The Mongol Empire Century th 13 Chinggis Gengis

The Mongol Empire – Century th 13 Chinggis (Gengis) and Kublai Khan

Characteristics of the Mongols • • • Eastern steppes Pastoral nomads Lived in yurts Excellent riders Clan (basic unit) Traded and invaded

Chinggis Khan (Temujin) • Mongol tribes in constant warfare • meritocracy • Teen Temujin took title of universal ruler (1206) • Ravaged Asia for 21 years

Building the Mongol War Machine • Characteristics: • Training of warriors • Variety of weapons • Armies were entirely composed of cavalry • Contributions of Chinggis Khan • • Organization, discipline, and unity of command Division of armies into tumens Separate messenger force and mapping unit Generous to brave foes

Mongol Goals • First conquered China • Turned to Islamic central Asia • Campaign of terror destroyed city after city • Witty strategies • Cruelty = weapon

The Mongol Empire • 50 years > conquered from China to Poland • Only India and western Europe escaped the full fury of the Mongol assault • 1260 divided into Khanates • • Great Khan Chagatai Golden Horde Ilkhanate

• Ferocious in war, tolerant in peace • Mongols adopted cultural aspects of those they conquered (Confucian and Islamic scholars) • PAX MONGOLICA: safe passage for trade caravans invigorated the Silk Routes

Mongols in China • Kublai Khan: grandson founded the Yuan Dynasty, united for the 1 st time in 300 years • Opened China to greater contact/trade • Constructed capital in Beijing: Forbidden City After conquering the Chinese, Mongols adapted • • Gunpowder projectiles Bronze cannons Compass Government organization

Japan • Kublai tried to rule Japan in 1274 and 1281 • Sent huge fleets constructed by Korea • 150, 000 warriors • 1 st time fought to standstill • 2 nd time typhoon: Kamikaze

Marco Polo and the Mongol Court • 1275 Venetian trader: Silk Roads • Served Kublai Khan for 17 years • Imprisoned he revealed his “stories” • • Fabulous cities Coal Government/social organization Historical inaccuracies in his tale

Fall of the House of Yuan Mongols ruled China for nine decades • Causes of the Mongol fall in China: • Song revolts in the south: Famine, flood, disease • Open expression of hostility against the Mongols • Failure in Japan, Vietnam, and Java • “Softer” leaders following Kublai Khan