"The Bridge between Eastern and Western

Cultures"

All empires from sunrise to sunset have been given to us, and we own

them.        -Guyuk Third Great Khan of the Mongols

The Mongolian Empire

Nomadic Life

“… surpasses all other Barbarians in wildness of life…. And though they do just bear the likeness of men … they are so little advanced in civilization that they make no use of fire, nor any kind of relish, in the preparation of their food, but feed upon the roots which they find in the fields and the half-raw flesh of any sort of animal. I say half-raw, because they give it a kind of cooking by placing it between their own thighs and the backs of their horses….” (POV)

Would you be willing to live this kind of life?

What advantages are there?

“What equipment was essential for a horse-mounted warrior?”

What type of riding gear would have been necessary?

Who were the Mongols?  

Nomads who lived on the steppe.

Around 500 BCE, a tribe of nomadic people called the Mongols lived in Asia. The Mongols were

traders and herdsmen. They herded sheep and traded horses with the ancient Chinese and Persians.

The ancient Mongols are sometimes called The Felt Tent People because their homes were round tents

made of felt.

What did they wear?

Dels: Clothes varied from tribe to tribe. Both men and women wore leather boots. Also, men

and women wore dels. A del is a wrap that looks like a dress tied at the waist. Dels made of cotton

fabric kept people cool in the summer. Dels were lined with fur for winter wear, to keep the people warm and toasty. There were no

pockets in a del. Eating utensils and anything you wished to carry was hung from your belt.

Mongol Clothing

Hairstyles Hair was a symbol of honor and strength. In BCE

times, the Mongols believed that hairstyles should look like the wings of an eagle.

Women wore their hair pulled smoothly away from their face. They glued strings of decorated felt to hairbands.

Men cut their hair in the shape of a horseshoe on top. a French missionary left the following description: “Like our monks, the men leave a lock of hair on the top of head. But they would shave around it for about three fingers wide. The hair lock left on the top would hung ahead and grow until reaching the eyebrows. The remainder of hairs left behind will be locked in two tails.”

How did they live? Tribes: They did not live in towns. The

Mongols were nomads. They traveled in small groups composed of perhaps only two or three families. You might travel 20 miles before you ran into another family group. Although the Mongols were nomads, they still had a royalty of sorts - chieftains, and later khans. In ancient times, a tribe did not necessarily travel together. But they did get together at festivals, and in times of need.

Yurts

Mongolian Tent

                                                     A - posts supporting the roof

B - stove pipe out through roofC - wood or dried dung for stoveD - bucket for water storage

E - saddle stand

F - airag bag on wooden frameG - Buddha or family photos

H - stools in guests' seating area

Cont.

The Mongols were a very diverse and mobile group.

They used oxen when they needed animal power for key tasks such as transporting their housing for seasonal or longer=term migrations.

The Mongols mounted the tents on wagons, which were pulled large teams of oxen.

Mongol Customs:

1. You may not beat horses, dogs, or animals. It would be the same as beating a close friend.

2. You may not throw any waste into water including rivers and lakes. 3. You must feed all guests, or at least offer food. 4. You must build two bonfires with an open path between them and

direct traders to walk along the path between the fires to be purified before trade can occur.

5. Greet all people with a well wish. 6. Deep respect can be shown by putting your hand on your heart and

bowing. 7. The highest form of greeting is to give a gift of a blue scarf. 8. It is forbidden to be unfair. Here are two old Mongol sayings or

proverbs: "Better the bone be broken than ones reputation." "Better to die with a good reputation than be alive with a bad one."

Genghis Khan

All who surrender will be spared; whoever does not surrender but opposes with struggle and dissension, shall be annihilated.--Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan The Mongols were not united until Genghis The Nomads who lived on horseback-from the

Asian steppes-organized along bloodlines/clans– Great speed and mobility– Had spies to gather information about the enemy– Formal code of honor with military forces– had a messenger force to communicate between units

Male dominated but women had influence within the family

Temujin = Chinggis Elected supreme ruler of all Mongol tribes in 1206

Cont.

Genghis Khan became emperor of "all who lived in felt tents," but his dream was to conquer the world.

Cont.

Mongols siege a Persian city

Method of ruling: (motto: submit and live, resist and die)

People could keep their religions, used their knowledge to make the empire better

Always open to new ideas/religions

Established laws to make peace throughout the Asian empire

Commerce excelled because trade routes were safe (silk road)

Army All males 15-70 served in the army as cavalry The Army’s 95 units of 10,000 soldiers wee

subdivided into units of 1,000, 100, and 10. Different tribes were mixed together to ensure

loyalty to the army. Officers and men were bound to each other by

mutual loyalty and two-way responsibilities. No one in the army was paid, though all shared to

varying degrees in the booty. All contributed to a fund to take care of those too old, sick, or hurt to fight.

Genghis Khan’s death

Upon Chinggis’s death the Mongolian Empire was divided into four successor empires or khanates.

