The Mongolians

A Nomadic Empire
Pastoral Nomads
Dependent on horses, camels, goats, sheep, cattle,
yaks, reindeer
Not in the Americas – No domesticated animals
Feature of Pastoral Nomads
- generally less productive
- needed grasslands for grazing
- smaller populations
- lived in kinship groups / clans
- more equality
-mobility
Pastoral Nomads
Deep connection with agricultural neighbors
- sought access to food / manufactured/luxury goods
-Adopted Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam
Formation of states was difficult but possible
- Chinggis Khan
–unified the tribes
- almost all men became warriors
Mastered lands not suitable for agriculture
After 1000bce horseback riding changed the lives of
the nomads
The Xiongnu
The first nomadic empire
Mounted warfare made empire possible
-horses of the steeps
Centralized hierarchical system
Served as a model for Turkic and Mongol Empires
Extracted tribute from China and other nomads
Xiongnu
Arabs and the Turks
Greatest impact of nomads was from 500-1500
-Arabs, Berbers, Turks, and Mongols created largest
empires
Byzantium, Persia, India, and China were all
controlled at least for a time by formerly nomadic
people
Bedouin Arabs
– camel nomads
- effective fighters
- made trade through Arabia possible
Bedouin – Crucial to Islamic Expansion
The Mongol Empire
Created the largest land empire in history
Extensive connections of nomads with agricultural
neighbors – trade/tribute
-mostly interested in exploiting neighbors
Mongol population – only 700,000
Mongols - the last great nomadic state
From Temujin to Chinggis Khan
Temujin created the Mongol Empire
Shifting alliances, betrayals and military victories
- reputation as a great leader
1206 – tribal council recognized him as “Chinggis
Khan” (universal leader)
Wide expansion after unification
By the time of his death, the mission of Chinggis Khan
was to “unify the world”
Chinggis Khan
Mongol Military Successes
Well-led, organized, disciplined army
- conquered tribes were broken up and scattered
among units
- all members of a unit were killed if any deserted in
battle
- leaders shared the hardships of their men
- elaborate tactics: encirclement, retreat, deception
- horses of the steeps
Reputation of Brutality
- those who resisted were destroyed
Mongolian Beaurocracy
elaborate census taking and systematic taxation
system of relay stations for communication and trade
encouraged commerce
lower administrative posts to Chinese and Muslim
officials
practiced religious toleration
China and the Mongols
Destructive in northern China, more tolerant in South
– accommodation of populace
- landowners guaranteed their estates in return for
support
- gave themselves a dynastic title (the Yuan)
- built a new capital—Khanbalik (Beijing)
But the Mongolians were still harsh
- Mongols didn’t become Chinese
- Mongol law discriminated
- women had a surprisingly good quality of life
Rebellions forced the Mongols out
Persia and the Mongols
Very destructive
– many Muslims massacred
- Agriculture messed up – turned into pasture land
Mongols were transformed in Persia
- large scale conversion to Islam
- extensive use of Persian bureaucracy
- Mongol elites learned Persian
Mongols were assimilated when the empire fell apart
Russia and the Mongols
Russia was devastated – they could not unite
- destruction of cities
- widespread slaughter
- deportation of skilled workers
Did not occupy Russia
- invaded for tribute, taxes and slaves
- Moscow was the primary tax collector which made it
powerful
Russia broke free of Mongolian rule by 15th century
Remember – Russia = Christian/Orthodox Church
Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
A Eurasian Network
Towards a Global Economy
- produced little, not active traders
- but they promoted trade as a source of tax revenue
- created relatively safe travel across central Asia (Marco Polo
made the trip and got home safe)
Cultural Exchange
- thousands of artisans were forcibly relocated to Karakorum
(Mongol Capital)
- Chinese technology and Art flowed West
- Europe benefited greatly from these encounters
- scholars argue that Europe’s rise to power has its’
foundations with the Mongols
The Plague (aka Black Death)
Spread across Eurasian trade routes
Spread by fleas on rats (Jews blamed)
first biological warfare – Mongols catapulted plague
infested bodies into enemy towns
Plague responsible for breakdown of Mongol Empire
and eliminating trade routes
-this is why Europeans sought other routes to Asia
1/3 – 2/3 of Europe died
- undermined serfdom
-more equality for women
The Plague