Claim 1:

Chinggis Khan cannot be blamed for the emergence and spread of a disease; the spread of the
Black Plague benefited the environment with a buffer on population growth, allowed new
opportunities for the poor in Europe, and advanced medicine.
Claim 2:
The use psychological warfare is not a crime; the use of psychological warfare killed few people
and allowed the greater population to live, could have easily destroyed many more areas, but
the use of psychological warfare saved lives.
Claim 3:
The destruction of large political center allowed for more egalitarian rule, a more widely
connected trade network, religious tolerance, political unity, cultural fusion, and cultural
development in Mongol-ruled territories; the creation of the Pax Mongolica.

OPENING STATEMENT
My client, Chinggis Khan, is accused of the spread of the Black Plague, the use of
psychological warfare, the murder of innocent civilians, and the destruction of urban centers and
political structures. These charges alone sound as if the verdict is already decided against him, I
know, but with the testimonies you will hear today, it will be clear that these charges are untrue.
The prosecution attorneys will present him as nothing more that a heartless, brutal killer, but I
assure you, behind every testimony, there is proof that Chinggis Khan led a civilized people,
and that behind every decision he made and behind every act of what may have seemed
unnecessary violence, there was a clear motive to make the world a better place. And that he
did. Because of him alone, the Eurasian world saw the utilization of countless political,
technological, military, and social advances that they themselves had been unable to achieve
until the era of Mongol rule. These include increased protection within the Mongol territory and
restored protection along the extremely important Silk Road, enhanced connectivity between
Europe and Asia which allowed for the massive economic growth that benefited all countries,
increased opportunity for the poor, religious tolerance and harmony, increased opportunity and
respect for women, and cultural fusion and borrowing between Eurasian countries. These
breakthroughs were the only goals of Chinggis Khan, and not once did he commit an act of
violence that would not later contribute to the success and prosperity of Eurasian peoples. So
while the opposing side will paint him as a barbaric criminal with a band of inhumane followers,
it will be evident that Chinggis Khan was a blessing to our world, and should be revered for the
innovations, stability, and unity he brought to the Eurasian society. We ask for a verdict of not
guilty.

Direct Examination:
SILK ROAD MERCHANT
1. How did your life improve from the time before the Mongol Empire to after?
2. Wouldn’t you say Chinggis Khan improved your life and the lives of all other merchants
during and after the time of the Mongol Empire?
MONGOL WARRIOR
 1. In your experience, did Chinggis Khan ever treat you or the people you ruled unfairly or
with unnecessary brutality?
2. How did you treat others?
3. Would you say it’s true that you employed brutality when, and only when, others resisted
your efforts to make their lives better?
MONGOL WOMAN
1. How did your life improve from the time before the Mongol Empire to after?
2. Wouldn’t you say the way the Mongols treated you is an example of how civilized and
respectful Chinggis Khan was?
MONGOL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
1. When you got the chance to lead after the Mongol Empire, did you change anything
about the Mongol ruling system?
2. Did you always encourage other empires to improve their security, unity, and economies
by joining you before you conquered them?
KUBLAI KHAN
1. Did you always encourage other empires to improve their security, unity, and economies
by joining you before you conquered them?
2. How did you improve the lives of citizens and newly conquered regions?
3. Did your people integrate themselves into the culture of the lands they conquered? “In
order to ingratiate himself with Confucian China, for example, Khubilai restored the
rituals at court — the music and dance rituals that were such an integral part of the
Confucian ideology.”http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/china/china2.htm
JUVAINI
1. How were you and your people treated?
2. Would you say your life was better under Mongol rule than when you were not under
rule?
MARCO POLO
1. How did Mongol rule open up new opportunities to you? How did it benefit you and your
homeland, Europe?
2. During your travels, did you feel that the Mongols treated you with civility?
3. During your travels, did you feel safe in the areas that were under Mongol supervision?
WILLIAM OF RUBRUCK
1. How was religion viewed under Mongol rule? As a respected missionary and Christian
expert, do you approve of the ways they treated religion?
2. Based on the beliefs of your religion, would you say that the Mongols were a civilized
people with credible motives for their actions?
PRINCE OF MOSCOW
1. How did your life improve from the time before the Mongol Empire to after?
2. How did Chinggis Khan improve your life?
3. How did Mongol rule enhance the safety, economy, and unity of Moscow?
NASIR:
1. Would you say the Mongols’ impact on your life was positive?
2. Did you ever force another group of people to change religions or culture?
 3. Were women generally treated better under Mongol rule, even if they were not Mongol
originally?
CHINGGIS KHAN:
1. Would you say it is true that brutality was enforced only if a group resisted?
Absolutely, my warriors and I always offered our subjects a better life before we conquered
them. Before every battle, our subjects knew the price of resisting us, and we only employed
necessary measures to ensure our victory and grant our new areas more protection and growth.
2. Is it true that people in Europe and other places accepted your trade goods? So, are you
completely to blame for the spread of the plague?
It is true that Europe did accept trade goods from the East. Therefore, the European merchants
are just as guilty as the merchants possibly carrying rats on their ships for the spread of the
Black Plague. Additionally, although the Black Plague did kill half the population in Europe, that
opened up more opportunities for peasants to move to cities and pursue new lives. It also
helped the environment by buffering population growth in Europe, and allowed for new
innovations in medicine that advanced our society greatly.
3. Would you say that the mongols made a huge advancement in society when you united
many places in trade?
Yes. When we connected the European and Asian trade markets, both areas grew significantly
in terms of economics and inventions. Because our efforts to unite the two, the European and
Asian societies borrowed technology and practices from the other that made huge impacts on
our world today.
4. Do you consider yourself and the mongols very tolerant of other religions? More tolerant
than any of the people in this room had ever been?
Absolutely. Whenever we conquered a region, we always assimilated to the established culture
of that place. This is true of China, Russia, Persia, and all other places we conquered. Unlike
many other religious conquests like the Muslim Turkic invasions and Alexander the Great’s
conquest, we allowed all peoples to keep practicing their religions, and forced no one to convert.
We were extremely tolerant and accepting, which is very civilized because most people consider
religion to be the most central and important part to their culture.
5. Would you say that without the mongols, women would be much less advanced in
society? Do you agree that in the long run, women benefited greatly from the mongols?
Yes. The way other societies treated women was awful. Under Mongol power, women were
granted more opportunities, and were highly respected and valued. Without our empire, the
extremely important role of women in society would be much less valued than it is today. The
way my people treat women provided a template for all other societies to build off of.

