SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2

HARKNESS DISCUSSION: THE MONGOLS Key Concept 3.1: Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange Networks

I. How did interregional travelers like Marco Polo help the Mongolian Empire seem even more incredible? Examine why accounts like Marco Polo’s furthered the reputation of the Mongols.

II. The constant expansion of the Mongolian Empire lead to one of the largest empires in history; analyze how this expedited the expansion of information networks and communication technology.

III. Explain how the largely pastoralist and nomadic people of the Mongolian Empire were best suited to form an empire as vast as the Mongols did.

Key Concept 3.2: Continuity and Innovation of State Forms and Their Interactions I. Within 50 years, the Mongolian Empire came to control most of Asia and parts of

Europe. Compared to other empires, this was an impressive feat. What facets of the Mongolian culture and military enabled such rapid and successful expansion?

II. Analyze the ways the Mongolian Khanate contributed to the growth of military strategy and technology.

III. How did the size of the Mongolian empire contribute to its fall, if at all? Did the Khanate alleviate this or exacerbate it?

IV. The Mongols were one of the first nomadic peoples to rule a vast empire. Analyze how their nomadic lifestyle affected imperial administration.

Key Concept 3.3: Increased Economic Productive Capacity and Its Consequences I. In what ways did increasing revenue from taxes lead to the downfall of Mongolian

economy under The Golden Horde and the Il-Khanate?II. After the conquests of the Mongols, most of Eurasia was unified for a time. Analyze how

this affected economic interaction in general, and the Silk Road in particular.III. Noble Mongol families frequently arranged marriages for their children (Genghis Khan’s

was arranged when he was eight). Examine how these arranged marriages preserved wealth for noble families.

Outside Sources (2 minimum) I. http://worldhistoryconnected.press.illinois.edu/5.2/may.html

II. http://genghiskhan.fieldmuseum.org/behind-the-scenes/establishing-an-empire/battle- tactics

III. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/conquests/conquests_4.htm IV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szxPar0BcMo

Historical Period Links

SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2★ 1055- Seljuk Turks take control in Baghdad★ 1076-1078- Investiture Controversy★ 1081-1118- Alexius Comnenus rules Byzantine Empire and calls for aid to Muslims★ 1099- First Crusade captures Jerusalem★ 1127-Southern Song Period starts★ 1171- Fall of Fatimid Egypt★ 1185- Kamakura Shogunate founded★ 1186- Saladin recaptures Jerusalem★ 1204- Western Knights sack Constantinople in Fourth Crusade★ 1250- Mamluks control Egypt★ 1258- Mongols destroy Abbasid Caliphate

Influence of the Mongols on the World at Large ★ Ming Empire

○ The Ming empire’s imperial administration was greatly influenced by the previous Yuan empire, lead by Khubilai Khan.

○ Reform by Emperor Yongle lead to similarity with Mongol governance.■ Brought capital back to Beijing■ Revived trading links with Middle East started by Mongols■ Enlarged and built up Forbidden City (originally built by Khubilai Khan

★ Genghis Khan (Chenghis/Chinggis//Temujin)○ Similar to Alexander the Great

■ Both great conquerors■ Both created unprecedented empires■ Neither conquered India because of physical barriers like Himalayas ■ After his death, empire split into 4 khanates: Yuan dynasty, Il Khanate,

Chagatai Khanate, and Golden Horde○ 16 million direct living descendants

■ 8% of Asian Men and 0.5% of men worldwide have the Khan marker○ Known as a defender of religious freedom○ United Mongol confederations through two innovations:

■ Promotion through merit instead of familial status■ Brought lower classes of conquered people into his own tribe while

deposing leaders of conquered clans (poor loved him, rich hated him)★ Islam and Mongols

○ Three of the four Muslim empires were Muslim■ Ilkhanate, Golden Horde, and Chagatai khanates were all Muslim

○ The Mongols would solidify the presence of Islam in the Middle East★ Religious tolerance

○ Religious tolerance made assimilating from conquered empires a simple transition

SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2○ Helped unite a culturally and ethnically diverse empire○ Rulership styles were changed to best fit new regions added to the empire

★ Military technology○ Merit based succession

■ Generals chosen based on military ability rather than based on familial connections

○ Horses were vital to the rapid expansion of soldiers○ Stirrups and light armor allowed for easy movement on and off of a horse

★ Mongol legacy○ The Mongols are still remembered by people today for their ferocity in combat

and massive empire★ Black Death

○ Increased trade and communication fostered by Pax Mongolica lead to spread of disease, most notably the Black Death in 1346

○ Also known as Bubonic Plague. Spread by gerbils, although common belief is rats.

