The Mongols Genghis & Kublai Khan

Mongols were nomadic people Mongol horses were small, but their riders were lightly clad and they moved with greater speed. These were hardy men who grew up on horses and hunting, making them better warriors than those who grew up in agricultural societies and cities. Their main weapon was the bow and arrow. And the Mongols of the early 1200s were highly disciplined, superbly coordinated and brilliant in tactics. Mongols were nomadic people

Genghis Khan- born Temüjin, was the founder and Great Khan(emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history He came to power by uniting many of the Mongol nomadic tribes He devotes himself to conquest. Mongols invades China They encounter gunpowder; and the fire lance which evolves into the cannon The Mongol Empire eventually occupied a substantial portion of Central Asia, Russia and Middle East

Genghis Khan embraced the diversity of his newly conquered territories. He passed laws declaring religious freedom for all and even granted tax exemptions to places of worship. This tolerance had a political side—the Khan knew that happy subjects were less likely to rebel They did this through extracting tribute and obedience Genghis divided his empire among his sons and grandsons into several khanates (sub-territories) Their khans were expected to follow the Great Khan, who was initially Genghis’ son

Khanates

Kublai Khan Grandson of Genghis Khan He claimed the title of Khan of the Mongol Empire in 1260 after the death of his older brother Was a prominent Mongol ruler in the 13th century and the founder of the Yuan Dynasty. Kublai Khan Grandson of Genghis Khan

Kublai Khan’s control opened China up to more trade and foreign contact Enjoyed living in luxury as Chinese emperor Attempted to take over Japan but Japanese might and weather halted the invasion Kublai Khan improved the Grand Canal and added 135 miles to it He adopted the Chinese political system and used Chinese bureaucrats Kublai Khan

Buddhism vs. Confucianism Neo-Confucianism was an attempt to create a more rationalist and secular form of Confucianism by rejecting superstitious and mystical elements of Daoism and Buddhism Buddhism was a foreign religion and its monasteries had gained land, serfs and power over the elites Neo-Confucians claimed they had become corrupt Buddhism vs. Confucianism

Golden age of art & literature Poetry was the main form of literature Over 48,000 were poems written Li Bo & Duo- Fu were the most popular Nature, joy of friendship and free spirit were the favorite subjects Painting – void of bright colors Ceramics – porcelain Golden age of art & literature

The End of Mongol Rule in China Kublai Khan’s armies and navies suffered many defeats at a huge expense of lives and equipment Heavy spending on wars, public works, and Yuan luxuries over burdened the treasury and overtaxed citizens When Kublai Khan died his successors were inept at ruling the dynasty In 1368 Chinese rebels finally overthrew the Mongols The Ming Dynasty was be established The fall of the Yuan came the disintegration of the Mongol empire in Asia Japan was on the rise The End of Mongol Rule in China