Mongols and empires AP World History

Mongols

nomadic (pastoral nomads/herders)

fight each other over resources (history of strength)

Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan

unifies clans

great warriors - experienced

archers, horseback, heavy

so strong that when he conquers clans he unites them after instead of killing so they cant retaliate

Mongol conquest

Song China + Seljuk empire collapsed by mongols

Song is weak - easy to conquest

Seljuk follows

As soon as areas conquered, Genghis khan strives for peace in empires

Pax Mongolia

Peace of Mongolia

merchants enjoyed peace - could even walk w/ golden platter on head w/o violence

Silk road becomes safe+peaceful

After conquering, spare the lives of artisans, produce goods → send you away frm others → trade

why kill valuable ppl?

From China trade

paper, gunpowder, plague, silk, porcelain, spices, iron, steel, buddhism

From India trade

Nestonian christians, gems. spices, uyghur (language)

From Arabia trade

Christianity, Islam, Arabic, rugs, glassware, silk, alfafa, cotton, arabic numerals

Why silk from both Baghdad and China

Both make silk - baghdad doesnt want to pay expensive prices for silk after long distance

Religion location

Buddhism (E/SE) (Ethnic)

Islam - N, W, E, SE, S (universalizing)

Nestonian christians

Jesus as inspired- not divine (like a messenger)

Persia - ppl of the book

Khan’s wives (Genghis khan marries anyone of any faith for power)

Chinese churches → China becomes religiously diverse

Uyghur

Persian, Arabic, Turkic syncretic language

Bubonic plague

Most deadly in europe bc barely bathe + packed cities

Jews + muslims keep clean bc part of faith

Division of mongol empire

Genghis khan many kids - how to decide who succeeds?

Empire splits:

Sultanates: Islamic empire

Khanate: Mongol empire

Khanates - Golden Horde

Russia (Moscow + Kyiv)

Pre mongol: local princes control region, friends/fam nobles, knights serve nobles, peasants

Post mongol: they dont govern. taxes to Genghis instead of kings (tribute)

Kings compete over who can pay more → centralized gov

Chinese Empires in order

1) Tang

2) Song

3) Yuan

4) Ming

Ilkhanate of Persia - Seljuk empire

Mongols do:

tribute, let locals rule, convert to islam, paper money but not well adopted

economy falters, corruption, refusal

less trade bc no use of paper money

Decline: economy + lines of succession makes problems

Khanates - Yuan dynasty (Kublai Khan)

Mongols invade Song, use population against itself:

terror/slaughter - cram everyone into cites, starvation, catapult dead animals over wall

hatred for china - theyre weak we strong

restrict chinese traditions (no foot binding, intermarriage, language, confucianism, bureaucrats)

Everyone but chinese put in charge to not rebel → mosques/churches built

Yuan was very tolerant of other religions, not anymore

Mongols continue in Yuan…

protect trade routes

ignore issues bothering the ppl

foreign bureaucrats corrupt/not invested

paper money loses its “backing”

Failed Japan invasion

Mongol land ppl try to go to seas

Boats crushed by nature → Japanese take as divine sign to rebel, attack mongols

Mongols in Yuan bail out

Ming dynasty

Chinese return to greatness

Neo confucianism (Song Dynasty 2.0)

Kick out foreigners, destroy mosques + churches

Restore great wall of China (make longer, bigger, taller)

Eunuchs

untrustworthy bc so smart

castration so cant have kids - prevents kids from accumulating wealth easily

Treasure fleets

junk boats back out into Indian ocean, show off and trade

Makes sure tribute (tax) paid, bow to junks

ppl Cowtow to chinese traders

1424 stop treasure fleets - others can come to us, mongols threat again, money running out

Cowtow

bow down/ be scared of ppl in charge