The Mongol Empire

The Mongol Empire

Module 3 Lesson 2

Nomads of the Asian Steppe

• Asian Steppe - belt of dry grassland across Eurasia

• Historically, home to nomadic ppl

• Modern day: Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia

• Very dry, windy, -57F winter and 96F summer

Nomadic Life

• Pastoralists - raise/herd domesticated animals

• Depended on herds for life; horses!

• Lived in clans, travelled routine paths. Created conflict with other clans

• Clans sometimes combined to fight common enemy

Multiple Choice

Which of the following modern countries is not on the asian steppe?

• China

• Mongolia

• Russia

• Bulgaria

• India

Nomads and Settled Societies

• Interacted often, traded

• But sometimes nomads would raid and use violence/fear to take

• Common story in history, some empires could defend

• If empire could not, got conquered, nomads often assimilated

Rise of Mongols

• Around 1200, clan leader Temujin defeated rivals one by one

• 1206 becomes Genghis Khan "universal ruler"

• By 1211 he took Norther China (dream to take all China)

• But turned west, by 1225 was in the Middle East

Genghis Khan's Big 3

• Organization - grouping warriors effeciently w/ loyal leaders

• Strategy - Speed, deception, excellent horsemen

• Cruelty - Exceptionally brutal, fear preceded them

• "Man's greatest good fortune is to chase and defeat his enemy, seize his total possessions, leave his married women weeping and wailing and ride his horse."

Multiple Choice

What was Genghis Khan's dream goal?

• To take all of India

• To conquer all of Russia

• To conquer all of China

• To take Japan

The Mongol Empire

• Genghis died of illness in 1227

• His sons/grandson conquer even more MASSIVE empire by 1260

• Empire split into 4 Khanates (Mongolia/China, Central Asia, Persia, Russia

Multiple Choice

Why were the Mongols so successful in warfare?

• They were superbly organized militarily

• They developed strategies that highlighted their strengths

• They were particularly cruel and that reputation spread ahead of them

• All of the previous answers are correct

Mongol Rulers

• Devastated regions, some never recovered

• But, tolerant in peace (remember tribute?)

• Slowly assimilated into ppl they ruled

Mongol Peace (pax mongolica)

• Brough stability

• Increased trade

• Ideas spread (gunpowder)

• Also, disease - bubonic plague :(

Kublai Khan

• Genghis' grandson, seeks to conquer all China

• 1279 China falls for first time to invaders

• Kublai forms the Yuan Dynasty (short lived)

• But, he unites all China and opens it up to outsiders/trade/ideas

Multiple Choice

What was a result of the peace brought by Mongol rule across Eurasia?

• There was great instability and society broke down

• Trade opened up and ideas and goods easily flowed

• The Mongolians were ruthless rulers and forced everyone to adopt their beliefs

• Europe was closed off further from the rest of the world

Target: Japan

• After taking Korea, Kublai attacks Japan in 1274 but fails

• 1281 largest naval invasion in history (until WW2) to attack Japan

• 53 days Japan holds the shore until a typhoon hits

• The Kamikaze or "divine wind" destroyed entire fleet

• Utter failure for Mongols

Foreign Trade

• Silk road brings tons of wealth

• Contact w/ Muslim world mostly

• But Europeans also, results in massively important exchange of ideas (printing, gunpowder, compass, paper money)

Marco Polo

• Venetian (Venice, Italy) merchant who traveled to the east and learned much culture

• Meets Kublai who makes him a diplomat for 17yrs

• Brings all his stories back to Europe, shared in a book

• Many Europeans don't believe it but those that do seek out the truth

End of Mongol Rule

• Failed wars in S.E. Asia very costly

• Kublai died 1294, stability w/ him

• 1300's sees many rebellions, 1368 Chinese successful

• Ming Dynasty begins and lasts until 1644

• Other Khanates also crumble during 1300's (except Russia)

Open Ended

Foreshadowing: What era in Europe did Marco Polo help usher in as a result of his stories of Asia being published?