Chapter 12: China in the Middle Ages Section 3: The Mongols in China

The Mongols The Mongols lived in tribes north of China in Mongolia. They were shepherds who followed their herds on the steppes. The steppes are wide, rolling, grassy plains. The Mongols were known for their skill at two things They were expert horse-riders, learning to ride as young as 4 years old Their ability to wage war

The Mongols The man who would unite the Mongols was named Temujin As a young man, Temujin began to unite the many tribes. In 1206 Temujin was elected Genghis Khan, which means “strong ruler” Genghis codified Mongol laws (The “Great Yasa”) and created a group of tribal chiefs to plan his military campaigns. He gathered an army of fierce fighters of more than 100,000 warriors.

Genghis Khan

The Mongols Military One of the greatest military innovators in human history His army consisted of the best-trained horsemen. They could hit targets with a superhuman precision while running at a full gallop. Genghis Khan organized his troops into decimal units and would send hand signals through the fighting to these decimal units.

The Mongols Military Allowed him to move his troops quickly with great precision. Became known for his use of cruelty and use of terror. Terror refers to violent actions that are meant to scare people into surrendering. Ruthless towards people who resisted the advances of his army. The Mongol warriors would attack, rob, and burn cities. After a while people would surrender without them even fighting. The Mongols literally decimated populations in Western Asia and China as they advanced.

Genghis Khan Military Leader Cruelty and terror Planned military campaigns Commanding officials were chosen for ability, not family ties Conquered other people on the steppes Took over all of Northern China Cruelty and terror Mongol warriors attacked, robbed, and burned cities Killed hundreds of thousands of people Strong Ruler Brought together Mongol laws in a new code United all territories under one rule Taxed products on trade routes and the empire grew wealthy

Genghis dies, but The Empire Grows Genghis fell from his horse while hunting, and died of internal injuries. Before he died, he named his second-born son, Ogedei, as his successor. He was buried in a secret grave in the mountains that has never been found. Genghis Khan was one of the most influential men in history. He destroyed centuries-old empires with ease, and made the Mongol's the greatest military force ever known. His empire was divided among his four sons; but it would be his grandson that will be a wise and remembered ruler

At the height of the Mongol rule, the empire stretched from the Pacific Ocean in the east to Eastern Europe in the west and from Siberia in the north to the Himalayas in the South. The Mongols eventually brought peace to the lands they conquered, which encouraged trade. The Mongols taxed the traded goods and became wealthy. The Mongols learned about gunpowder and weapons from the Chinese people.

Kublai Khan Grandson of Genghis Khan Set up the Yuan Dynasty Ruled most of China Became the new ruler in 1260. Moved the capital to northern China to Khanbaliq which is today Beijing. Became China’s Emperor, starting the Yuan Dynasty. Yuan means “Beginning.” Kublai will rule for 30 years; the dynasty will last less than a 100 years. But this will be one of the “Golden Ages” of China, perhaps the height of wealth and power.

Mongols as Rulers The Mongols were culturally very different from the Chinese. This made ruling them very difficult. The Mongols and the Chinese spoke different languages, had a different form of dress and many different customs. These background differences proved impossible to overcome. The Mongols were tolerant of different religions and allowed Christians, Muslims, and Hindus to practice their faiths.

Mongols as Rulers Despite attempting to rule in a Chinese custom, Mongols and other foreigners were given all top government positions. Kublai Khan knew he needed Chinese scholar-officials to run the government. The Chinese nobility were better educated than the Mongol invaders and because of this he let many of the Chinese keep their government jobs. The best scholars refused to teach in government schools, rather they founded private academies.

Marco Polo Went to China along the Silk Road, with his father and uncle. Was introduced to the Emperor Kublai Khan was impressed with Polo and made him part of his Royal Court for 16 years. The Khan learned much about Europe from Polo. Polo made many fact finding trips in China and learned much about Chinese civilization. He eventually returned to Europe and wrote a book about his travels; many did not believe his amazing stories of the more advanced Chinese civilization.

Trade increased with Europe Because China belonged to the large Mongol empire, trade in China increased. China’s empire grew during this time. The Mongols conquered Vietnam and northern Korea and then used Korean-made ships to invade Japan. Silver, spices, carpets and cotton were imported form Europe and other parts of Asia Tea, silk, porcelain, steel, gunpowder were exported. The Dynasty fell after Kublai Khan died