The Mongols

From their home on the steppes of Central Asia, the Mongols eventually

ruled most of Eurasia

Mongol Conquests

Steppes are…

Mongolians were pastoralists

…and nomads• didn’t “wander”• followed seasonal patterns to find water and grass for animals

• lived in clans: groups with common ancestor

Lived in yurts or gers

Yurts are still used in

Mongolia today

Known for skill on horseback

Genghis KhanChingghis or Jenghiz

• named Temujin• 1206 united Mongols• given title Genghis Khan or Universal Ruler• 1221 controlled Central Asia

• army had 3 horses per soldier• invented stirrup--could stand, turn, shoot• silk underwear under armor for protection

13th century saddle

Feared yet Respected

• organized army decimal units: 10 = platoon, 100 = company, 1000 = brigade

• employed clever strategies•adopted weapons & technology• used cruelty as weapon

There can be no doubt that even if for a thousand years to come no evil befalls the

country, yet will it not be possible to completely repair the damage, and bring back the land to the state in which it was formerly.

Hamd-Allah Mustawfidescribing damage to Tigris and Euphrates Valley in The Geographical Part of the Nuzhat al-Qulub

The Four Khanates

Kublai Khan• grandson of Genghis

• established Yuan Dynasty in 1279

• moved capital to Beijing rather than ruling from the steppes

• Mongols lived apart from Chinese

• encouraged foreign trade

•tolerated Chinese culture

• Kublai Khan welcomed many foreigners

• considered more trustworthy than Chinese

• spent 17 years in China

• told stories years later while imprisoned during war between Genoa and Venice

• Travels of Marco Polo

Marco Polo

Failure to Conquer Japan • 1274 forced Koreans to build massive fleet--largest invasion until WWII• 1281 typhoon destroyed fleet • Japanese praised kamikaze “Divine Wind”

Fall of Mongol Empire• after Kublai Khan’s death resentment grew

• Chinese taxed to finance war

• floods cause famine, disease

• 1368 Ming overthrow Yuan

• only Golden Horde continues

Focus questionWere the Mongols a regressive force or

agents of cultural diffusion in world history?

Regressive force to make worse

Cultural diffusionSpread of cultureMovement of ideas from one culture to another