Chapter 4 - The Mongol Moment and Black Plague Flashcards
Intro To Chapter 4 (Read)
The Mongol Moment - reflects on the profound but brief impact of the Mongol Empire across Eurasia. In 2012, Mongolia celebrated Chinggis Khan, its national hero, marking a shift from the negative Soviet-era view to a more celebratory one, emphasizing his role as a unifier and promoter of cultural and economic ties. Under his leadership, the Mongols connected vast regions, toppling major regimes in China, the Islamic world, and Rus, but they brought no new language, religion, or civilization. After the Mongol Empire’s collapse, old political patterns re-emerged, leading to the rise of the Ming dynasty, Ottoman, Safavid empires, and an expansive Russian state.
The modern celebration reflects the continuing echoes of Chinggis Khan’s legacy in Mongolia’s identity.
How was Chinggis Khan viewed under Mongolia’s Soviet-backed communist government and how was he viewed after the fall of communism?
Chinggis Khan was viewed negatively by the soviet-backed regime due to his bloody conquests, and destruction of Russia in the 13th century (which caused lingering resentments)
After communism fell, Chinggis Khan was re-embraced as a national hero, unifier of the Mongolian peoples, and a promoter of economic and cultural ties
Q: What role did the Mongols play in the Eurasian world of the 13th and 14th centuries?
The Mongols drew regions of Eurasia closer together, toppled political regimes in China and the Islamic world, and dominated the steppes of Central Asia and the Rus.
What happened after the collapse of the Mongol Empire?
The collapse left a political vacuum, leading to the rise of the Ming dynasty in China, the Ottoman and Safavid empires in the Middle East, and an expansive Russian state in Eastern Europe.
How did Chinggis Khan’s conquests impact distant peoples?
His empire promoted economic and cultural ties among distant peoples, fostering greater connectivity across Eurasia <–a significant boost in trade along the Silk Road
Limited impact was done culture-wise, as Mongols brought no new languages, religion or civilization to conquered lands.
What enabled pastoralists to build powerful armies despite their small populations?
Their nomadic lifestyle centered on herding animals, which allowed mastery of mounted warfare and mobility.
What is significant about the Mongol Empire in world history?
It was the largest land-based empire in human history, stretching from the Pacific coast of Asia to Eastern Europe.
Which major civilizations were brought into more direct contact by the Mongols?
Europe, China, and the Islamic world.
What was the population of the Mongol Empire that caused widespread destruction and exchange?
Only about 700,000 people.
Who was Temujin?
Temujin, born in 1162, later became known as Chinggis Khan, the “universal ruler” of the Mongol Empire.
Other spellings are: Genghis Khan, Chingis, Jenghiz, and Jinghis
What challenges did Temujin face early in life?
Temujin’s father, a minor chieftain, was murdered, leaving the family as social outcasts, forcing them to survive by hunting and gathering.
What was the state of the Mongols when Temujin was born?
The Mongols were a fractured and unstable collection of tribes and clans
What traits helped Temujin rise to power?
His personal magnetism, courage, and reliance on trusted friends rather than kinship ties
In the early career, how did Temujin gain support from powerful allies?
He allied with a more powerful tribal leader, supported by Chinese patrons who sought to keep the mongols divided.
When was Temujin recognized as Chinggis Khan?
In 1206, a Mongol tribal assembly recognized Temujin as Chinggis Khan, the supreme leader of a unified Great Mongol Nation.
What key problem did Chinggis Khan face after unifying the Mongol tribes and what was his solution?
Without a common task or external resources, the fragile unity of the Mongols would dissolve into internal conflict.
–> Mongols armies invaded outward, particularly toward the wealth of China, as the way to maintain unity and reward his followers.
What did Chinggis Khan and his successors accomplish over the next half-century?
They conducted military campaigns, massive killings, and empire building, creating an unprecedented empire spanning China, Central Asia, Russia, and parts of the Islamic Middle East and Europe.
What factors contributed to the rapid expansion of the Mongol Empire?
Mongol military mobility, skilled horseback warfare, strategic alliances, and Chinggis Khan’s leadership.
Why did Mongol expansion did not continue further to western Europe?
