Mongol Empire

1. Mongol Empire

2. Objectives • The student will demonstrate knowledge of civilizations and empires of the Eastern Hemisphere and their interactions through regional trade patterns by: • Locating major trade routes • Identifying technological advances and transfers • Questions • What were the major trading routes in the Eastern Hemisphere from 1000 to 1500 C.E. • How did trade facilitate the diffusion of goods and ideas among different cultures?

3. Building the Mongol Empire • Nomads of the Asian Steppe • Steppe- dry grassland • Can have extreme temperature • Two steppes • Western Steppe extends from Eastern Europe to Central Asia • Eastern Steppe covers present-day Mongolia • Boundaries constantly shift • Nomads who lived in the steppe mainly practiced pastoralism • Constantly on the move • Skilled on horseback • Traveled together in kinship groups called clans • l • Mongols • Nomads • Grazed horses and sheep on steppes • from the Eastern steppe • Characteristics • Tough skilled warriors • Skilled horseman • Clans often fought each other for power

4. Genghis Khan • Born Temujinin 1160s C.E. • 1200s C.E. unifies the clans under his leadership • Defeats rivals • 1206 C.E.Takes name Genghis Khan or “Universal Emperor”

5. Rise of Genghis • Military conquests • First goal: China • Invaded in 1215 C.E. • Second goal: the Islamic region in Mongolia • Conquered by 1221 C.E. • Characteristics of success • Brilliant organizer • Imposed strict military discipline • Had highly trained mobile army • Gifted strategist • Adopted new weapons and technologies used by enemies • Used cruelty as a weapon • Genghis Khan died in 1227 C.E. • Successors would continue to expand empire • Son Ogadi became the “Great Khan”

6. Conquests • Genghis Khan’s ancestors continued his conquest of China • Dominated Asia for 150 years • Spread from Russia to Europe • Almost reached Western Europe • After Ogadai’s death in 1241 C.E. the empire was split into four khanates • Khanate of the Great Khan • Mongolia and China • Khanate of Chagatai • Central Asia • The Ilkhanate • Persia • Khanate of the Golden Horde • Russia • Conquerors • Wiped out entire populations of cities • Destroyed ancient irrigation systems in Mesopotamia • Not oppressive rulers • Only had to pay tribute • Began to adopt customs of the cultures they ruled

8. Mongol Peace • Period called PaxMongolica • From mid -1200s to mid- 1300s • Mongols protected the silk road • Set stage for economic growth • Increased foods, tools, inventions, and ideas flourished along trade routes • From China • Windmills • Gunpowder • Papermaking • Bubonic plague? • To China • From Middle East • Crops • Trees

9. China under the Mongols • Genghis’ grandson Kublai Khan conquered south China, the Song Dynasty, in 1279 • Called it the Yuan Dynasty • Kublai Khan ruled all of China, Korea, Tibet, and Vietnam from the capital in Khanbaliq ( Beiijing) • Yuan Dynasty (1279.- 1368 C.E.) • Important period for Chinese history • United China for the 1st time in 300 years • Control imposed by Mongols brought cultural diffusion to China • Tolerated Chinese government and made few changes • Japan • Tried to conquer in 1274 and 1281 C.E. • 2nd attempt was largest seaborne invasion until D-Day during WWII

10. Mongol Rule in China • Mongol Rule • Mongols kept separate identity • Lived apart from Chinese • Obeyed different laws • Mongols occupied higher positions in government • Achievements • restored the Grand Canal • extended it 135 miles to Beijing • Paved a highways over 1,100 miles • Ensured steady supply of grain and goods from South • Foreign Trade • Kublai Khan encouraged foreign trade • Mongol peace provided safe caravan routes • Greatly improved trade • Invited foreign merchants to visit China • Mainly Muslims from India, Central Asia, and Persia • Christians also reached China

11. Marco Polo • Most famous European to visit China • Arrived around 1275 C.E. • Spent 17 years in China working for Kublai Khan • Sent on government missions • Wrote vivid account of wealth and splendor of China • Described mail system • Described city of Hangzhou • Astonished Europeans with stories of rich Asia • Most didn’t believe stories

12. Fall of the Mongols • Mongol armies advanced into Vietnam, Java, Sumatra, and Japan • Conquered Vietnam • Fell victim to too many conquests, corruption at court, and growing internal instability • Kublai Khan died in 1294 C.E. • Mongol rule weakened after • Rebellions broke out • 1368 C.E. rebels overthrew the Mongols • Decline of the Mongol Empire • By the end of the Yuan dynasty, the Mongol empire had disentigrated • Lost Persia in 1330s C.E. • Lost Central Asia in 1370s C.E. • Only retained power in Russia until 1480 C.E.

13. Objectives • The student will demonstrate knowledge of civilizations and empires of the Eastern Hemisphere and their interactions through regional trade patterns by: • Locating major trade routes • Identifying technological advances and transfers • Questions • What were the major trading routes in the Eastern Hemisphere from 1000 to 1500 C.E. • How did trade facilitate the diffusion of goods and ideas among different cultures?