The Mongols and The Yuan Dynasty Brent Davidson. The Mongols A nomadic people – Eurasian Steppe...
-
Upload
shanon-lester -
Category
Documents
-
view
216 -
download
0
Transcript of The Mongols and The Yuan Dynasty Brent Davidson. The Mongols A nomadic people – Eurasian Steppe...
The Mongols and The Yuan Dynasty
Brent Davidson
The Mongols
A nomadic people– Eurasian Steppe region
Largely depended on horses for their economy of herding– High aptitude in horse riding
Relatively poor– Made the wealth of Chinese agricultural areas all the more attractive– Often raided trade caravans that passed through their domains
A rugged and hardy people– Their harsh living gave them the great ability to persevere and
endure– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ53WqklIo8 (1:00-2:00)
Chinggis (Genghis) Khan
1155 – 1227 BCE Born clutching a clot of blood in his fist
– Soothsayer: “This Child will rule the world” United Mongol clans
– United through military campaigns– Used fear to pressure clans to join him
Murdering every Tatar male under 3 feet tall Boiled Taichi'ut Alive
Conquered – most of Eurasia– Jurchen territories in the North– Xixia Empire
Brutal, Smart, and Able leader However the Conquering of China would not come under his command
– Instead his grandson Khubilai Khan’s http://www.biography.com/people/genghis-khan-9308634
Military – Armory and Supplies
Helmet Coat of Mail
– Armor only given to the Wealthier / Higher Ranking Military– All Armor was light and flexible, allowing great mobility
Bows and Arrows– Most important weapon for the Mongol warrior– Handmade (often the warrior himself)– Small but powerful bows– Bow made from horn, bone, wood, and sinew– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15HHh4mWMec
Clubs Battle-Axe
– These weapons were used in case of close-proximity fighting Rations
– Dried Milk– Grains
Military - Armory
Military – Mounted Warfare
Physically about the size of a pony– Often outfitted in protective armor made of hides or metal
Native to the central Asian steppe– Accustomed to extreme cold and sparse pasturage
Tough and Wiry – More stamina than a full sized horse
Mongols controlled the major horse breeding grounds Each man usually had about a 6 horses in reserve
– Allowed riders to always have a fresh horse Abundance of horse-drawn carts made Mongols better
supplied than Song
Military: Mongol Horsemen
Military - Tactics
Tactics Relied on:– Mobility– Communication
Signal Flags
Main Tactics:– Retreat and Flank– Ambush
Military – Tactics: The Ambush
Military- Tactics: The Swarm
Military- Tactics: Videos
Mongol Strategies
Military - Adaptation
Stole and utilized the military technology of the Chinese
– Gun Power (explosives)– Repeating crossbows– Armored transport– Ships and Navy– Catapults– Explosive “grenades”– Cannons
Integrated these new weapons effectively into their battle tactics
Military Tactics – Brutality and Psychological Warfare
Often butchered, raped, and / or enslaved their enemies Would often completely annihilate cities Proliferated the idea of their brutality
– Used spies to spread stories
“The greatest pleasure is to vanquich one’s enemy…to rob them of their wealth, and to see those dear to them bathed in tears, to ride horses and clasp to your bosom their wives and daughters”
– Genghis Khan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ53WqklIo8– 11:50-13:20
Discussion Question:
How do you judge the Mongolian war tactics in terms of Morality?– Biblical Comparison
China Conquered
Northern China conquered in 1273 Begin to move south
– Hangzhou surrenders in 1276– Guangzhou surrenders in1279
Used ships built and manned by captured Chinese and Koreans
China conquered under Khubilai Khan’s (Genghis’ grandson) rule
Mongol’s conquered China despite being severely outnumbered
– Mongol Population: Approx. 1 Million– China Population: 50-100 Million
Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)
Dynasty started under Khubilai– Made Beijing Capital
Capital declared in 1264, before the war in the south had begun
– Adopted the Dynastic name of Yuan
Conquered land includes most of Asia, and as far away as Eastern Europe
Yuan Dynasty - Map
Yuan Dynasty: Government
Used both Chinese and foreigners to manage and run the Dynasty’s Government
– Chinese bureaucratic system was retained Military
– Completely ran and operated by Mongols Chinese were often discriminated against and treated harshly
– Forbidden to carry weapons– Artisans and laborers treated as prisoners and slaves
Oppressive taxation upon the Chinese– Most of China became poorer under the Yuan
Chinese forced to work as slave labor on large state projects– Rebuilt and extended the Grand Canal
Many Chinese died during these type of projects
Yuan Dynasty: Achievements
Developed a highly efficient postal service Chinese arts continued to flourish
– Continuation of Chinese landscape paintings– Development of Opera-like dramas
Included orchestral music, singing, and dancing– Development of the Novel
Stories of love and adventure
Improved trade and commerce– Blue and white porcelain became important export of the Yuan– http://www.artsmia.org/art-of-asia/history/video-popup-
yuan.cfm
Yuan Dynasty: The Fall
Overall Problems:– Mongols too small of population to effectively control empire
Had to rely upon Chinese and other groups– Culturally were not used to being stationary and running a large Government
They were nomadic and tribal– Government corruption
Bribery for positions– Weak leadership after Khubilai Khan’s death (1294)– Internal fighting
Civil war broke out in 1130– Natural disasters
Flooding of the yellow river Famine Chinese interpreted these disasters as a sign against the reign of the Yuan
– Hatred by a large Chinese population Taxation Working Conditions Discrimination
Yuan Dynasty: The Fall
Revolts:– Widespread revolts started in 1330s– Largely peasant ran uprisings– The Red Turban Rebellion
Wore red colored scarves around their heads Led by Liu Futong Located in lower Yellow River plain area
– Yingzhou (in current Anhui Province)– Zhu Yuanzhang
Rose to power in 1350s Led the largest revolting army Swept through the Yangzi valley In 1356 set up a government at Nanjing In 1368 Captured Beijing
– Drove remaining Mongol back to the Eurasian steppes, North of China’s Great Wall– Marking the end of the Yuan Dynasty– Start of the Ming Dynasty
Discussion Question:
What can the Mongolian Empire teach us about the idea of world domination?