Transcript PPT

The Mongols
Mongols on the attack
Nomads of the Steppe
• Geography: steppe
divided into West, East
– West steppe: Central Asia
to Eastern Europe
– East steppe: Mongolia
• Very little rain, extreme
temps (-57 to 96 F)
• Short hardy grass
covered steppe
Nomadic Life
• Nomads who herded
domesticated animals
• Depended on herds for
food, clothing, housing
• Divided into clans, or family
based groups
• Tribes (groups of clans)
gathered to trade, elect king
(ceremonial; little power)
Nomadic Life
• Practically lived on
horseback
– Arguably most skilled riders in
history
– Owned 6-10 horses each
– Could ride 100+ miles a day
– Drank horse’s blood in
emergency; raw meat trick
• Steppe horses
– Short legged, large heads (not
ponies!)
– 4 million horses to about 1
million Mongols
Nomads vs. Settled Peoples
• Why conflict?
– Nomads needed
manufactured goods
– Nomads tempted to
raid towns, merchants
– Strong empires
resisted by building
large armies, walls
Rise of Genghis Khan
• 1200: a leader, Temujin,
united Mongol tribes
• 1206: named Genghis
Khan, meaning “universal
leader”
• Invaded Northern China
and destroyed kingdom,
devastating population
• Moved W against Muslims
in Central Asia
– Emissary story
– Slaughter of Khwarezm
people until Sultanate
surrendered
Genghis Khan
• Brilliant organizer
– Standardized troop
formations (10000 / 1000 /
100 / 10) along tribal lines
• Brilliant strategist
– Use of missile troops and
shock troops
– Tricks, strategies of hunt
• Used skills of captives to
benefit army
– Ex - siege weapons
• Used fear, terror to conquer
• Est. largest geographic
empire in history
Mongol Empire
Division of Empire (click here)
a)
b)
c)
d)
Khanate of Great Khan (family elected a son of Genghis)
Khanate of Chagadai (son)
Ilkhanate (son)
Khanate of Golden Horde (son)
Mongol Rule
• Genghis died, 1227; son,
Tolui, succeeded him
• Europe “saved” in 1241 w/
death of Tolui Yuan Dynasty
(1264-1368)
– Government of Mongols
AKA “Great Khanate”
• Capital moved to Beijing
• Mongols, foreigners put over
Chinese
• Kept Chinese customs of
dynastic name, merit
bureaucracy
– Silk Road reopened (silk,
porcelain)
Mongol Rule: Marco Polo
• Venetian merchant who
traveled w/ dad to China
• Arrived in 1275
• Became part of court of
Kublai Khan; served for
17 years
• Returned to Europe in
1295
End of Mongol Rule in China
• Fall of Yuan Dynasty
– Kublai Khan died 1294
– Breakdown of Mongol war
machine
• Mongols got lazy, soft
• Very corrupt rulers
First Ming Emperor, Hongwu
– Chinese hated Mongols
(barbarians)
– Famine broke out (floods,
disease)
– Rebellion broke out, pushed
Mongols out
– Chinese established the Ming
Dynasty