Empire of the Great Khan

1
Empire of the Great Khan

• Chapter 12 sect. 3
• Pages 299 - 302

2
Main Idea Why it Matters Now

• Kublai Khan rule China and encouraged foreign
  trade, but Yuan Dynasty was beset by problems.
• The influence of Chinese ideas on Western
  civilization began with the Mongols
  encouragement of trade.

3
Kublai Khan Conquers China

• Took 3 generations of Mongol leaders to complete
  the conquest of China begun by Genghis Khan
• China sometimes lost territory to nomadic groups,
  but foreigner had ever ruled the whole country
  until Kublai Khan

4
Who is Kublai Khan

• Grandson of Genghis Khan
• Named himself Great Khan in 1260
• The first Great Khan was Genghis son Ogadai

5
Beginning A New Dynasty

• Kublai Khan founded the Yuan Dynasty, but it
  lasted less than a century.
• This dynasty was important for many reasons
• United China for the first time in 300 years
• Opened China to greater foreign trade

6
Failure to Conquer Japan

• After 53 days of fighting, a huge typhoon
  (hurricane) came threw wiping out the Mongols and
  Japan was successful in fighting them off.

• After uniting all of China, Kublai set his sights
  on Japan tried twice to take over Japan
• 1274 and 1281
• In 1281, Kublai sent the largest seaborne
  invasion in world history until World War II to
  take over Japan.

7
The Mongols and Chinese United

• Mongol rulers had little in common with Chinese
  subjects.
• Because of this Mongols lived apart from the
  Chinese and obeyed different laws.
• Kept the Chinese out of high government offices,
  but used them on the local level.

8
Encouragement of Foreign Trade

• During the Mongol peace made the trade route safe
  and Kublai Khan established mail routes which
  greatly improved trade.
• Invited foreign merchants to visit China.

9
Marco Polo at the Mongol Court

• Marco Polo the most famous European to visit
  China.
• He traveled the Silk Roads and arrived in 1275.
• He could speak several Asian languages and helped
  Kublai Khan on government missions throughout
  China

10
The End of Mongol Rule

• During Kublais last years he sent his armies and
  navies on several expeditions to try and expand
  the empire.
• His military was defeated and were very costly to
  his economy.

11
Yuan Dynasty Overthrown

• Kublai died in 1294
• Mongol rule weakened after his death
• Yuan Dynasty remained in power but struggled with
  who would rule.
• Chinese had long resented their Mongol rulers so
  they rebelled.

12
Chinese Rebellion

• Chinese rebelled because of
• Years of famine
• Floods
• Disease
• Growing economic problems
• Official corruption

13
Decline of the Mongol Empire

• By the end of the Yuan the entire Mongol empire
  disintegrated
• The only Mongol empire that survived was the
  Golden Horde which ruled Russia for 250 years
  until Ivan III inserted Russian independence from
  the Mongols in 1480.