The Mongol’s Place In World History Nomadic Empires.

The Mongol’s Place In World History

Nomadic Empires

Overview

Nomadic herders populated the steppes of Asia for centuries during the classical and postclassical eras and periodically came into contact and conflict with the established states and empires of the Eurasian land mass. It was not until the eleventh century, however, that the nomadic peoples like the Turks and Mongols began to raid, conquer, rule, and trade with the urban-based cultures in a systematic and far-reaching manner. While these resourceful and warlike nomads often left a path of destruction in their wake, they also built vast transregional empires that laid the foundations for the increasing communication and exchange that would characterize the period from 1000 to 1500 in the eastern hemisphere. The success of these nomadic empires in this era can be attributed to

Unique traits

Their unmatched skill on horseback. When organized on a large scale these nomads were practically indomitable in warfare. Outstanding cavalry forces, skilled archers, and well-coordinated military strategy gave these peoples an advantage that was difficult for even the most powerful states to counter.

Their ability to integrate vast territories through secure trade routes, exceptional courier networks, diplomatic missions, missionary efforts, and resettlement programs.

Impact?

In spite of these successes and the enormous influence of these nomadic peoples, their leaders were, in general, better at warfare than administration. With the exception of the later Ottoman empire, most of these states were relatively short-lived, brought down by both internal and external pressures.

Migration and Expansion

Nomads live off their animals and follow their migratory patterns.

Limited agriculture—geographical limitations.

The Mongol Way of Life

Mongolian Animals Sheep Goat Yaks Oxen Camels

Mongolian Housing: Yurt (Gert)

Religion

Shamanism Buddhism Nestorian Christianity Islam in the 13th century

Chinggis Khan

Father assassinated when he was young.

Showed phenomenal charisma in his ability to unify the Mongolian tribes.

Temujin Once Chinggis had

succeeded in bringing the Mongols together, in 1206, a meeting of the so-called Khuriltai (an assemblage of the Mongol nobility) gave their new leader the title of "Chinggis Khan": Khan of All Between the Oceans. Chinggis's personal/birth name was Temujin;

Organization He organized his people

into units of ten, a hundred, a thousand, and ten thousand, and the head of a unit of ten thousand would have a strong personal relationship with Chinggis himself. That kind of loyalty was to be extremely important in Chinggis's rise to power and in his ability to maintain authority over all the various segments of his domain.

Capital at Karakorum

Retreat! superiority in warfare. One particularly

effective tactic Chinggis liked to use was the feigned withdrawal: Deep in the throes of a battle his troops would withdraw, pretending to have been defeated. As the enemy forces pursued the troops that seemed to be fleeing, they would quickly realize that they'd fallen into a trap, as whole detachments of men in armor or cavalries would suddenly appear and overwhelm them.

Use of horses

The Mongols prized their horses primarily for the advantages they offered in warfare. In combat, the horses were fast and flexible, and Chinggis Khan was the first to capitalize fully on these strengths.

After hit-and-run raids, for example, his horsement could race back and quickly disappear into their native steppes. Enemy armies from the sedentary agricultural societies to the south frequently had to abandon their pursuit because they were not accustomed to long rides on horseback and thus could not move as quickly

Bows The Mongols had

developed a composite bow made out of sinew and horn and were skilled at shooting it while riding, which gave them the upper hand against ordinary foot soldiers. With a range of more than 350 yards, the bow was superior to the contemporaneous English longbow, whose range was only 250 yards

Battle Gear

Chinggis Khan personally led three campaigns.

Mongol Conquest of Northern China: Tanguts In 1209, Chinggis set forth on a

campaign against the Tanguts, who had established a Chinese-style dynasty known as the Xia, in Northwest China, along the old silk roads. The Tanguts had become involved in a trade dispute with the Mongols. Chinggis quickly overwhelmed the Tanguts, received what he wanted in terms of a reduction of the tariffs the Tanguts imposed on trade, and returned to Mongolia. He did not capitalize upon his victory, this time, to expand the Mongols' territory.

