Who were the Mongols? Read about the Mongols & write 3 facts that

you learned from the reading

Who were the Mongols?

The Mongols were among the numerous nomadic tribes who

lived in Central Asia

Who were the Mongols?

Mongol life centered on herding animals,

especially horses

Mongols lived as nomadic clans, constantly searching

for better pasture lands

The Mongols lived in the harsh climate of the Eurasian steppe,

an area with little rain & extreme temperatures

Who were the Mongols? As a result of their lifestyle,

the Mongols were tough warriors who occasionally raided nearby settlements

Genghis Khan

From 1200 to 1206, a clan leader named Genghis Khan

unified the MongolsGenghis Khan built a

powerful Mongol army & began a 21-year

conquest of Eurasia

Central Asia

Under Genghis & later khans, the Mongols conquered…Russia

China

Korea

the Islamic Empire

How did the Mongols create this massive empire?

Mongol soldiers were excellent horsemen; Used the horse saddle

to shoot arrows while riding

How did the Mongols create this massive empire?

Genghis was a brilliant military organizer & strategist, but his

greatest tactic was terror & fear

If an enemy refused to surrender, Genghis would order the death of the entire population

As the Mongol reputation spread, many towns

surrendered to Genghis without a fight

“In the countries that have not yet been overrun by them, everyone spends the night afraid that

they may appear there too.” (Arab historian)

The Impact of the Mongol EmpireThe Mongols were merciless in battle,

but tolerant as rulers

Mongol khans (rulers) often adopted parts of the culture

of the people they conquered

In the West, Mongols converted to Islam

In the East, Mongols embraced Chinese culture

The Impact of the Mongol EmpireMongol khans

brought stability & order to Eurasia

The era from the mid-1200s to the mid-1300s is called the

Pax Mongolica (“Mongol Peace”)

During the Pax Mongolica, the Mongols guaranteed safe passage across the

Silk Road

As a result, trade & cultural diffusion increased between

Europe & Asia

Chinese technologies like gunpowder &

the magnetic compass reached Europe

But diseases like the plague (Black Death) reached Europe too

After the death of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire was divided into 4 major khanates

each ruled by a son or grandson of Genghis

The khanate in Persia helped control the

Silk Road

The Mongol destruction of Kiev increased the

importance of Moscow in Russia

The Mongols were the first non-Muslims to rule over the Islamic Empire

After the death of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire was divided into 4 major khanates

each ruled by a son or grandson of Genghis But the most significant khanate was the Mongol

rule over China In 1279, Genghis’

grandson Kublai Khan became the first foreign

leader to rule China

Kublai Khan Kublai Khan began a new era in China called

the Yuan Dynasty

Kublai enjoyed Chinese culture so much that he moved the Mongolian

capital to China

But, he excluded the Chinese from serving in high gov’t offices & relied on foreigners to serve in his government

Kublai proved to be a good emperor

for China

He built roads & extended the Grand Canal to help improve

transportation in China

Under Kublai, foreign trade with China increased due to

the Pax Mongolica

Marco PoloIn 1275, a European merchant named

Marco Polo visited Kublai Khan’s court

Kublai was so impressed with Marco Polo that he

employed him in the Yuan gov’t for 17 years

When Marco Polo returned to Italy in 1792, his stories of

China increased European demand for Asian trade

By the time of Kublai’s death in 1294, the entire Mongol Empire was growing weak

In 1368, the Chinese overthrew the Mongols & started the Ming Dynasty

In 1330, the Mongols lost control of Persia

In 1370, the Mongols lost control of Central Asia

In 1480, under Ivan III Russia gained independence from Mongol rule &

started the Romanov Dynasty

Who were the Mongols: The “Makers of Peace” OR the “Devils’ Horsemen”?

Document 1: Although originally nomads, the Mongols were very pragmatic about adopting useful innovations and readily assimilated advanced siege technology. And they were superb gatherers and users of military intelligence. Document 2: Conquered areas were generally left under native governors. China was the exception; there the Mongols tended to use outsiders whenever possible. Religious tolerance was important in consolidating rule. Document 3: Once asked what he enjoyed, Genghis Khan supposedly said: "The greatest joy a man can know is to conquer his enemies and drive them before him. To ride their horses and take away their possessions. To see the faces of those who were dear to them bedewed with tears, and to clasp their wives and daughters in his arms"

Who were the Mongols: The “Makers of Peace” OR the “Devils’ Horsemen”?

Document 4: The Mongol unification of a vast area had made it possible for the first time to travel safely from Europe to China. This incredible window of trans-Eurasian contact lasted only a few decades but its impact was profound. Gunpowder, the compass, a siege machine called the trebuchet, possibly the concept of the clock escapement, and the concept of printing came to Europe. Document 5: Abdullah Wassaf, a Persian historian once said: "They swept through the city like hungry falcons attacking a flight of doves, or like raging wolves attacking sheep, with loose reins and shameless faces, murdering and spreading terror...beds and cushions made of gold and encrusted with jewels were cut to pieces with knives and torn to shreds. Those hiding were dragged...through the streets and alleys, each of them becoming a plaything...as the population died at the hands of the invaders."

Who were the Mongols: The “Makers of Peace” OR the “Devils’ Horsemen”?

Document 6: They received warnings from their neighbors before the attack: "These terrible strangers have taken our country, and tomorrow they will take yours if you do not come and help us.” Document 7: Mongol battle tactics were a result of their lifestyle. Between their nomadism and their traditional clan warfare, they received constant practice in riding and archery. Unlike the cumbersome European armies of the time, the Mongols traveled very light and demonstrated extraordinary endurance, living off the land and often spending several days at a time in the saddle. Their mobility—up to 100 miles a day—was unheard of by armies of the time.

Who were the Mongols: The “Makers of Peace” OR the “Devils’ Horsemen”?

Document 8: To the Mongols, resistance and rebellion was countered by ruthless annihilation. In the conquest of Persia, these strategies amounted to "Resist, and you die; cooperate, and you will be better off." This attitude wasn't entirely restricted to the Mongols; the prevailing rule of war was that a besieged city could obtain surrender terms, but if the city resisted and forced the issue to the bitter end, it would bear the consequences. Document 9: Iraq in 1258 had agriculture that was supported by a canal network thousands of years old. Baghdad was one of the most brilliant intellectual centers in the world. The Mongols filled in the irrigation canals and left Iraq too depopulated to restore them. Document 10: Women in Mongol society enjoyed a high status and rights that were rare for that time and much later.

Who were the Mongols: The “Makers of Peace” OR the “Devils’ Horsemen”?