1. Nomadic Empires and Eurasian Integration
Chapter 17

2. I: Turks - Economy and Society of Nomadic Pastoralism
Nomadic Pastoralists: keep and live off of herd animals, esp. in arid lands (e.g., steppes)
Trade is important with settled peoples
Also, led camel caravans between China and the Med.

3. I: Turks - Nomadic Society
2 social classes: nobles (semi-inherited, led and formed alliances, but didn’t really govern) and commoners (bravery in war -> nobles)
Patriarchal, but women had higher status than in agricultural societies
Tended herds (econ. function) -> status and influence

4. I: Turks - Nomadic Religion
Early: shamanistic
Later: many converted to religions of salvation: Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Manachaeism (also developed written script)
With rise of Islam, most converted
Late 10th century: Seljuk clan converted, migrated to Persia, and formed alliances with Abbasids (puppet gov’t)
Between 10th and 14th centuries, most other Turkish clans converted to Islam

5. I: Turks - Military Organization
Expansion – confederation of people under a khan (not direct control, through leaders of allied tribes)
Strong cavalry (horse culture, archery)
Coordinated movements, mobility, discipline

6. I: Turkish Empires – Seljuk Turks and the Abbasid Empire
Lived along border of Abbasids for trade
Then, many served in army and lived in empire
By mid-11th century: Seljuk Sultan more powerful than Abbasid caliphs, and expanded control to Syria, Palestine, etc.

7. I: Seljuk Turks & the Byzantine Empire
Early 11th century: migrations into Anatolia
1071: defeated Byzantines at Battle of Manzikert
Many peasants supported them
Set up political and social institutions , converted many to Islam

8. I: Ghaznavid Turks & the Sultan of Delhi
Mahmud had led raids from Afghanistan into India
13th century: successors took over N. India as the Delhi Sultanate
Army (with elephant corps) maintained borders but couldn’t spread into southern India
Destroyed Hindu and Buddhist
temples, shrines and encouraged
conversion to Islam

9. II: The Mongol Empires From east and central Asian steppes
Social organization based on families, clans, tribes
Early 13th century: Chinggis (Genghis) Khan mastered steppe diplomacy (bravery in battle, loyalty to allies – sometimes, ability to ally with unaffiliated tribes)
By 1206, united all Mongol
tribes and became Chinggis Khan

10. II: Mongol Political Organization
Statecraft policies:
Broke up tribes & conscripted men into non-tribal units
Chose military and political leaders by talent
Successors established capital at Karakorum
Army => power (despite small population): horse culture, bows, mobile, psychological warfare

11. II: Mongol Conquest N. China: beg. In 1211 by Chinggis Khan
By 1220: controlled N. China, capital at Khanbaliq
Persia: 1218, wanted trade/diplomatic relations -> Shah murdered merchants and envoy
Revenge – defeated shah’s army and destroyed everything (leveled cities, massacred people, destroyed qanat system, killed the caliph)

12. II: Mongol Conquest 1227: Chinggis Khan died
Laid foundation for vast empire, but left no central gov’t for administration (ruled through overlords)

13. II: The Mongol Empires (after C.K)
Sons and grandsons struggled for power -> divided empire into 4 regional empires
China, Khanate of Changhata in C. Asia, Ilkhanate of Persia, Golden Horde in Russia
Constant tension between the khans of each

14. II: China and Kublai Khan
Consolidated Mongol rule in China:ruled
Military leader, also interested in cultural matters (improved welfare, promoted religions)
Attacked and conquered Southern Song
Established Yuan dynasty ( )
Tried to expand unsuccessfully (SE Asia, Japan)

15. II: Mongol Rule in China
Did not adopt Chinese culture (saw them as “cultivators”)
No intermarriage, Chinese could not learn Mongolian
Brought in foreign administrators (Arabs, Persians, Europeans, Mongols)
Dismantled Confucian education and exam system
Religious tolerance: esp. supported Lamist Buddhism, despite keeping their shamanistic religion

16. II: The Golden Horde in Russia
Conquered between
Did not occupy (preferred steppe), but exacted tribute until mid-1400s when Muscovy princes kicked them out

17. II: The Ilkhanate of Persia
Kublai’s brother, Hulegu conquered Abbasids
In 1258: took Baghdad and executed Caliph
Tried, but failed to expand throughout SW Asia and Egypt
Administration: Persians maintained order and collected taxes
Adopted Persian culture: converted to Islam and became part of Persian society

18. II: The Mongols & Eurasian Integration
Lots of destruction, but also increased interaction
-> encouraged communication (courier network with relay stations to transmit news, gov’t orders)
-> encouraged LD trade (safety through territories -> increase in volume and commercial investments)
-> sent out diplomatic missions (communication between khans and other rulers)

19. II: The Mongols & Eurasian Integration (cont.)
-> missionaries (Sufis, Lamist Buddhists, Nestorian Christians, Roman Catholics)
-> resettlement: moved specialists (artisans, literate admin., etc.) from allies and conquered people to areas where they were needed

20. II: Decline of the Mongols in Persia
Collapse of the Ilkhanate:
Financial issues: excessive spending and overexploitation of the peasants; printed paper money to fix it -> failed and commerce stopped
Factional struggles: 1335 – no heir
-> local gov’ts formed

21. II: Decline of the Mongols in China
Decline of the Yuan Dynasty:
Economic: did not back up paper money -> lost value -> prices soared
Factions and imperial assassinations, civil wars
Plus, 1330s - spread of bubonic plague (facilitated by trade and communication) -> disrupted society -> depopulation and labor shortages
Also, 1340s - rebellions and banditry ensued
1368: rebels captured Khanbaliq and Mongols returned to the steppes

22. III: After the Mongols: Tamerlane
Turks restarted expansion
Tamerlane: filled power vacuum left in Persia
Charismatic leader -> attracted followers
1360s: eliminated rivals (defeat or alliance)
1370: took over Khanate of Chaghatai (capital = Samarkand)

23. III: After the Mongols: Tamerlane
Led armies on campaigns of conquest: Persia, Golden Horde, India, SW Asia, Anatolia, and died on his way to China
Again, conqueror, not governor – no imperial administration (ruled through allied tribal leaders sand overlords who used existing bureaucratic structures, collected taxes and tribute)
Fell apart after his death (divided
into 4 parts)

24. III: After the Mongols: Ottomans
Turks in Anatolia: campaigns of conquest by Osman
1299: declared independence from Seljuk sultan; began fighting Byzantines (attracted followers)
Continued to gain power and expand until 1402 when they were defeated by Tamerlane

25. III: After the Mongols: Ottomans
By 1440s: recovered and ready to expand into Byzantine Empire
1453: Sultan Mehmed II sacked and captured Constantinople (-> Istanbul)
By 1480: expanded throughout SE Europe, SW Asia, N. Africa