Unit 2: Topic 2 - The Mongol Empire and the Making of the Modern World Flashcards
Who is Genghis Khan?
Also known as Temujin; he united the Mongol tribes into an unstoppable fighting force; created largest single land empire in history, known as the Mongol Empire. China was Genghis Khan’s first conquest; and by 1215 the Mongols had captured Beijing. By the time Genghis Khan died in 1227, the Mongols had subdued China, most of Central Asia, and were poised to march westward.
How did Genghis Khan build the Mongol Empire?
Genghis Khan employed military strength to overcome enemies and gain territories. He was known for wiping out entire populations of towns, which pressured any neighboring towns to surrender. He also had an efficient command structure that allowed them to map out the terrain for battles in advance.
How was the Mongol military so strong?
The Mongols utilized technology and strategy to overcome their enemies, such as siege weapons (catapults, portable towers) curated by captured engineers. They also used a pony express-esque system that allowed them to carry messages across their vast Khanate. The Mongols also advanced tactics such as the bait-and-switch and surprise with their well disciplined soldiers to ambush their enemeies and create advantages on the battlefield.
How did Genghis Khan govern his empire?
Although he was vicious in battle, Genghis Khan had a tolerant ruling style. His conquering of Asia led to the period called the Pax Mongolica, a peaceful time that promoted religious, economic, and various freedom. He also attempted to unify his Empire by instilling a common writing system, the Uyghur Alphabet (which failed), as well as, protect the Silk Roads.
How did the Mongols expand trade, and what were the impacts?
Under the Pax Mongolica, Genghis Khan’s liberal policies promoted the exchange of ideas and goods. Using his soldiers, he protected the Silk Road and increased safety, while also creating roads and bridges that connected locations from Islamic and Chinese scholars/engineers. As a result, a new golden age of the Silk Road arose and new trade routes between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East ushered in economic prosperity for the survivors of the Mongols.
How did communication advance with the Mongols?
The Mongols perfected the messenger system which allowed for oral messages to be rapidly exchanged as the Mongols migrated and the empire expanded. .
What were the four Khanates ruled by the grandsons of Genghis Khan?
The Golden Horde, the Chagatai Khanate in Central Asia, Il-khanate, and the Yuan dynasty were the four Khanates run by Genghis Khan’s grandson.
What was the Golden Horde?
Ruled by Batu, the Golden Horde was the western front of the Mongol Empire which comprised 100,000 soldiers. At first, western Europe tolerated the Khanate but it eventually turned hostile when they conquered the Russians, with the Horde battling knights of Germany, France, and Poland. The Horde ruled over Russia using a tribute system but eventually lost to a coalition among Russian city-states.
What was the Ill-khanate?
Led by Hulegu, this Khanate was dominant in the Southwest and was able to conquer the Abbasid territories. However, their decline was a result of the Mamluks and the Christian Crusaders allying together to eliminate the Ill-Khanate. Eventually, Hulegu and the majority of the Ill-Khanate population converted to Islam and reversed their view on tolerant religions, only supporting Muslims.
What was the Yuan Dynasty?
Ruled by Kublai Khan, the Yuan dynasty focused on instilling traditional Chinese practices instead of the previous Mongolian ones after conquering the Song Dynasty. He adopted policies from Genghis Khan, with tolerant policies that permitted Buddhists and Daoists and monotheistic religions including Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Under Kublai’s leadership, the Yuan dynasty prospered economically.
What are the positives effects of the Mongol Empire’s growth?
The expanded trading created under Mongol Rule allowed for the diffusion of many ideas and innovations. Further, the centralization of powers that allowed the Mongols to operate over large distances was copied by state-building kingdoms across Europe and Asia. In addition, scientific knowledge from the Islamic regions spread to China, while the printing press was greatly influential in Europe in tandem with Chinese paper.
What are the negative effects of the Mongol Empire’s growth?
Along with the hundreds of thousands of deaths from the conquering of Asia, the Mongols caused a great number of human death through the spread of the bubonic plague. Originally from China, the bubonic plague made its way along trade routes to Europe where it killed over 1/3 of the population.
Pax Mongolica
Pax Mongolica (Mongol Peace) refers to the stability that the Mongolians brought to Eurasia by uniting it under one leader.
The Mongols had a well-established postal system and borrowed many advances from conquered peoples, such as a law code and paper currency from China. They also borrowed new religious beliefs, such as Buddhism and Islam.
