NOMADIC EMPIRES & EURASIAN INTEGRATION

Ch. 17

I. TURKISH MIGRATIONS & IMPERIAL EXPANSION

Economy and Society of Nomadic Pastoralism Nomadic Pastoralists and their animals

- Herds of animals- adapted to ecological conditions-followed migratory cycles that took account of

seasons and local climate- climate limited development of human

society- produced limited pottery, leather goods, iron

weapons, and tools

TURKISH MIGRATIONS & IMPERIAL EXPANSION

Nomadic and Settled Peoples- traded w/settled peoples- agriculture and manufactured goods- linked societies from China to

Mediterranean Basin Nomadic Society

- two social classes: nobles & commoners- nobles: charismatic leaders, clans & tribes into alliances, fluid class-commoners: gain recognition and move up

I. TURKISH MIGRATIONS & IMPERIAL EXPANSION

Gender Relations- adult males dominated- women: tended to animals, excellent

horse riders & archers Nomadic Religion

- Turkish religion revolved around shaman-religious specialist (supernatural powers)-6th century many Turks converted to

Buddhism, Christianity, or Manicheism

I. TURKISH MIGRATIONS & IMPERIAL EXPANSION

Turkish Conversion to Islam- 10th century large scale conversion;

esp. Turks Military Organization

- Khans (rulers), indirectly through leaders of allied tribes

- superior equestrian skills- these skills helped to attack settle communities of wealth

I. TURKISH MIGRATIONS & IMPERIAL EXPANSION

Turkish Empires in Persia, Anatolia and India Saljuq Turks and the Abbasid Empire

- entered the above reasons for different reasons at different times

- opportunities for trade- along borders of Abbasid realm at

times served in Abbasid army- 11th c. overpower caliphs, who become figureheads

I. TURKISH MIGRATIONS & IMPERIAL EXPANSION

Saljuq Turks and the Byzantine Empire- migrating in Anatolia 11th c.- peasants viewed them as liberators- displaced Byzantine authorities, set

up own political and social institutions- discriminated against the

Byzantine Empire- welcomed converts to Islam

I. TURKISH MIGRATIONS & IMPERIAL EXPANSION

Ghaznavid Turks and the Sultanate of Delhi

- led raids in lucrative sites of N. India

- goal at first was to plunder later more interested in permanent rule

- foe of Buddhism and Hinduism, destroyed many sacred temples, shrines,

monastaries- encouraged conversion to Islam

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Chinngis Khan and the making of the Mongol Empire Chinggis Khan’s Rise to Power

- Unifier of the Mongols originally named Temujin- alliance w/Mongol clan leader, steppe

diplomacy (loyalty but betrayal through advancement)

- brought all Mongol tribes into a single confederation

- 1206 became known as Chinggis Khan (universal ruler)

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Mongol Political Organization- mistrusted Mongol tribal organization- had military pledge allegiance to him alone, no tribal affiliation- most important part of the empire was

the army Mongol Army

- relied on equestrian skills and archery- after united all Mongols turned his attention to Central Asian conquests

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Mongol Conquest of N. China- extended Mongol rule to Northern China,

dominance by 1220 Mongol Conquest of Persia

- ruled by Saljuqs known as the Khwarazm shah- despised Mongols ordered them to assassinate

Chinggis Khan, unsuccessful- Chinggis retaliated and took control of his army

and his realm- destroyed qanat irrigation system- no establish central gov’t, assigned overlords for

administration.

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

The Mongol Empire after Chinggis Khan Khubilai Khan

- after Chinggis death there was a power struggle, divided empire into 4 regional realms amongst grandsons.

- Consolidated China- ruthless attacks against enemies,

improved welfare of subjects, tolerant of religions

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Mongol Conquest of Southern China- Kubilai in 1279 est. Yuan Dynasty till 1368- attempted several invasions in SE Asia but was unsuccessful

The Golden Horde-1237-1241-maintained a large army-extracted tribute from Russian cities and agricultural production, did not find the land appealing

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

The llkhanate of Persia-Khubilai’s brother Hulegu defeated Abbasid empire and started the

Mongol’s ilkhanate in Persia. - needed to become governors as well

as conquerors - difficult adjustment as administrators- could not maintain land lost most of it w/in a century.

