WAIT FOR IT The Mongols Homeland Thats One

WAIT FOR IT!!!!!

The Mongols Homeland

That’s One Mighty Big Empire Largest empire created by one single person "The greatest happiness is to vanquish your enemies, to chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth, to see those dear to them bathed in tears, to clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters" -GENGHIS KHAN

Pre-Empire Characteristics • Nomadic (pastoralism) • Tribal (therefore lots of war) • Largely illiterate (because nomads don’t do job specialization!) • Economic system = herding flocks, raiding booty along the edges of powerful civilizations like China • Social System = clan & family importance; constant low-level fighting over pasture, water, slaves, resources, etc.

• To crush your enemies, to see them fall at your feet-to take their horses and hear the lamentation of their women. That is the best. ~Genghis Khan

Empire! • 1206 -1227 – Genghis Khan conquers a huge empire • Unifies the Mongols themselves by breaking down kinship ties (comparable to Muhammad’s use of Islam to unify all Arabs). Like the Arabs, he then distracts Mongols from in-fighting by conquering others: • Empire = China to Syria and Russia to Korea • Capital at Karakorum • Began a period of stability known as the “Pax Mongolica” • The original empire broke up in 1260 but didn’t completely dissolve…

The Breakup

After Genghis Khan’s Death • Divided into 4 main segments ruled by parts of the Khan’s family and lasting into the 1400 s: – Great Kublai Khan (Yuan Dynasty of China) – Khanate of Chaghadai (Central Asia & trade routes) – Golden Horde (Russia, Northern Eurasia) – Khanate of Persia (eastern portions of the former Abbasid Caliphate)

Results of the Pax Mongolica • The Bad: The Mongols caused destruction & killed a lot of people causing fear & dislike, but… • Pax Mongolica = The Mongol Peace; time of stability and peace caused by all of Eurasia basically being under the rule of a single entity • Facilitated contact between various parts of enormous land area from Mediterranean to Pacific. • Promoted interaction between peoples of many different ethnicities, religions, & cultures. – More “civilianized” than the “civilianized”? • Enabled exchange & spread of ideas, goods, technologies, & disease.

• http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=szx. Par 0 Bc. Mo&list=PLBDA 2 E 52 FB 1 EF 80 C 9&inde x=17