The death of the Great Khan Ögedei (son of Chinggis Khan) in 1241, which created a power struggle within the Mongol leadership, unfavorable terrain changes in Eastern Europe that hampered their cavalry-based warfare, and strategic decision- the need to consolidate their newly conquered territories in the east, leading them to withdraw from further westward campaigns.
why did mongol expansion did not continue in Egypt?
because they were decisively defeated by the Mamluk forces at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260, effectively halting their westward advance in the Middle East
why did mongol expansion did not continue in south east asia?
Difficult Geography - the dense jungles, mountainous terrain, and extensive waterways of Southeast Asia; diseases; and local resistance (especially from Vietnam and Cambodia)
why did mongol expansion did not continue in Japan?
powerful typhoons, known as “kamikaze” in Japanese, which devastated their invasion fleets during attempts to conquer the islands, and the fierce resistance put up by the Japanese samurai forces
How did the Mongol Empire grow?
The Mongol Empire grew through momentum, with each victory bringing new resources and perceived threats that required further expansion.
How did Chinggis Khan view his conquests later in life?
By the end of his life, Chinggis Khan saw his conquests as a universal mission to unite the world under one empire.
What were some advantages that contributed to Mongol success?
Good timing, with a divided China and a weakened Abbasid caliphate, helped the Mongols in their conquests.
What were characteristics of Mongol army?
The Mongol army was better led, organized, and disciplined than its opponents, despite not having superior technology.
How did Chinggis Khan diminish tribal divisions among the Mongols?
He reorganized the Mongol social structure into military units of 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000 warriors to ensure effective control and reduce tribalism.
How were conquered tribes incorporated into the Mongol army?
Conquered tribes were broken up and scattered among military units, providing the forces for Mongol armies.
What characterized Mongol military discipline?
Strict discipline, including the death penalty for desertion, and loyalty reinforced by leaders sharing hardships with their men.
How did Mongols compensate for their small population?
They incorporated large numbers of conquered peoples into their military, with nomadic people in cavalry units and agricultural people in infantry and artillery.
What siege techniques did the Mongols adopt?
The Mongols quickly learned Chinese siege techniques, using them to capture walled cities and fortifications in their conquests.
How did the Mongols treat skilled artisans and craftsmen?
Skilled artisans and craftsmen were often spared from massacre and relocated to serve the Mongol Empire in distant regions.
What was the Mongols’ approach to rebellious regions?
Chinggis Khan often chose to annihilate (completely wipe-out) the population of regions that resisted, using brutal tactics
What system helped the Mongols mobilize resources and control their empire?
The relay stations, spaced a day’s ride apart, facilitated rapid communication across the empire and elaborate census-taking allowed the Mongols to systematically tax conquered people and mobilize resources efficiently.
How did the Mongols support commerce?
Mongol rulers offered merchants favorable trade conditions, such as 10% above asking price, free use of relay stations, and tax breaks.
What were Ortughs?
Ortughs were state-approved associations (guild) of merchants that allowed them to pool resources and limit losses from failed caravans.
What was the Mongol policy toward religion?
The Mongols practiced religious tolerance, supporting various religious traditions as long as they did not challenge political authority.
How long did the Mongol conquest of China last?
The conquest of China lasted about 70 years, from 1209 to 1279.
How long Mongols ruled China?
The conquest was completed in 1279 when Kublai Khan defeated the Southern Song dynasty. And Mongols ruled till 1368. Approximately 90 years
How did the Mongol invasion differ between northern and southern China?
The invasion was more destructive in northern China (pastoral societies), while in southern China (Song Dynasty), the Mongols were less violent and more focused on accommodating the local population.
What was a significant outcome of Mongol rule in China?
The unification of a divided China. This convinced some Chinese that the Mongols had the “Mandate of Heaven” (aka it was will of gods for Mongols to rule China)
How did the Mongols accommodate Chinese governance?
They adopted Chinese administrative practices, taxation methods, and the postal system.
What Chinese title did the Mongols give themselves?
The Yuan dynasty, symbolizing a new beginning in Chinese history.
Who was Khubilai Khan?
Khubilai Khan was the grandson of Chinggis Khan and ruled China from 1271 to 1294, founding the Yuan dynasty.
