Les 5: The Mongol Empire

Question 1

What was the political life on the Eurasian steppe?

Answer 1

• multiple tribes, clans, and lineages and are all sharing the Eurasian steppe. They meet an d interact with each other
• -> through trading, raiding and kurultai

It was in this context that Genghis Khan rises to power

Question 2

What ideas/practices/institutions did Genghis Khan introduce to end the cycle of violence?

Answer 2

• removed aristocratic titles
• advanced careers based on merit instead of nepotism
• decimalized the army
• developed a new legal code: yassa
• retains institution of kurultai
• -> to make local leaders feel like they had a stake in the mongol polity that Genghis presided of

Question 3

Kurultai

Answer 3

chiefs of clans come together and designate their leader. This is how Genghis Khan became leader after his wife was abducted

Question 4

Yassa

Answer 4

This code criminalized the causes of war within nomadic societies.
For example: it was now a criminal offense to steal from another tribe, or to kidnap women/children from another tribe.
purpose was to deter people from engaging in violence

Question 5

He went on several important expeditions

Answer 5

• Conquest of nomadic rivals (Jürchen, Tanguts, Khanate of Qara Khitai)
• Conquest of Khwarazmian empire in persia
  (i) dispatch of diplomatic delegation)
  (ii) descend on city of Bukhara (1220)
• Suddenly finds itself being a proper empire; georgia - Kievan Russia
• 1227 Uprising among the Tanguts

Question 6

What do you think explains the enormous successes – in terms of subduing competitors – of Genghis Khan and his Mongol empire?

Answer 6

Extraordinary army!
- ‘Resistance is futile’
- defeat of combined army of Czech, Polish and German knights (1241)
Vienna is saved by death of Ögedei Khan

In case of peaceful surrender (and payment of 10% tax): protection

• Kiev versus Moscow
• Sarai as capital, increasing independence of Golden Horde

Question 7

Diving it al up

Answer 7

succession struggle among grandchildren (1241-1251)

foreign conquest resumes with election of Möngke Khan

presence in Middle East at time of Christian crusades

increasing sense of independence among forces that conquered Baghdad: Persianizing Ilkhanate

attack a weakened Song dynasty, troops headed by Möngke’s brother Kublai Khan; assume ‘mandate of heaven in 1279’

invasions of Korea (succesful) and Japan (unsucessful)

Question 8

An international system of khanates

Answer 8

• Intricate patterns of economic interdependence
• Continued awareness of shared, Mongolian descent
• Little imprint on the territory they ruled over [but variation]
• Elaboration of trade infrastructure (örtoö, caravanserai)