○ Plague was used as a primitive sort of biological warfare due to disease ridden cadavers being catapulted to enemy lines

★ Delhi Sultanate○ Conquered by the Timur of the Mongols in 1398○ Timur killed around 100,000 Delhi captives○ Delhi was one of the richest areas at the time; easily taken down by Mongols

What can we conclude from this: The Mongolian Empire arose following a time of political mayhem involving wars and controversy in the Middle East and Europe, as well as a period of decline in China. However, strong families emerged in Japan which led to difficulties in the Mongolian sacking of East Asia. In fact, Japan fended off Mongolian invasions twice, strengthening their cultural and political identity.

Key Vocabulary ★ Golden Horde- The Mongols that ruled in the East (Russia)★ Il-Khan- The Mongol rule in Persia and the Middle East★ Yuan Empire- Mongol rule in China★ Khanate of the Great Khan- Mongol rule in Central Asia★ Paisa- An early version of the modern passport, a small metal plate with a ruler’s

permission for a person to travel through their land.★ Shamanism/Tengrism- The belief that certain people, called shamans, could

communicate with the spirit world.★ Genghis Khan- Founder of the Mongol Empire★ Chagatai Khanate- Mongol rule in the Middle East

SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2Important Dates

★ 1162 C.E. - Birth of Genghis Khan (Temujin), most dominant and founding Khan of the Mongols

★ 1206 C.E. - Temujin unites tribes and becomes known as Genghis Khan or “universal leader”

★ 1219 C.E. - Genghis Khan leads the Mongols to invade the state of Khwarezm.★ 1221 C.E. - Pax Mongolica begins.★ 1227 C.E. - Genghis Khan dies.★ 1271 C.E.- Yuan dynasty officially founded in the Chinese style by Khubilai Khan★ 1368 C.E. - Ming Empire reclaims China and fall of Mongol Empire.

Maps

Left: Original Location of Mongolian EmpireMiddle: 50 years later, the Empire covered 20% of the planetRight: Following that, distinct rivalries between Khanates fragmented the region

SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2

Above: A map of Mongol domains in 1300.

Multiple Choice Questions (5) I. Below the Khanate, what was the main system of Mongolian administration?

A. Sub-KhanateB. TribeC. EmpireD. CaliphateE. Il-khan

II. What prevented Timur from having the title of Khan, even though he was a ruler? A. He was unmarried B. He had no control over any land C. He was Turkish and was an only an in-law to the Mongol conqueror D. He was too young at the time of his authority to be a Khan E. The Mongols were reluctant to call another person “Khan” so soon after the death of Genghis Khan

III. The Mongols were notably tolerant of many different religions during a time where forced conversions where the norm. In what ways did religious tolerance benefit the Mongols?

SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2A. Religious tolerance better allowed the Mongols to maintain control over a vast

and culturally diverse empire.B. Adapting their rulership styles to local traditions helped the Mongols win the

loyalty of those whom they conquered.C. Accepting many different religions made the Mongols feel better about their

chance of getting into heaven.D. Both A and B.E. None of the above.

IV. Mongol women had many rights and freedoms for women at the time. What were some of the rights and freedoms possessed by Mongol women?

A. Choosing their husbandsB. Participating in political negotiationsC. Being regents for their sons or husbandsD. Become the khanE. Both B and C

V. Which of the following were NOT Mongol run kingdoms/empires?A. The Golden HordeB. The Il-KhanC. Yuan DynastyD. Khanate of Central AsiaE. Delhi Sultanate

3.1-Expansion and Intensification of Communication and Exchange NetworksCommunication

★ Nomadic activity and military technology expedited and augmented communication networks.

★ This was important for continuity of ideas amongst the four main khanates.★ Also led to technological progression

Silk Road★ Horses for trade/travel★ Diffusion of culture and technology★ “Pax Mongolica” protected and encouraged trade

1.I How did interregional travelers like Marco Polo help the Mongolian Empire seem even more incredible? Examine why accounts like Marco Polo’s furthered the reputation of the Mongols.

★ Combined factual evidence with the fantastic★ Encouraged Europeans to migrate and discover new ways to Asia

SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2★ Persia was another empire to have been fantasized since the majority of Persian history

came from accounts from Greek Historians like Herodotus

1.II The constant expansion of the Mongolian Empire lead to one of the largest empires in history; analyze how this expedited the expansion of information networks and communication technology.

★ The Mongols were so large that they controlled trade routes that in the past had been controlled by numerous empires

★ With the size of the empire increasing, new communication technologies were assimilated from other regions and helped make the Mongols more dominant

1.III Explain how the largely pastoralist and nomadic people of the Mongolian Empire were best suited to form an empire as vast as the Mongols did.

★ Agrarian people were fairly disease resistant★ Had an experience based knowledge of the land and how to best control animals and

agriculture★ Used to moving around and capable of dealing with expansion★ Shared similar backgrounds so there was little conflict (in the early ages)

3.2-Continuity and Innovation of State Forms and Their InteractionsGovernment Form- Four primary Khanates

★ Golden Horde (Russia/Eastern Europe)★ Khanate of the Great Khan (Yuan dynasty) (China/East Asia)★ Chagatai (Central Asia)★ Ilkhanate (Middle East/Persia/The Illest Khanate of them all)

Khanate was the administrative unit ruled by Khan

Influences of Pax Mongolica- Fostering of Trade and facilitation of caravans led to economic prosperity

Hereditary Importance-Khanates ruled by descendants of Genghis Khan (usually children/grandchildren)

2.I Within 50 years, the Mongolian Empire came to control most of Asia and parts of Europe. Compared to other empires, this was an impressive feat. What facets of the Mongolian culture and military enabled such rapid and successful expansion?

