The Mongols

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The Mongols

• The Last Great Nomadic Challenge
• Chapter 14
• Pg. 302-322

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Periodization

• 1206 Mongol state founded
• 1206-1227 rule of Chinggis (Genghis) Khan
• 1215 Mongols attack N. China (win it in 1234)
• 1219-1223 Russia/Islamic world invaded
• 1235-1279 S. China taken
• 1260-1294 rule of Kublai Khan
• 1240 Russia taken (Mongols attack W. Europe)
• 1260 Mongols lose to Mamluks in Egypt
• 1274-1280 Mongol invasion of Japan fails
• 1360s-1405 rule of Timur-i Lang

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Introduction

• Mongols challenge notions of barbarian
  civilized
• Capable of savage violence
• Rule also creates era of peaceful cross-cultural
  exchange Pax Mongolia

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Mongol Empire of Chinggis Khan

• Mongols follow pattern of other nomadic groups
  studied
• Tribe clan make-up
• Strong tribal leadership bravery diplomacy

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Early Career of Chinggis Khan

• Born Temujin
• Violently avenged family history
• Military strength led to alliances ascent to
  supreme ruler

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Mongol War Machine

• Born warriors w/ cavalry mobility
• Highly structured disciplined armies
• Included scouts spies
• Effective inventive weaponry
• Bow
• Gunpowder

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Conquest First Assault

• Chinggis Khan led confederation of 2 million
• Assault on northern China
• Southern Song spared
• Slowed by fortifications, but adapt
• Resistance Retribution
• Turned conquest to Central Asia fringes of
  Islamic world

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Life Under Mongol Rule

• Mongols astute tolerant rulers
• Stimulates trade, cultural exchange and artistic
  creativity
• Administration built on Muslim and Chinese
  bureaucrats

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Death of Chinggis Khan

• Death of Chinggis Khan led to division of empire
  b/t sonssucceeded by Ogedei
• Splits into four khanates (see map pg 311)
• Golden Horde EmpireRussia
• Ilkhan EmpirePersia
• Djagatai Empire Central Asia
• Empire of Kublai Khan (Yuan Dynasty)China

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Mongol Assault on Russia
Drive West

• Russian decline meant division easy winter
  conquest by Mongols
• Russia in Bondage
• Mongol overlords ? Russian princes vassals ?
  peasants pressed into serfdom
• Moscow grew in strength
• Became central city of Russian culture

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QUESTION

• In what ways does the rule of the Golden Horde
  mark a turning point in Russian history?

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Retreat from Europe

• Legend of Prester John led to underestimating
  Mongol threat
• Mongols proved capable of European assault, but
  withdrew after Ogedeis death
• Europe was spared a full assault

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Mongol Assault on Middle East
Drive West

• Ilkhan Khanate (led by Hulegu) set sights on
  Middle East wealth
• 1258 destroy Abbasid dynasty Baghdad
• 1260 Mamluks of Egypt infighting defeat the
  Mongols

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VISUALIZING THE PAST

• Mongols as a Bridge
• Based on the map, answer the questions in the
  inset on pg. 312

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Mongol Interlude in China
Drive South

• Kublai Khan established Yuan Dynasty
• Despite hard fought battles w/ Song
• Attempted to keep Chinese Mongols separate
• Administration
• No civil service exams
• Only nomads Muslims at imperial level
• Chinese only at local levels

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Gender Roles

• Mongol women retained rights freedoms
• EX- advice of wife Chabi
• Tolerance Foreign Influence
• Yuan court welcomed attracted many scholars,
  artists, religious thinkers, etc
• EX- Marco Polo

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Social Policies Scholar-Gentry

• Yuan foreign-ness policies alienated
  scholar-gentry
• Yet, commercial urban boom continued position
  of peasants bolstered
• Fall of Yuan
• Decline resulted from usual circumstances
• 1368-1644 Ming Dynasty replaced Yuan

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Timur-i Lang a Brief Interlude

• Complex figure
• Ruthless conqueror
• Last great nomadic challenge

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Global Connections

• Examples of postclassical themes
• Impact of nomadic invaders
• Extended world network - fostered spread of
  trade, new ideas
• Paved way for plague / Black Death

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QUESTION

• In what ways does the Mongol experience mirror
  that of the Arabs?
• Was Chinggis Khan more barbarian or more
  civilized?
• To what extent do you agree with the claim that
  the postclassical period was the nomads last
  hurrah?