Yuan dynasty?
Answer(s) military defeats and failed invasions
lack of good leadership power struggles Chinese
discontent