The MONGOLS (U2)

Rise of the Mongol Empire

Temujin was a Mongol (pastoral nomads around Gobi desert)

• Traveling peoples

• powerful leader, allied himself with powerful people

• United mongol groups under himsefl in 1206, Chinggis Khan

  • Busy taking over the world, conquered N China, territory in Central Asia, Russia

  • Sons who succeeded him kept expanding until peak in 1279

• Their military organization, controlling the groups were efficient

• Weapons: bows and arrows, skilled horse riders

  • Timing was lucky

  • Song Dynasty had lost control of N territory, Abbasid dclined in a long time

  • Destructin of Baghdad 1258

  • Slaughter everyone and left a few alive to tell others about the fear

• Mongols unceremoniously were welcomed because they gained a gruesome reputation

• PAX MONGOLICA

  • Ordered empire into several khanates/military regions

  • Adopted cultural norms of people that they ruled

  • Kublai Khan united Yuan Dynasty

    • Possessed the Mandate of Heaven (beause he united everyone, he has the mandate)

    • Mongols in China did not become Chinese, but they adapted their style of rule

• Economic situation

  • Silk Roads were very organized and prosperous under Mongol rule

  • Whole lenght of silk road was under Mongol rul

  • Improved infrastructure

    • Buikt bridges and more roads, trade expanded

  • Increased in communication

    • Persian and Chinese course work together sending skilled artisans

    • Sared military intellegence

    • Yam system (communication)

    • Far parts of the empire were more friendly

  • Technological and cultural transfers

    • Intellectuals and skilled artisans

    • Careful not to kill those people

    • Send skilled people to different parts of the empire, encouraged exchange of tech and culture

  • Medical knowledge

    • Greek/islamic scholars to western europe

  • Adoption of Uyghur Script

    • Write their language

    • Conquering literate society meant that Mongolian society needed literacy as well

    • Lingua franca (widely adopted imperial language)

    • Facilitated ucltural transfers across Eurasia

  • Fell out of power

    • Many people under Mongol empire redoubled and paved way for rise of the modern world