The Mongol Empire and the Modern World

Flashcards covering the Mongol Empire's expansion, impact on trade and communication, key leaders like Genghis Khan and his grandsons, military strategies, the Pax Mongolica, and the long-term effects on Russia, the Islamic heartlands, and China.

According to Matthew Paris, what devastation did the Mongols bring to the eastern parts of Europe?

They laid it waste with fire and carnage, razed cities, cut down forests, overthrew fortresses, pulled up vines, destroyed gardens, and killed townspeople and peasants.

Beyond destruction, what significant period did the Mongols spark in Eurasia?

A period of interregional connection and exchange at a level not experienced in a thousand years.

Who were the Mongols in the 12th century?

Multiple clans of pastoral nomads who herded goats and sheep, and were also hunter-foragers, north of the Gobi Desert.

What skills were highly valued in Mongol culture?

Skilled horse riding and courage in hunting and warfare.

What was the original name of Genghis Khan?

Temujin

What title did Temujin take in 1206 at a meeting called a kuriltai?

Genghis Khan, or "ruler of all"

Which powerful empire did Genghis Khan attack in 1210, with its capital at Zhongdu?

The Jin Empire, whose capital was present-day Beijing

By 1227, what was the approximate geographical extent of Genghis Khan's khanate?

From the North China Sea to eastern Persia

What were some key characteristics of Genghis Khan's army?

Strong riders, proficient with the short bow, highly disciplined, efficient command structure, and a messenger force for communication.

What military strategies did the Mongols employ to confuse and outflank enemies?

Deploying smaller bands of warriors to feign defeat, retreating to draw enemy forces into an ambush with larger Mongol forces.

What was the name given to the period of Eurasian history between the 13th and 14th centuries under Mongol rule?

The Pax Mongolica, or Mongolian peace

What were some of Genghis Khan's policies during the Pax Mongolica?

He established a capital at Karakorum, consulted scholars and engineers, instituted religious tolerance, and protected the Silk Roads.

Who led the Mongolian army known as the Golden Horde into Russia in 1236?

Batu, Genghis Khan's grandson

What major Russian city did the Golden Horde loot and destroy in 1240?

Kiev

Why did the Mongols rule Russia indirectly?

They did not want to live in Russia's forests.

Which Russian city-state led the coalition that defeated the Golden Horde in 1380?

Moscow, at the Battle of Kulikovo

What was a long-term impact of Mongol rule on Russia?

It prompted Russian princes to improve military organization and accept centralized leadership, severed Russia's ties with Western Europe, and laid the foundation for the modern Russian state.

Who was the Mongol leader responsible for destroying Baghdad and killing the caliph in 1258?

Hulegu, another grandson of Genghis Khan

Which two groups formed a temporary alliance to defeat Hulegu's forces in Palestine in 1260?

The Muslim Mamluks (under Baibars) and Christian Crusaders

What was Hulegu's kingdom in Central Asia called, and how was it governed?

The Il-khanate, ruled by Mongols with Persians serving as ministers and officials for maximum tax collection.

What significant religious conversion occurred among the Mongols of the Il-khanate?

Hulegu and many other Mongols in the Il-khanate converted to Islam.

Which grandson of Genghis Khan established the Yuan Dynasty in China?

Kublai Khan

How did Kublai Khan demonstrate his skill in governing and religious tolerance?

He rebuilt the capital (calling it Dadu), instituted a policy of religious tolerance for Buddhists, Daoists, Muslims, Jews, and Christians, and brought prosperity through trade and cultural exchanges.

Describe the lives of Mongol women.

They led more independent lives, tended flocks, raised children, provided meals, rode horses, wore leather trousers, could remarry after being widowed, and could initiate divorces.

How did the Mongols alienate the Chinese population during the Yuan Dynasty?

They hired foreigners, promoted Buddhists/Daoists over Confucians, dismantled the civil service exam, remained separate from the Chinese, and prohibited non-Mongols from speaking Mongolian.

What was the name of the secret society that organized the overthrow of the Yuan Dynasty?

The White Lotus Society

Who led the revolt that overthrew the Yuan Dynasty and founded the Ming Dynasty in 1368?

Zhu Yuanzhang, a Buddhist monk from a poor peasant family

List three positive long-term impacts of the Mongolian invasions.

They revitalized interregional trade during the Pax Mongolica, fostered interregional cultural exchange (e.g., Islamic science to China, Chinese paper to Europe, Greco-Islamic medicine/Arabic numbering to Western Europe), and transferred the concept of centralized power to conquered civilizations.

What significant negative long-term impact did the Mongol conquests have on Eurasia?

They helped transmit the fleas that carried the bubonic plague (Black Death) from southern China to Central Asia and then to Southeast Asia and Europe.

What specific military impacts did Mongol fighting techniques and technology have on Western Europe?

They led to the end of Western Europe's use of knights in armor and the era of the walled city, and contributed to the development of the cannon.