Unit 2

Khagan

Khagan

Title of the supreme ruler of the Mongol tribes

Kuriltai

Meeting of all Mongol chieftains to select the supreme ruler

Chinggis Khan

First Mongol khagan who led the empire's expansion

Mongol Khanates

Four regional kingdoms after Chinggis Khan's death

Golden Horde

Mongol subdivision ruling south central Russia

Prester John

Mythical Christian monarch believed to be Mongol leader

Kubilai Khan

Mongol khagan who established the Yuan dynasty in China

Marco Polo

Venetian explorer known for his travels in Asia

Samarkand

Capital city of Timur i-Lang's empire in Uzbekistan

Caravanserais

Roadside inns for travelers in Eurasia

Yuan Dynasty

Chinese dynasty created by Kubilai Khan

White Lotus Society

Secret society that overthrew the Yuan dynasty

Ming Dynasty

Succeeded the Mongol Yuan dynasty in China

Timur-i Lang

Leader of Turkic nomads who conquered Persia and India

Banking houses

Merchant banks for long-distance exchange

Credit

Ability to obtain goods or services before payment

Columbian Exchange

The exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and technologies between the Americas and the rest of the world following Columbus's voyages.

Muslim Victory over Mongols

Muslim victory was won with rare cooperation of the Christians, immense relief when Mongols were finally defeated by the armies of the Mamluk.

Vasco De Gama

Portuguese explorer who was the first European to sail from Europe to India by rounding the Cape of Good Hope in 1497-1498.

Henry the Navigator

Portuguese prince responsible for direction of series of expeditions along the African coast in the 15th century marked beginning of western European expansion. Sponsored a third of Portugese voyages of exploration, like to the Americas.

Polynesia

Initial bases in islands such as Tahiti, Samoa, and Fiji, from 7th -14th century expanded and migrated northward to the islands of Hawaii and southward to New Zealand, leading to Polynesian influence on their cultures.

2.1 - Improved commercial practices led to an increased volume of trade and expanded the geographical range of existing trade routes—including the Silk Roads—promoting the growth of powerful new trading cities.

Kashgar, Xi’an, Hangzhou

2.1 - The growth of interregional trade in luxury goods was encouraged by innovations in previously existing transportation and commercial technologies, including the caravanserai, forms of credit, and the development of money economies.

Caravanserai (roadside inns where travelers could rest and recover, facilitated cultural exchanges), use of flying money, development of banking houses

2.1 - Demand for luxury goods increased in Afro-Eurasia. Chinese, Persian, and Indian artisans and merchants expanded their production of textiles and porcelains for export; manufacture of iron and steel expanded in China.

After the Crusades, Muslim elites had increasing consumption of Asian luxury products, including spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, silks, perfumes, jewels and more. Since they mainly had cruder goods to offer, their value of exports never equaled the value of what was imported from Asia -> this had to be made up in gold, which started to drain their economy.

2.2 - Empires collapsed in different regions of the world and in some areas were replaced by new imperial states, including the Mongol khanates.

Kubilai Khan overthrows the Song Empire and establishes the Yuan Dynasty

Mongol sack of Baghdad and execution of Abbasid caliph → Fall of Abbasid Caliphate → left Muslims with central authority or focal point of civilization (devastated Islamic society)

Mongol dominance in Russia

• Russian princes submitted as vassals and had to pay tribute

  Russian peasantry had to give their crops and labor to both of their own princes

• Moscow benefited from increased trade

2.1 - The expansion of empires—including the Mongols—facilitated Afro-Eurasian trade and communication as new people were drawn into their conquerors’ economies and trade networks.

• The generous patronage of the Mongols drew scholars, artisans, and administrators to the Yuan court, leaving a myriad of cultural aspects spread through this communication. Muslims designed and supervised building of his imperial city and proposed new systems for more efficient tax collection and Chinese scholars helped to design a bureaucratic system for their government. 

• Kubilai Khan welcomed travelers and emissaries into his empire so Buddhists, Christians, Daoists, and more, made their way into his court. 

  • Marco Polo wrote a world famous account of his court and empire which enhanced European interest in Asia and inspired efforts by future navigators, like Columbus. 

• The expansion of the Mongol empire helped to improve trade routes, like the silk road, by enhancing their security through policing and better infrastructure. The enhanced safety of the Silk Road allowed for an increase of travelers going from Europe into Asia, such as Marco Polo. 

2.1 - Interregional contacts and conflicts between states and empires, including the Mongols, encouraged significant technological and cultural transfers

• Pax Mongolica provided security and continuity which facilitated cultural and technological transfers through trade

• Diverse religions accepted in Mongol Empire

• Mongolian Khanates promoted cross cultural intermingling?

  • Chinggis Khan: brought academics from across his empire, like Confucian scholars to Muslim engineers, into his capital to share aspects of their cultures

2.3. - Interregional contacts and conflicts between states and empires encouraged significant technological and cultural transfers, including during Chinese maritime activity led by Ming Admiral Zheng He.

Zheng He’s expeditions in the Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea led to cultural transfers between Asia and the Middle East and Africa. His extensive fleets impressed, or terrified, local rulers sound the Indian Ocean, many of whom paid tribute to the emperor.

Several missions visited China from the Middle East and Africa. From Africa also came ostriches, zebras, and giraffes for the imperial zoo; the latter became the unicorns of Chinese fable.

2.3 - Increased cross-cultural interactions resulted in the diffusion of literacy, artistic, and cultural traditions, as well as scientific and technological innovations.

Islam spread to Africa from Muslim traders and diffused throughout the continent along trade-routes

The ideas and innovations of various societies within the Mongol empire were diffused throughout

The astrolabe and compass from China were shared to Europe, playing a crucial role in their development as sea traders

Artistic traditions from the Byzantine empire were seen in European societies

The fate of cities varied greatly, with periods of significant decline and periods of increased urbanization, buoyed by rising productivity and expanding trade networks.

• Fall of Baghdad

• Rise of powerful trading cities

  • Kilwa in Swahili Coast from Indian Ocean Trade

  • Samarkand from Silk Road

  • Timbuktu from Trans-Saharan