★ Nomadism already allowed for movement and few settlements meant more people to move and conquest.

★ Spy Networks

SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2★ Coordination of Attacks: Innovation upon previous “charging into battle”★ Intimidation/Terror Tactics: e.g. catapulting diseased animals and rocks, flooding towns,

lighting extra campfires to appear larger, cutting of movement and trade to towns, etc.★ Rapid communication through horse★ Note: Their main conquests were Song China, Russia, and Khwarizm★ MAKE A COMPARISON: In 25 years the Mongols acquired more lands than the Roman

Empire did in its entire 400-year lifespan.

2.II Analyze the ways the Mongolian Khanate contributed to the growth of military strategy and technology.

★ Elements of Bureaucracy○ Paisa- Passport used to verify movement and allegiance○ “Cabinet” of Tribe leaders used to create agreements in policies and equal

understanding of goals★ Religious freedom opened military to all denominations and prevented government-

related schisms★ Created Yuan Dynasty and implemented the Khanate of the Great Khan in China

2.III How did the size of the Mongolian empire contribute to its fall, if at all? Did the Khanate alleviate this or exacerbate it?

★ The main cause of Mongol decline was fragmentation.★ Military invasion was likely not the primary concern, as their tactics and coordination

enabled smaller military units to have larger effects.★ Like many other regions, disease, and especially bubonic plague spread through trade

routes decimated populations. The size of the empire isn’t as related to this as much as the prominence and accessibility of trade routes.

★ HYPOTHESIZE: This was perhaps due to the previously declared divisions created by Khanates and disputes among newly acquired territories and to which Khanate they belonged.

★ RELATE: We can see how Rome fell due to slight political imbalance destroying an Empire which could not be controlled through a centralized source. The Mongols used smaller administrative units, which at first helped maintain political unity, but eventually disagreement and the fissures which were created led to the rapid fall.

2.IV The Mongols were one of the first nomadic peoples to rule a vast empire. Analyze how their nomadic lifestyle affected imperial administration.

★ Individual nomadic tribes lacked sufficient power to overtake entire empire★ Genghis Khan (Chinghis) eradicated opposing tribes during early expansion of the

empire

SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2★ Kinship group structure led to more roles of women in societies★ Khanates had rule over tribes and power to enact conquest and expansion through

military siege.★ The movement of the people led to an increased rate of expansion, and the methods of

nomadism required new lands to scavenge, meaning an increased need of expansion. The Khanate and Khan agreed with people for the gain of the population and also to fuel military expansion.

3.3-Increased Economic Productive Capacity and its ConsequencesNomadism-Steppe Climate lowered rates of agriculture; never evolved to settling and farming. This meant both fewer permanent residences as well as little surplus

Labor Management-Comprised mainly of nomadic herders and nomadic military. They were nomadic for different reason: food and territory, respectively.

3.I In what ways did increasing revenue from taxes lead to the downfall of Mongolian economy under The Golden Horde and the Il-Khanate?

★ Increasing revenue led to disputes among the nobles battling for lower taxes within their social classes.

★ The lower-class were paying high taxes while the nobles were paying little to the government.

★ Tax rates were constantly being lowered thus lowering revenue. ★ In addition, the influx of metals led to a need for paper money, however this failed in the

Mongol Empire.★ The eradication of the lower class destroyed the foundation of economic productivity★ Because trade was so important to them, henceforth the Pax Mongolica and the expansion

of the Silk Road, it is easy to see that a dearth in production led to lower trade which affected the economy at large.

★ Once fragmentation began, inter-khanate trade and travel was injured, leading to lower revenues

★ SUMMARIZE: Ultimately, the increase in taxes on the laboring class exposed the flaws in separations of khanates, leading to economic decline.

3.II After the conquests of the Mongols, most of Eurasia was unified for a time. Analyze how this affected economic interaction in general, and the Silk Road in particular.

★ Increased trade between Europe and Asia★ Revived the Silk Road, which had been abandoned after the collapse of major

civilizations in period 2★ Pax Mongolica, the peace within the Mongol empire, fostered increased trade because

merchants knew that they would be safe from robbers.

SLYTHERIN PERIOD 2

3.III Noble Mongol families frequently arranged marriages for their children (Genghis Khan’s was arranged when he was eight). Examine how these arranged marriages preserved wealth for noble families.

★ Elite families would combine their resources and solidify their alliances with arranged marriages

★ Marriages were arranged in childhood so children bargaining tools of diplomacy and politics