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The Mongols Creating an Empire

The Mongols

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The Mongols. Creating an Empire. The Mongols. Mongols were nomads who lived in north China steppe (area of dry grassland) along with Huns, Turks, & other tribes; Mongols used horses & raised cattle & sheep; were excellent warriors. Chinese Steppe. The Mongols. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: The Mongols

The Mongols

Creating an Empire

Page 2: The Mongols

The Mongols

• Mongols were nomads who lived in north China steppe (area of dry grassland) along with Huns, Turks, & other tribes; Mongols used horses & raised cattle & sheep; were excellent warriors

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Chinese Steppe

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The Mongols• Around 1200, a Mongol clan leader

named Genghis Khan (“universal ruler”) unified the Mongols under his leadership.

• For the next 21 year, he conquered much of Asia.

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Genghis Khan• For the next 20 years, Genghis

Khan led a campaign of terror throughout Central Asia, destroying cities and slaughtering people.

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Genghis Khan 3 factors that contributed to his

success:

1. Well-organized army with experienced fighters.

2. Genghis Khan was able to outthink & outwit his enemies.

3. Used cruelty as a weapon. It convinces others to surrender without a fight.

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Genghis Khan • He died in 1227, but his successors

continued to expand the empire.• Under Genghis’s son and grandsons

the Mongols conquered:

- China - parts of Korea

- Russia - threatened Eastern Europe

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WOW!! The Mongol Empire is huge!!

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The Mongol Rulers• In 1260, the empire was divided

into 4 areas called khanates:

- Mongolia and China

- Central Asia

- Persia

- Russia

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The Mongol Rulers

• The rulers of these areas gradually adopted the culture of the people they ruled. (examples: West became Muslim, China took on Chinese culture)

• This contributed to the splitting of the empire.

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Mongol Rulers• Tolerant rulers in times of

peace. Rarely imposing their beliefs on others.

• Imposed stability, law and order across Eurasia.

• Provided safety and trade between Europe and Asia which led to the Pax Mongolica.

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Pax Mongolica• Means “Mongol Peace”• The Mongols guaranteed safe

passage for trade caravans, travelers, and missionaries throughout their empire.

• Trade between Europe and Asia was extremely active. Many Chinese innovations reach Europe for the 1st time.

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Pax Mongolica• Some historians also believe

that the bubonic plague that devastated Europe in the 1300s was first spread by the Mongols.

• The disease might have traveled along trade routes to have been passed by infected Mongol troops.

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Kublai Khan• Grandson of

Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, took power in 1260.

• In 1279, Kublai Khan finally defeated the Chinese army and became the first foreigner to gain complete control of China.

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Kublai Khan• He founded the Yuan dynasty that

ruled China for about 100 years. • His dynasty united China for the

first time in several hundred years and open China to trade with the west. (Making him one of China’s greatest emperors.)

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Kublai Khan• The Mongols did not disrupt

Chinese government or culture, they adopted it.

• Kublai Khan adopted Chinese culture and built a new capital city in Beijing. He enjoyed living the luxurious life of a Chinese emperor.

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“I have heard that one can conquer the empire on horseback, but one cannot govern it on horseback.”

- Kublai Khan’s

Chinese Advisor

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Kublai Khan’s Empire• Mongol ways would not work in

a sophisticated civilization like China.

• To rule his empire, Kublai Khan continued Chinese practices.

v.

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Kublai Khan’s Empire

• Mongols had little in common with their Chinese subjects.

• The Mongols kept separate identities, lived apart from the Chinese and obey different laws.

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Kublai Khan’s Empire• They kept the Chinese out of high

government positions, but retained Chinese officials to serve locally.

• Most high positions went to Mongols or foreigners. The Mongols believed that foreigners were more trustworthy since they had no local loyalties.

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Marco Polo• The most famous European

foreigner to visit China during this time was a young Venetian trader , Marco Polo.

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Marco Polo• He arrived at Kublai Khan’s court

around 1275 and Polo ended up serving the Khan for 17 years. (Remember Kublai liked to give government positions to foreigners.)

• Kublai recognized his “merit and worth” and sent him on special missions around the empire.

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Marco Polo• Polo returned to Venice in 1292.• During a war in Venice he was

later captured and imprisoned. In prison, he told the full story of his travel and adventures in China.

• Fellow prisoners recorded his tales, workings of Kublai’s government and aspects of Chinese life in his book, The Travels of Marco Polo.

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Marco Polo• Polo described China’s fabulous

cities, it fantastic wealth, and strange things he saw there.

- He mentioned burning of “black stones” (coal) in Chinese homes.

• His book was an instant success in Europe, but many didn’t believe a word of it.

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End of Mongol Rule• In the last years of Kublai Khan’s

rule weakness began to appear.- His armies and navies suffered

defeats in their expansion efforts.- Heavy spending on wars, public

works, and luxuries created resentment among the overtaxed Chinese.

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End of Mongol Rule• Kublai Khan died in 1294. After

his death the Yuan dynasty began to fade.

- Succession issues caused conflict, 4 Khans in 8 years.

- Rebellions broke out in many parts of China.

- Economic problems and official corruption.

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End of Mongol Rule

• The Chinese rebels finally overthrew the Mongols in 1368.

• The Chinese founded the new Ming dynasty

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Kublai Khan’s LegacyKublai Khans’ Legacy:• Rebuilt the Grand Canal.• Because of the Pax Mongolica, foreign

trade increased, which took Chinese products like printing, gun powder, paper money, the compass, and playing cards to Europe.

• He invited foreign merchants to visit China.