CHINA IN THE MIDDLE AGES

Chapter 12

Mongols

From MongoliaMade up of tribesLived on steppesKnown for ability to – ride horses and wage war

Genghis Khan

1206 – became leader of the Mongols

Chose leaders based on abilities

Known for terror and crueltyDied in 1227

Mongols

Brought peace to lands, despite destruction

Respected advanced cultures

Adopted customs and beliefs

Kublai Khan

Genghis’ grandsonCreated the Yuan dynastyMoved capital to modern Beijing

Gave Mongols top gov’t jobs

Marco Polo

European travelerFrom Venice, ItalySpent 16 yrs. In Kublai Khan’s court

Wrote “A Description of the World”

Ming Dynasty

1368 – Zhu drove out the Mongols

Zhu’s son, Yong Le, build the Forbidden City

Ming Reforms

Restored the civil service exams

Carried out a censusExpanded culture - Wrote novels

Zheng He

Chinese MuslimLarge fleet of vesselsTraveled from1405 – 1431Went to Arabia, India, and Africa

Zheng He

They traded and spread Chinese culture

After his death – the fleet of boats were destroyed

Outsiders Arrive

1514 – Portuguese arrive in China for trade and to convert people to Christianity

1644 – Manchus, from the north, take over the Ming