The Mongols

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The Mongols
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I. Background

1. The Mongols were nomads from the eastern steppe
   (fields) in loosely organized clans.

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II. Unification

1. Around 1200, a clan leader named Temujin
   defeated rival clan leaders to unify the Mongols
2. In 1206, he accepted the title Genghis Khan, or
   universal ruler.

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• According to legend, Temujin was born with a
  blood clot in his fist. In his lifetime, his
  hands were covered with the blood of others. When
  Temujin was about nine, the Tatars, a rival clan,
  poisoned his father. When in manhood, he fought
  and defeated the Tatars, slaughtering every male
  taller than a cart axel.

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III. The Mongol War Machine

• Mongols were skilled horsemen
• Weapons
• 1. bows, swords, javelins, hooked lances, canons
  (new technology used to defeat the Chinese)

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• C. Strategy-
• 1. Mock retreats tricked the enemy
• 2. Flag signals
• 3. Terrified enemies into surrender
• If a city refused to open its gates to him, he
  might kill the entire population upon capture

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• D. Many areas invaded by the Mongols never
  recovered their populations were wiped out.
• E. The Mongols also destroyed ancient irrigation
  systems, so the land could not resettle.

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• Mongol armies developed a system of signal flags
  used during battle. The black and white flags
  transmitted orders to Mongol units who moved
  swiftly while confusing and overwhelming their
  disorganized opponents. At night, lanterns and
  flaming arrows were used in place of flags.

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• Each Mongol soldier wore a long silk undershirt.
  When hit with an arrow, he could remove it by
  carefully pulling on the silk, which usually
  entered the wound with the arrow. Upon witnessing
  Mongols pulling arrows from their bodies, some
  became convinced that the Mongols were
  superhuman!

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• Mongol soldiers often died of infection from
  battle wounds caused, in part, to poor hygiene.
  Mongol warriors rarely washed. When they did,
  they used urine from their horses. Their clothing
  was often worn until it literally rotted off.

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IV. Vast Empire

1. Genghis conquered Central Asia by 1225.
2. The Mongols continued to conquer Asia.

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C. By 1260, the Mongols had divided their huge
empire into four regions, or khanates. A
descendant of Genghis ruled each khanate.
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• D. While ferocious in war, Mongols were tolerant
  rulers.

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V. The Pax Mongolia

1. Mongol Peace
2. The Mongols provided stability and order across
   Eurasia.
3. Traders and travelers enjoyed safety along the
   Silk Road.

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1. Trade between Europe and Asia skyrocketed but
   disease, like the plague, also spread.

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VI. Kublai Khan

• Genghiz Khans grandson.
• He founded the Yuan dynasty in China
• The Chinese resented him for reserving govt jobs
  for Mongols.

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Opened Asia to greater trade on the Silk Road.
United China for the first time in over 300 years.
Kublais Impact on China
Built a new capital in China (Khanbalik), a sign
that Kublai was emperor of China.
Tolerated Chinese culture and made few changes to
system of govern-ment.
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• The walls were covered with gold and silver and
  the Dining Hall was so large that it could easily
  dine 6,000 people. The palace was made of cane
  supported by 200 silk cords, which could be taken
  to pieces and transported easily when the Emperor
  moved. There too, the Khan kept a stud of 10,000
  white horses, whose milk was reserved for his
  family and for a tribe which had won a victory
  for Genghis Khan.

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D. Marco Polo, an Italian merchant, stayed in
Kublais court for 17 years. He sparked interest
in more trade with Asia when he returned to
Europe.
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VII. Decline

1. Lands were too large and diverse to govern
   effectively.

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1. Mongols had little experience in govt.

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1. After the death of the Khans, the Mongols got
   pushed back behind the Great Wall.

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1. The Russians resented the Mongols for centuries
   of isolation

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Mongol Empire

• Textbook page 309

From World History Connections to Today
Prentice Hall, 2003
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