The Mongols

I. Background
A. The Mongols were nomads from the
eastern steppe (fields) in loosely
organized clans.
II. Unification
A. Around 1200, a clan
leader named
Temujin defeated
rival clan leaders to
unify the Mongols
B. In 1206, he
accepted the title
Genghis Khan, or
“universal ruler.”
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 According to legend, Temujin was born with a
blood clot in his fist. In his lifetime, his hands
were covered with the blood of others. When
Temujin was about nine, the Tatars, a rival clan,
poisoned his father. When in manhood, he
fought and defeated the Tatars, slaughtering
every male taller than a cart axel.
 III. The Mongol “War Machine”
A. Mongols were skilled horsemen
B. Weapons
1. bows, swords, javelins, hooked
lances, canons (new technology
used to defeat the Chinese)
C. Strategy-
1. Mock retreats tricked the enemy
2. Flag signals
3. Terrified enemies into surrender

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If a city refused to open its gates to

him, he might kill the entire
population upon capture
D. Many areas
invaded by the
Mongols never
recovered; their
populations were
wiped out.
E. The Mongols also
destroyed ancient
irrigation systems,
so the land could
not resettle.
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Mongol armies
developed a system of
signal flags used during
battle. The black and
white flags transmitted
orders to Mongol units
who moved swiftly
while confusing and
overwhelming their
disorganized opponents.
At night, lanterns and
flaming arrows were
used in place of flags.
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 Each Mongol soldier
wore a long silk
undershirt. When hit
with an arrow, he could
remove it by carefully
pulling on the silk, which
usually entered the
wound with the arrow.
Upon witnessing
Mongols pulling arrows
from their bodies, some
became convinced that
the Mongols were
superhuman!
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Mongol soldiers often

died of infection from
battle wounds caused,
in part, to poor
hygiene. Mongol
warriors rarely
washed. When they
did, they used urine
from their horses.
Their clothing was
often worn until it
literally rotted off.
 IV. Vast Empire
A. Genghis conquered Central Asia by 1225.
B. The Mongols continued to conquer Asia.
C. By 1260, the Mongols had divided their huge
empire into four regions, or khanates.
A descendant of Genghis ruled each khanate.
D. While ferocious in war, Mongols
were tolerant rulers.
 V. The Pax Mongolia
A. Mongol Peace
B. The Mongols provided stability and
order across Eurasia.
C. Traders and travelers enjoyed safety
along the Silk Road.
D. Trade between Europe and Asia
skyrocketed but disease, like the plague,
also spread.
 VI. Kublai Khan
A. Genghiz Khan’s grandson.
B. He founded the Yuan dynasty in
China
C. The Chinese resented him for reserving
gov’t jobs for Mongols.
 United China for Opened Asia to
the first time in greater trade on
over 300 years. the Silk Road.

Kublai’s
Impact on
China
Tolerated Chinese Built a new capital
culture and made in China
few changes to (Khanbalik), a sign
system of govern- that Kublai was
ment. emperor of China.
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The walls were covered with gold and

silver and the Dining Hall was so large
that it could easily dine 6,000 people.
The palace was made of cane supported
by 200 silk cords, which could be taken
to pieces and transported easily when
the Emperor moved. There too, the
Khan kept a stud of 10,000 white
horses, whose milk was reserved for
his family and for a tribe which had
won a victory for Genghis Khan.
D. Marco Polo, an Italian merchant,
stayed in Kublai’s court for 17 years. He
sparked interest in more trade with Asia
when he returned to Europe.
 VII. Decline
A. Lands were too large and diverse to
govern effectively.
B. Mongols had little experience in gov’t.
C. After the death of the Khans, the
Mongols got pushed back behind the
Great Wall.
D. The Russians resented the Mongols for
centuries of isolation
Mongol Empire Textbook – page 309

From World History: Connections to Today Prentice Hall,

2003