Cross Examination:

Balkh shopkeeper-
1. Wouldn’t you say, being at a major center of trade routes, that under Mongol rule, trade
was increased?
 2. Why would increased trade hurt your business?

Historian Ibn al-Athir

1. Would you say your faith is important to you?
2. Wouldn’t you say the mongols allowed you to believe what you choose?
3. Would you say that your faith remained untouched even though your homeland was
destroyed?
4. Did your people resist Mongol assimilation?

POPE INNOCENT IV:

LETTER TO MONGOLS: “so that following their salutary instructions you may acknowledge Jesus
Christ the very Son of God and worship His glorious name by practicing the Christian religion. We
therefore admonish you all, beg and earnestly entreat you to receive these Friars kindly and to treat
them in considerate fashion out of reverence for God and for us, indeed as if receiving us in their
persons, and to employ unfeigned honesty towards them in respect of those matters of which they
will speak to you on our behalf”

1.Would you say that your letter was asking the mongols to be peaceful to the christians?

2. How can you ask the mongols to be peaceful to the christians, when the christians led the
spanish inquisition? Were you not brutal to the jews?

Qutuz, Mamluk sultan of Egypt

1. Did the Mongol forces grant you the opportunity to join them before you were conquered?
2. And did you know the consequences of resisting the Mongol forces?

Mstislav III, prince of Kiev

1.Did the Mongol forces grant you the opportunity to join them before you were conquered?
2.Did you know the consequences of resisting the Mongol forces?
3.After they defeated you, did the Mongols force you, in any way, to change your culture,
religion, or language?

Mustasim, caliph of Baghdad

1. After the mongols attacked, did they assimilate to your culture?
2. Wouldn’t you say this is an example of how the mongols did not seek to destroy your
culture?

Chinese Confucian scholar

1. Would you say the mongols were tolerant of confucianism?
2. Would you say that it was a good thing Khubilai Khan integrated confucian rituals into the
court?
“In order to ingratiate himself with Confucian China, for example, Khubilai restored the rituals at
court — the music and dance rituals that were such an integral part of the Confucian
ideology.”http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/china/china2.htm

Russian peasant
1. Did the Mongols give you an opportunity to join them before they conquered you?
2. Did you know the consequences of resisting the Mongols?
3. Wouldn’t you say your resistance is the explanation of the 500 deaths you mentioned
earlier?

Muhammad II, sultan of Khwarazm

1. Would you say that you broke the peace treaty with the mongols?
A Prisoner of war
1. Did you know the consequences of resisting the Mongol forces?
2. After they defeated you, did the Mongols force you, in any way, to change your culture,
religion, or language?
CLOSING STATEMENT:
Throughout this trial, the prosecution has created an image of our client, Genghis Khan, as a
barbaric monster who did no good, and murdered many people for no reason. But, this is simply
untrue. Any woman, merchant, peasant, or follower of a religion can clearly see that overall,
their lives vastly improved, thanks to the Mongols. The small 10% of the population that may
have suffered, benefitted the other 90%. For all the peasants who were freed and able to move
to urban areas to make money and support their families, the merchants and shopkeepers who
also accumulated more wealth allowing them to be financially stable, the women who finally
knew what it was like to be respected as a human and be allowed to be in positions of power, to
the people who were able to follow whatever religion they please, without living in fear that they
may be persecuted for who they are. The mongols made incredible advances in society, helping
many of the people in this room. Without the mongols, not only would the world be
overpopulated, women would be much further back than they are now, and trade between many
areas of Eurasia may have never happened. Genghis Khan cannot be solely blamed for the
spread of the black plague, persecuted for the use of psychological warfare that saved people
from death and forced them to live better lives. His destruction of urban and political structures
allowed him to create even better ones and his people completely embraced the culture of the
areas they took over, and his murder of civilians was justified: they resisted living a better life,
and those who suffered allowed the rest to live prosperous ones. So, Judge Logan, when
considering the verdict, take into account all of the wonderful things that came out of the small
tragedies, and how our world became a far better place, thanks to our client. We ask for a
verdict of not guilty.