Rise and Legacy of the Mongol Empire

Today we

will look at

the

Tang/Song

Dynasty

and then

move on

to the

Yuan

(Mongols)

Ancient

China & Japan

Outcome: The Mongols

The Mongols

1.

Setting the Stage:

Setting the Stage:

a.

The Mongols were gaining strength in the

The Mongols were gaining strength in the

north

north

 in 

 in 

Asia

Asia

b.

They prided themselves on their skill on 

They prided themselves on their skill on 

horseback

horseback

,

,

their 

their 

discipline

discipline

, and 

, and 

courage

courage

c.

Mongols were nomadic 

Mongols were nomadic 

pastoralists

pastoralists

: herded

: herded

domesticated

domesticated

 animals

 animals

d.

Mongols traveled together in kinship groups

Mongols traveled together in kinship groups

called 

called 

clans

clans

The Mongols

2.

The Rise of the Mongols

The Rise of the Mongols

a.

Temujin

Temujin

 sought to unify the Mongols under his

 sought to unify the Mongols under his

leadership around 1200

leadership around 1200

b.

Slowly Temujin defeated his 

Slowly Temujin defeated his 

enemies

enemies

 (and friends)

 (and friends)

one by one

one by one

c.

In 1206 he accepted the title of universal ruler of

In 1206 he accepted the title of universal ruler of

Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan

d.

Genghis Khan conquered much of 

Genghis Khan conquered much of 

Asia

Asia

 and had goal

 and had goal

of invading 

of invading 

China

China

e.

By 1225 Central Asia was under 

By 1225 Central Asia was under 

Mongol control

Mongol control

The Mongols

f.

Reasons for Genghis Khan’s successes:

Reasons for Genghis Khan’s successes:

i.

He was a brilliant 

He was a brilliant 

organizer

organizer

ii.

Was a gifted 

Was a gifted 

strategist

strategist

iii.

Used 

Used 

cruelty

cruelty

 as a 

 as a 

weapon

weapon

The Mongols

3.

The Mongol Empire

The Mongol Empire

a.

Genghis Khan died in 1227 of 

Genghis Khan died in 1227 of 

illness

illness

b.

His successors continued to conqueror territory

His successors continued to conqueror territory

eventually having 

eventually having 

the largest unified land empire in

the largest unified land empire in

history

history

c.

Successors divided region up into different territories

Successors divided region up into different territories

called 

called 

khanates

khanates

.

.

d.

Had territory from 

Had territory from 

Kiev

Kiev

 in the West to 

 in the West to 

China

China

 in the

 in the

East

East

e.

Mongols destroyed 

Mongols destroyed 

villages

villages

, irrigation channels, and

, irrigation channels, and

decimated populations

decimated populations

The Mongols

f.

Rarely imposed

Rarely imposed

 their beliefs on conquered

 their beliefs on conquered

peoples

peoples

g.

Even 

Even 

adopted

adopted

 some of the 

 some of the 

culture

culture

 of those they

 of those they

ruled

ruled

h.

Pax Mongolica

Pax Mongolica

: 

: 

Mongol Peace

Mongol Peace

- time of peace and

- time of peace and

stability across the Mongol Empire from mid 1200s to

stability across the Mongol Empire from mid 1200s to

mid 1300s

mid 1300s

i.

Trade and inventions spread rapidly during Pax

Trade and inventions spread rapidly during Pax

Mongolica due to 

Mongolica due to 

safe travel

safe travel

The Mongols

4.

Kublai Khan Becomes Emperor

Kublai Khan Becomes Emperor

a.

Grandson

Grandson

 of Genghis Khan took title in 

 of Genghis Khan took title in 

1260

1260

b.

Wanted to fulfill wish of grandfather: 

Wanted to fulfill wish of grandfather: 

conquer all of

conquer all of

China

China

c.

Started the 

Started the 

Yuan

Yuan

 Dynasty which ruled from 

 Dynasty which ruled from 

1279-

1279-

1368

1368

d.

China was 

China was 

united

united

 for first time in nearly 300 years

 for first time in nearly 300 years

e.

Kublai Khan’s control opened China up to more 

Kublai Khan’s control opened China up to more 

trade

trade

 and foreign 

 and foreign 

contact

contact

f.

Enjoyed living in 

Enjoyed living in 

luxury

luxury

 as Chinese emperor

 as Chinese emperor

g.

Attempted to take over 

Attempted to take over 

Japan

Japan

 but Japanese might and weather halted the

 but Japanese might and weather halted the

invasion

invasion

h.

Kublai Khan improved the 

Kublai Khan improved the 

Grand Canal

Grand Canal

 and added 135 miles to it

 and added 135 miles to it

The Mongols

5.

Mongol Rule in China

Mongol Rule in China

a.

Mongols were hugely 

Mongols were hugely 

outnumbered

outnumbered

 in China- lived apart from

 in China- lived apart from

one another

one another

b.

Chinese were not allowed to hold high government office

Chinese were not allowed to hold high government office

however could serve at 

however could serve at 

local levels

local levels

c.

High public office went to 

High public office went to 

Mongols

Mongols

 or 

 or 

foreigners

foreigners

- felt

- felt

foreigners could be trusted due to having no loyalties to the

foreigners could be trusted due to having no loyalties to the

Mongols or Chinese

Mongols or Chinese

d.

Mongol Peace extended 

Mongol Peace extended 

trade

trade

e.

Traders wanted 

Traders wanted 

silk

silk

, porcelain, 

, porcelain, 

gunpowder

gunpowder

, paper currency,

, paper currency,

and the 

and the 

compass

compass

The Mongols

f.

Invited foreign 

Invited foreign 

merchants

merchants

g.

Venetian trader 

Venetian trader 

Marco Polo

Marco Polo

 came to Kublai

 came to Kublai

Khan’s court around 1275

Khan’s court around 1275

i.

Worked for Kublai Khan because he learned

Worked for Kublai Khan because he learned

many Asian 

many Asian 

languages

languages

ii.

While imprisoned, Polo told his story which

While imprisoned, Polo told his story which

was later published as a book but most

was later published as a book but most

Europeans did 

Europeans did 

not believe

not believe

 it

 it

The Mongols

6.

The End of Mongol Rule in China

The End of Mongol Rule in China

a.

Kublai Khan’s armies and navies suffered many 

Kublai Khan’s armies and navies suffered many 

humiliating

humiliating

defeats

defeats

 at a huge expense of lives and equipment towards the

 at a huge expense of lives and equipment towards the

end of his reign

end of his reign

b.

Heavy spending

Heavy spending

 on wars, public works, and Yuan luxuries over

 on wars, public works, and Yuan luxuries over

burdened the treasury and angered the 

burdened the treasury and angered the 

overtaxed

overtaxed

 citizens

 citizens

c.

Kublai Khan died in 1294 and his 

Kublai Khan died in 1294 and his 

successors

successors

 were 

 were 

inept

inept

 at

 at

ruling the dynasty

ruling the dynasty

d.

In 1368 Chinese rebels finally 

In 1368 Chinese rebels finally 

overthrew

overthrew

 the Mongols

 the Mongols

e.

The 

The 

Ming Dynasty

Ming Dynasty

 would be established

 would be established

f.

With the fall of the Yuan came the 

With the fall of the Yuan came the 

disintegration

disintegration

 of the

 of the

Mongol

Mongol

 empire in Asia

 empire in Asia

g.

Japan

Japan

 was on the rise

 was on the rise