Jin The second campaign was against the Jin

dynasty of North China, which controlled China down to the Yangtze River. The Jin were a people from Manchuria and were actually the ancestors of the Manchus. They too had become involved in a trade dispute with the Mongols, and the result was an attack by the Mongols, who desperately needed the products the Jin produced. By 1215, Chinggis's troops had seized the area now known as Beijing and defeated the Jin, forcing them to move their capital south. Chinggis had what he wanted in terms of additional trade — again, he returned to Mongolia

Khwarazam

After devoting considerable time to logistical planning, Chinggis organized a major force and finally set forth against Central Asia in 1219. This would be the most devastating of his campaigns. Both sides engaged in mass slaughter, and it took several years for Chinggis to successfully penetrate and conquer the great centers of Central Asia. And when he left Central Asia in 1225, Chinggis didn't pull out all his forces as he had in his previous campaigns. This time, Chinggis left behind Mongol troops to occupy the lands he had conquered.

Death of Chinggis Khan

Legacy of Ghengis Khan

• his tolerance of many religions• his creation of the Mongols' first script• his support for trade and crafts—Silk Road• his creation of a legal code specific to the Mongols' pastoral-nomadic way of life

Mongol Conquest of Persia Destroyed Qanats Destroyed Persian cities such as

Herat

Division of the Empire: Area I Khublai Khan: Chinggis Khan’s

grandson: consolidated Mongol rule in China

Destroyed Song Dynasty in 1279

Yuan China (Great Khanate)

Mongolia and China

Mongol China

Supported Islam, and Christianity…promoted Buddhism.

Condemned Daoism, sided with Buddhism

Unsuccessful in his conquest of Vietnam, Burma, and Japan.

Kublai’s diversity He gathered together

Muslims from Central Asia and Persia (as shown in this Persian work), Buddhists from Tibet, Christians from Europe, Nestorians from West Asia, Uyghur Turks from Northwest China, and Confucians from Korea, along with numerous Chinese, to serve in the bureaucracy that administered the so-called "Middle Kingdom of China

Learning

Invited Persians and other groups to China to “beef up” intelligentsia in Yuan China.

Arts: Painting and Calligraphy

Seperation

Outlawed intermarriage between Mongols and Chinese

Forbade Chinese from learning Mongol language

Brought foreigners into govern, lack of confidence in Chinese…disdain for Confucianism.

Dismantled civil service system Noted tolerance for traditions and

religions.

Trade and Commerce

Overturned Chinese society by promoting the Silk Roads and guaranteeing liberty and social standing for Merchants.

Postal system, unified system of money

Diplomatic missions with Europe.

Marco Polo

Chronicling the Mongol court from the inside out.

The Golden Horde

Area #2: The Golden Horde Overran Russia in 1237 Moved into Eastern Europe: Poland,

Hungary, and East Germnay Controlled area until 15th century

Chaghatai Khanate Given to a son of

Ghengis Khan in Central Asia

Precursor to “Timurad” state

Chaghatai Khanate: Area #3 Central Asia This area will be in constant

conflict with area #1-China under Kublai Khan

The Ilkhanate of Persia: Area #4 The third segment in West Asia was

known as the Ilkhanids. The Ilkhanids had been created as a result of the military exploits of Khubilai Khan's brother Hulegu, who had finally destroyed the Abbasid Dynasty in West Asia by occupying the city of Baghdad, the capital city of the Abbasids, in 1258.

IlKhanate-Persia Kublai’s brother and

grandson of Ghengis. Incorporated Persian

governmental principles

“Mongol catastrophe” Spread and embraced

Islam. Intolerance towards

Christians and Jews under Ilkhan Ghazan.

Decline of the Mongols

Collapse of the Ilkhanate in Persia Excessive spending Leadership struggle. Collapse of Yuan Dynasty-Red

Turban Rebellion Depopulation/labor shortage--

Plague Resurgence of Chinese Rise of Gunpowder Empires