Mongol Empire: Rise and Legacy

Introduction

• The largest and most emulated empire in history
• Its borders extended from Korea to Ukraine, from Siberia to Western China
• Before the 12th century, the steppes of East Asia were inhabited by scattered Mongol groups and nomadic Turkic herders
• Nomads herded sheep, cattle, yaks, and camels, lived in felt tents, and migrated seasonally

Nomadic Life and the Role of Women

• Nomadic women had authority in migration, herd management, and trade
• Men focused on mounted warfare
• These frequently warring nomadic groups united under the leadership of Temujin

The Rise of Genghis Khan

• Temujin belonged to an aristocratic Mongol family
• Lost his father at a young age, grew up in poverty
• Gained power rapidly through strategic alliances
• Promoted soldiers based on merit, equally distributed plundered goods
• Innovative strategy: incorporating defeated nomads into his own forces
• In 1206, took the name Genghis Khan

Mongol Belief System

• Shamanism, belief in the spirits of nature and ancestors in the world
• Faith in the Eternal Blue Sky
• Genghis Khan believed the Eternal Blue Sky wanted him to conquer the entire world

The First Conquests of the Mongol Empire

• The Mongols subjugated Northern China and the Islamic civilizations to the east
• After his death in 1227, power passed to the "Golden Lineage"

Expansion of the Mongol Empire

• Genghis Khan's sons and daughters ruled over Central Asian Turks and Russian Princes
• In 1241, they destroyed two European armies
• In the 1250s, they captured Islamic territories up to Baghdad
• After 1279, they conquered Eastern China

Life in the Mongol Empire

• Besides war, destruction, and looting, they did not interfere in domestic politics
• Did not meddle in religions
• Artisans, scholars, and engineers were forcibly relocated
• The most valuable product: Gold brocade

The Silk Road and Trade

• They established an extensive communication and transportation network along the Silk Road
• Trade also continued by sea, especially the porcelain trade

Dissolution of the Mongol Empire

• The principle of not passing the throne directly to the oldest son led to disputes
• From the 1620s, internal war caused it to split into four smaller parts

Legacy of the Mongols

• The Yuan Dynasty period was remembered as a golden age of science and culture
• The Ilkhanate initiated the development of monumental architecture and Persian miniature painting
• The Chagatai Khanate produced leaders like Timur; his grandson Babur founded the Mughal Empire
• The Golden Horde ruled until a trade center named Moscow became a world power
• Although they existed briefly, the Mongols left behind a unique memory of dominion