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Mongol Rule in Persia- Mongols in China frowned upon their

subjects, they were mere cultivators- outlawed marriages, forbade them from learning the Mongol languages, resisted assimilation to Chinese cultures, dismantled Confucian educational end exam system.- did not do their own administrations but rather brought in others to administer- tolerated religious and cultural traditions

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Mongols and Buddhism- Most Mongols followed native

shamans- Others followed Lamaist Buddhism similar to their original beliefs- Lamaist- made room for magic &

super- natural, recognized Mongols as legitimate rulers, and Mongol khans as incarnations of the Buddha

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Mongols and Eurasian Integration The Mongols and Trade

- linked lands more directly- maintained a good courier network relaying news, information, & gov’t orders- encouragement of travel and communication

facilitated trade, diplomatic travel, missionary efforts and people to new lands- safe trade routes allowed for more merchants to travel allowing for more commercial investment-creating a safe direct link between China and

Europe for the first time

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Diplomatic Missions- diplomatic communication was

essential, security of roads and travelers benefitted ambassadors as well as merchants. Missionary Effects

- highways for missionaries as well as merchants (Islam, Lamaist Buddhism, Nestorian Christians, Roman Catholics)

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Resettlement- moving people into new lands- often recruited specialized workers from

their allies and placed them in areas among the empire where they were needed.

- Uigher Turks often used for their intellect- often conquered people who were

specialized were integrated into the empire- this promoted Eurasian integration and

exchanges of peoples from different societies

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Decline of the Mongols in Persia and China Collapse of the Ilkhanate

- Persiaexcessive spending of treasury, overexploitation of peasantryreduced

revenue- Paper money attemptdrive metals to

gov’tunsuccessfulmerchants closed shops-Gov’t struggles when last Mongol ruler

died the Ilkhanate essentially did too.

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Decline of the Yuan Dynasty- did not have reserves to back up paper

moneypopulation lost confidence prices rises to reflect diminished value

- internal fighting (power struggles, assassinations, civil wars) Bubonic Plague

-facilitating trade and communication unknowingly spread the disease- SW ChinaChina & C. AsiaSW Asia & Europe- depopulation in China and labor shortages

weakened the Mongol regime

II. THE MONGOL EMPIRE

Surviving Mongol Khanates- Despite their collapse in Persia and China

Mongols did not completely disappear- Khanate in Chaghatai prevailed in C. Asia-Threat in NW borders of China- Khanates of the Golden Horde continued

to be successful near lands N of the Black and Caspian Sea.

-Mongol near Russia cont’d to be a threat until Josef Stalin forcibly moved them

III. AFTER THE MONGOLS

Tamerlane the Whirlwind The Lame Conqueror

- the end of the Mongols created a political vacuum.

-Ming took over China- Turkish Timur aka Tamerlame took

over Persia- Modeled himself after Chinggis Khan,

steppe politics

III. AFTER THE MONGOLS

Tamerlane’s Conquest- Places invaded and used for taxes

include: Persia, Afghanistan, Golden Horde, India, attempts in Asia & Anatolia, tried for China but died before it could be accomplished

in 1405- Like others he was a conqueror not a

ruler, no real administration, only tribal leaders were allies, relied on overlords in his conquered territories

III. AFTER THE MONGOLS

Tamerlane’s heirs- no organization meant conflicts betweensons and grandsons.-territory divided into four parts

The Foundation of the Ottoman Empire Osman

-after the Mongols collapsed nomadic people moved into territories of Anatolia.

- Series of campaigns of conquest emerged one of its leaders was Osman

-1299 he declares independence from the Saljuq sultans and begins to create his own state

- His followers begin to be called Ottomans

III. AFTER THE MONGOLS

Ottoman Conquests- Places of Ottoman spread and conquest

include: Dardanelles at Gallipoli on the Balkan peninsula and into the Byzantine Empire The Capture of Constantinople

- captured by Sultan Mehmed II, aka “Mehmed the Conqueror” - changed name to Istanbul, absorbed rest of Byzantine empire including Greece and the

Balkan region as far as SW Asia, SE Europe, Egypt, and N Africa.