AP World HistoryChapter 14

The Last Nomadic Challenge:From Chinggis Khan to Timur

Mongol Culture

• Nomadic pastoralists– Goats, sheep

• Tribe– Divided into clans– Temporary confederations– Leaders elected

Khan• Kabul Khan

– 1100s, defeats Qin forces– Grandson, Temujin

• Chinggis Khan 1207, expedition– Xi-Xia, Tangut king defeated – Kara Khitai defeated– Mongolian Unity– Khwarazm, Muhammad Shah II defeated– Xi-Xia kingdom and Qin Empire destroyed– 1227, death of Chinggis Khan

• Capital at karakorum– Shamanistic– Tolerated other religions– New administration– Commerce thrives

Khan

• Chinggis Khan– Born Temujin– Develops alliances among Mongols– 1206, elected khagan (supreme ruler)

• 1227, division of empire– Three sons, one grandson– Ogedei, third son– Elected great khan

• Mounted warriors– Tumens,10,000 troops– Messenger force– Adopted gunpowder, cannons

Building the Mongol War Machine

Mongol Conquests• Mongols first invaded kingdoms in China then turned

west to the Islamic world and finally conquered the kingdoms of Russia.

• Chinggis Khan (Genghis Khan) mobilized the Horde to invade many countries outside of Mongolia.

• Mongols were the most formidable nomadic challenge to the stationary civilizations.

• Their powerful short bows, fired from horseback, were devastating weapons.

• Harsh discipline, enforced through a formal code, brought punishments and rewards for conduct.

China Under Mongol Rule

• The Mongols conquered the Northern kingdoms of China. (Xi and Xia, completely destroyed over two million people)

• The Mongols captured fortified cities those that resisted were either killed or enslaved.

Mongols in Europe• The armies of the Golden Horde, swept westward till

they reached into Poland and Russia.• The Khan’s defeated the Russians in 1236 CE.• Kingdoms were spared if they paid tribute. Kingdoms

that refused were burned to the ground and the soil was turned red with blood.

• Ogedei renews attack on China• Kubilai Khan• Grandson of Chinggis Khan• Attacks Song• 1271, transformation to Yuan dynasty• Capital at Tatu (Beijing)

Ogodei

• Mounted warriors– Tumens,10,000 troops– Messenger force– Adopted gunpowder, cannons

Building the Mongol War Machine

Mongol Positives• Mongol women retain liberties

– Chabi, wife of Kubilai, influential• Mongol patronage

– Attracts scholars, artists• Religious toleration

– Buddhists, Nestorians, Latin Christians, Daoists, Muslims

• Marco Polo– Visits courtKubilai

• China– Protects peasant lands– Famine relief– Tax, labor burden lessened

The Brief Ride of Timur• Timur-i Lang (Tamerlane)• Turkish• Base at Samarkand• 1405, death

– Empire dissolves– End of steppe nomad conquests