The Mongol Empire 1206- 1368. 1294-Map.

The Mongol Empire1206- 1368

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The Mongols

Nomadic herders

Mongols were organized into tribes that fought and raided each other for plunder, women and to avenge insults.

Largely self-sufficient

Accustomed to living in harsh environment, competing for scarce resources

Mongol males were trained from youth to ride, hunt, and fight. Their powerful short bows fired from horseback were devastating weapons.

Social Organization

The basic unit of social organization was the tribe, divided into kin-related clans

• Mongols divided into separate clans, each led by a khan, chief.

• Khans rose to power through military skills, and ability to lead.

• Occasionally the title of Khan was passed down through bloodline.

WomenNo marriages were allowed between

members of the same tribe.

Each woman had their own separate household, owned property and had considerable freedom.

Women rode, shot with bow and arrow, and hunted.

They could give political advice and rise to the rank of chief, though rare.

The Universal Ruler

1100s, Temujin, a powerful khan, began to conquer rivals, and unite Mongol clans.

Temujin faced a tough early life.

At 9 years old, His father was poisoned by an enemy tribe.

Temujin returned home to take the lead as Khan of his tribe, but members turned against him and abandoned his family.

Not long after, Temujin was captured and served as a slave for the same enemies that killed his father.

Temujin would be freed at the age of 16 and meet his wife.

However, not long after his wife is kidnapped, again Temujin faces years of hardships.

Genghis Khan (1167-1227)

1206, Temujin conquered his rivals. He took name Genghis Khan, “Universal Ruler”

Genghis Khan

•He set out to build an empire and organized Mongols into powerful military machines.

•Strict discipline, demanded loyalty, rewarded those who pleased him.

Campaigns of Conquest

Mongol forces began bloody campaign of conquest; highly mobile armies

The army was the core of society.

All males, ages 15-70 served in the army, all as cavalry.

Absolute obedience was strictly enforced.

Parthian Shot

The Mongol army conquered through the use of fear.

Employed brutality, psychological warfare; burned towns, killed inhabitants

Many times enemies would surrender without a fight.

Every warrior traveled with 3-8 horses & could cover 300 miles in a day!

The speed and mobility of the Mongol armies made them the worlds best, included both heavy and light cavalry

Conquest under Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan set out to conquer the known world.

The Mongols developed new tactics for capturing urban centers, cities that resisted were destroyed and their inhabitants were killed or made slaves

Cities that submitted were required to pay tribute, ensuring safety.

Mongols are portrayed as destructive conquerors, but generally people lived in peace, enjoyed religious tolerance, and had a unified law code.

Stability in Asia

•Mongol Empire established peace and stability across Asia.

•Some historians call period Pax Mongolica, “Mongol Peace”

Guarded trade routes across Asia, allowed trade to increase and flourish.

People as well as, goods, and ideas flowed across Asia.

Fall of the Mongol Empire

Genghis Khan died in 1227

By 1259, The empire was ruled by 4 main Khan’s.One ruled TurkestanOne ruled the former Islamic EmpireOne ruled RussiaThe last Great Khan ruled China- Kublai KhanEventually each of these rulers became more

independent over time.

The Black Death greatly affected the population of the Mongol empire.

Eventually, power began to decline.

The Mongols began to lose much of China in 1368 to Ming rebels.

The lost territory caused the Mongols to flee back to their homeland in Mongolia.

Mongolia Today