Mongolia DQ

Describe the situation in Central Asia at the eve of the Mongol conquest in the 13^th century. What were the four states reigning in the area, and what were their territories?

-       Central Asia was politically fragmented, with several competing states controlling different regions

-       Khwarazmian Empire: Transoxiana and Khwarazm

-       Qarakhanid Empire: eastern and western Turkistan

-       Jin Dynasty: China and parts of Mongolia

-       Mongol Empire: Mongolia

What do we know about Temüjin (Chinggis Khan) before he was elected as the ruler of the Mongol tribes?

-       Temujin’s father was a respectable man, however he was fatally poisoned and when he was poisoned, his family was abandoned by the tribe/clan and they were outcasted. He was elected leader of the Mongol tribes in 1206

What was the main drive, at least initially, to unify the Mongols and other nomads of the eastern steppe?

-       They were united in reaction to the Jin Dynasty’s manipulations of local Mongol politics and growing engagement with the rest of the world

In what respects did Chinggis Khan keep up with the tradition of the previous Turkic empires?  

-       Chinggis Khan drew on step imperial traditions by ruling through a confederation of tribes and clans

-       He also continued the tradition by using the traditional steppe title “Khan” or “Khagan”

  Who took on the bureaucratic roles in the early Mongol Empire?

-       Uighurs were used as administrative officials for their use of Uighur script for written language

-       Chinese administrators helped manage taxation, population records and government institutions

-       Persian and Central Muslims were important in governing the western parts of the empire, particularly in finance, taxation, and state administration

After securing his place as the leader of the Mongol tribes, how did Chinggis Khan plan his further conquests? What direction did he take first, and how did he pursue his conquests afterward?

-       His plan was to conquer neighboring states one by one. He first took over the Siberian forest and steppe people then conquered the Jin Dynasty. His focus then shifted to Central Asia to target the Qara Khitai and the Khwarazmian empire.

Who was the king of the Khwarazmian Empire at the time of Chinggis Khan? What were the occasions that made the Mongol invasion of the Khwarazmian Empire inevitable?

-       The king was Ala ad-Din Muhammad

-       The king massacred a Mongolian trading party after signing a peace treaty which catalyzed the mongol invasion

When did Samarkand and Bukhara fall? How did a historian describe the Mongols' seizure of Bukhara?

-       Both Samarkand and Bukhara fell in 1220, the historians described the Mongols’ seizure of Bukhara by saying “they came, sapped, burnt, stew, plundered and departed”

How did the Mongol’s operations in the Middle East proceed? Who finally marked the end of the Mongol invasion?

-       Eastern Iran fell to the Mongols next, followed by the Quechans, and then the Abbasid Caliphate was killed

-       Hutegu marked the end of the Mongol empire

What happened after Chinggis Khan’s death? What are the main Chinggisid states that took shape after his death?

-       After Chinggis Khan’s death, his body was wrapped in cloth and trampled by horses so royal blood would never touch the earthly ground

-       The empire was divided among his sons which created the Yuan Dynasty, Golden Harde, Ilkhanate, Chagatai Khanate

 

What are the names of the capitals of the Mongol Empire mentioned in this chapter? Where is each one located?

-       Karakorum: central Mongolia along Orkhon Rivery valley

-       Khanbaliq: northern China (modern Beijing)

-       Sarai: lower Volga River (present day Russia)

The author states, “For a time, the Mongol Empire created a space in which peaceful, secular cultural interactions could occur.” What examples does he provide to support this statement?  

-       The Mongols secured major silk road trade routes, allowing merchants to safely travel from China through Central Asia to the Middle East and Europe

-       The Mongols practiced religious tolerance which encouraged cultural interactions

In what respect is the Mongol Empire a record-setting one?

-       Created the worlds largest, contiguous land empire in human history