China- Khubilia Khan (Yuan Dynasty) Inner Eurasia- Chagatay Caspian and Black Seas, Russia- Khanate of

the Golden Horde Persia and Iraq (Ilkhanate)

Mongols in China

1207 – forced NW Chinese

kingdom to be a vassal

Attacked the Qin dynasty

– Method: if cities resisted attacks their inhabitants were killed or made slaves

Driving West…The Golden Horde

Took control of Kiev as it was becoming vulnerable (1200’s)

Tartar (people from hell) Russia was a vassal to the Mongols for 250 years

– Many Russian peasants had to submit to their own princes and the Mongols…they chose serfdom-this began feudalism in Russia

– Serfdom in Russia lasted until the mid 1800’s– Regardless, some cities grew due to the increase in trade b/c

of the Mongols (Moscow)– Influenced military and political organization– Isolated Russia from Western Europe and their developments

Attack on Islam

Hulegu eliminated the last Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad (1258)—called the Ilkhanates – Local rulers were allowed to continue ruling as

long as they taxed the people and maintained order; facilitated trade

Mamluk (slave dynasty in Egypt) – Stopped the spread of Mongols in Egypt

Effect on SW Asia

Sack of Baghdad 1258 ended Abbasid Caliphate

Invasion turned back at Ain Jalut (Jordan River Valley) 1260

Destruction of irrigation systems blamed for subsequent economic weakness of Mesopotamia

Effect on Europe

Successive invasions of E Europe

Destroyed Kiev, supported rise of Moscovy

Invasions halted/tempered by succession disputes

Effect on South Asia

Raided into Indus Valley for decades, sometimes into Gangetic Plain

Timur the Lame (Tamerlane) destroyed Delhi 1398

Periodic incursions until Mughal invasion of early 1500s established Mughal Empire north of Deccan

The conquest of northern China

Beijing

Conquest of western Inner Eurasia and northern Iran

Conquest of Black Sea steppes and invasions of Russia and eastern Europe

•Mongols on the plain of Hungary•Mongol withdrawal from Europe

Russian Princes Kneeling before Their Mongol Ruler

Conquest of Southwest Asia

•End of the Muslim Caliph and the Abbasid empire•Mamluks stop the Mongols in Syria

xxx

•Conquest of southern China

•Attempted invasions of Japan (1274 and 1281)

Mongolian Empire at its height in 1200’s CE

Mongol Impact Pax Mongolia

– United large territory for about a century 2 continents were united under one rule; safe trade; etc

Cultural diffusion– Gun powder– Trade of food, tools, ideas– $$ for traders (esp. in Venice and Genoa)– Bubonic Plague (AKA Black death)– Killed 1/3 of W. Europe and 50% of the population in

other areas• Ended feudalism in W Europe

Kublai Khan Ruled in China Took over the Song Dynasty; Created the Yuan Dynasty Capital in Tatu (Beijing) Government:only Mongols and foreigners…no Chinese in

high positions-why? But respected and were interested in Chinese culture Got rid of Civil Service Exam Postal/communication system connected Beijing to Vienna

using horses; 1400 postal stations; trade flourished; merchants converted their $$ to Chinese paper money

Women in Kublai Khan’s Court

Mongol women would not blend with Chinese culture (ie: foot binding)

Kept their rights to property and freedom to move around town as they pleased

Many fought in wars too Chabi-Kublai Khan’s wife-she was a good

buffer between Mongol and Chinese society

Kublai Khan Continued Marco Polo

– From Venice– Served in the court for 17 yrs– Wrote about his travels to China…no one believed him

Increased the status of artisans/actors/merchants Mongols built a navy and tried to invade Japan…

twice (1274 and 1281)– Kamikaze (sacred wind)– this showed the Mongols

could be stopped Reduced peasant taxes; maintained their cropland Wanted to implement education to the peasants

Yuan Dynasty falls Defeat in Japan and Vietnam hurt their image Mongol rule got soft…spent $$, led to inflation Kublai’s successors were weak

– Divided the empire among various generals by 1350, most of the empire was reconquered by other armies

White Lotus Society: dedicated to overthrowing the Yuan Dynasty

Ju Yuanzhang-took over and founded the Ming Dynasty– Ruled for 300 years

Trade

Nomads understood importance of trade Built up roads, extended the Grand Canal

in China Set up post offices/trading posts Protected merchants, gave them a higher

status Set up merchant associations - ortoghs Allowed safe passage to everyone

Religious Tolerance

No intention of spreading own religion

Offered tax benefits to all religious leaders (why?)

Muslims brought to China to help with administration

Bridges

More Asian products available to Europe

Europeans travel to Asia, return with great stories

Marco Polo spends 17 years in Mongol court

His book inspires European imagination

Bridges

Portuguese look for quicker route to Asia around Africa

Columbus sails west with Marco Polo’s journal - trying to find Mongol China

Bridges

Would Columbus have been inspired to sail the ocean blue without the dreams of riches inspired by Marco Polo’s writings?

Can we give Genghis Kahn and the Mongols credit for the Age of Exploration?

Summary

Began as nomads and challenged the sedentary peoples for control

Often portrayed as barbarians; destructive conquerors, but they brought peace, religious toleration, laws and unity to their empire

Empire included Central Asia, China, Persia, Tibet, Iraq, Asia Minor, and Southern Russia

Bridged gaps between East and West

Big Ideas

ANALYSIS: How did the geography of central Asia affect

the development of the nomadic cultures? – How did these people adapt to their environment?

– What advantages did their adaptations give them?

Discuss the military organization, techniques, and strategies of these Asian nomads.

– How did these abilities make their military so formidable?