Chapter 4 - The Mongol Moment and the Re-Making of Eurasia

Based on this map, what geographic features prevented Mongol conquest from expanding even farther?

Based on the map, there is a mountain range (the Himalayas) in Northern India that would prevent Mongol conquest. The water between Japan and the rest of Asia would have prevented the Mongols from expanding there. Overall, based on the map, there seem to be many elevated landforms and rivers that would have prevented Mongol conquest from expanding even farther.

Based on this map, what role did trade play in the spread of the plague from its place of origin to Western Europe?

Based on the map, trade played a big role in the spread of the plague from Western Europe because it allowed for interactions between the people of Europe and other parts of Eurasia. This would have caused many people to get the disease and take it back to their homes and spread it to everyone in that area.

Khubalai Khan

China's Mongol ruler and grandson of Chinggis Khan (1271 to 1294)

Compare and contrast this image of a Mongol ruler with the one at the opening of the chapter. How might you explain the differences in how the rulers are depicted?

Chingiss Khan is depicted as ruling over everyone (as he is at the top of the image). Along with this, everyone is looking up at him which shows that he is the mighty ruler. This is different from the image of Khubilai Khan. In this image, it is just Khubalai Khan and nothing else. These differences may be because of the different ways people perceived these rulers. Many would have thought Chingiss Khan to be a mighty ruler because of his success in conquest while Khubalai Khan was more tolerant which would explain why he is depicted as just himself instead of being above everyone else.

What evidence suggests that the Mongols practiced religious toleration?

Evidence that suggests that the Mongols practiced religious toleration is that leaders married women from different religions. They also integrated all the religions of the people they conquered into daily life from temples, traditions, and the arts. For example, the Mongol capital had places of worship for all the religions of the people they conquered; Buddhism, Daoism, Christianity, and Islam.

What were the long term consequences of the spread of the plague across Eurasia?

Long-term consequences of the spread of the plague across Eurasia were a decrease in Eurasian population that lasted for about a century. It also caused long-term social changes such as peasants and low paid workers demanding higher wages. Along with this, technological innovations were becoming more prevalent and women had more opportunities for jobs.

How was Mongol Rule in Persia different from that in China?

Mongol Rule was more disastrous in Persia than in China. Taxes were raised, irrigation systems were destroyed, agricultural land was turned into pastures (because the Mongols were pastoral people). In China they had more benefits along with the disaster that the Mongols brought.

In what different ways did Mongol rule affect the Islamic world, Russia, China, and Europe?

Mongol rule affected the Islamic world by causing political disunity which differed from the unity that it brought to Russia and China. The Mongols damaged the land (and economy) in China and the Islamic World, while Russia had nothing of value to them, so they did not destroy the land. Mongol rule had little effect on Europe besides spreading the plague through trade which affected populations throughout all of Eurasia.

How did the Mongol rule change China? In what ways were the Mongols changed by China?

Mongol rule changed China by improving infrastructure (fixing roads, building canals), lowering the taxes, prohibiting Mongols from intruding on peasant agriculture, limiting torture and the death penalty, and embracing the religions like Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Despite this, Mongol rule discriminated against the Chinese as many aspects of their culture were ignored and they were treated like slaves. The Mongols were changed by China by allowing them to adopt religions like Confucianism, use Yuan as their name (resembling dynasty names), live in China, and use Chinese government techniques.

How does this Indian artist convey to his audience the grandeur and power of Chinggis Khan? What elements of Chinggis Khan's life and accomplishments are absent from this image?

The Indian artist conveys to his audience the grandeur and power of Chinggis Khan by seating him above everyone else in the picture. This shows power above everyone else. He also uses lots of color especially yellow which could represent gold items. This woud show the grandeur of Chinggis Khan. The military conquest/warrior element of Chinggis Khan's life are absent from this image.

What methods did the Ming Dynasty use to consolidate power and expand its influence?

The Ming Dynasty reinforced the examination system that was used during the previous dynasties before Mongol rule. The dynasty also rebuilt what the Mongols had ruined (rebuilding cultivation systems, planting trees to reforest). This restored the economy and led to trade. Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty expanded China's influence by sending expeditions (fleets) into the Indian Ocean.

How did the Mongol Empire build upon or transform the societies and relationships that prevailed before the Mongol moment?In what ways did Mongol rule stimulate the changes that emerged following the Mongol moment?

The Mongol Empire built upon the societies and relationships from before the Mongol moment by allowing for more cultural diffusion of religions and technologies. They stimulated the changes through embracing the many cultures of the people they conquered and incorporating them throughout the empire. They also stimulated the changes through trade throughout Eurasia via the silk roads, etc..

Why did the Mongol Empire last only for a relatively short time?

The Mongol Empire lasted only for a relatively short time because of opposition from conquered peoples, the plague, and the instability of the empire due to Mongol exploitation of the empire. The Mongols caused lots of damage to the areas that they conquered and this combined with rebel attacks resulted in a weaker leader and the eventual downfall of the Mongols.

What was distinctive about the Russian experience of Mongol rule?

The Mongols ruled from a distance because of their dislike of the Russian environment along with the fact that they had no reason to stay there (they thought it had little to offer).

Compare the decline of Mongol rule in Russia with the decline of Mongol rule in China?

The decline of Mongol rule in Russia was caused by the distance the Mongols kept from the Russians and their refusal to assimilate to the Russian culture and eventually the Russians were able to become their own state. This differed from China where they had to overthrow the Mongols after a long time of rebel attacks.

Ming dynasty

The dynasty that ruled China (after the Mongols) and restored the damage from Mongol

Safavid Empire

The empire that reunited Persia after Mongol rule

Khanate of the Golden Horde

The official name for the Mongolian empire over Russia. Kiev fell to the Mongols and then they controlled southern Russia for 200 years. The capitol of the area was in Sarai. Western most part of the Mongol Empire

What were the primary influences on the process of Mongol state building?

The primary influences on the process of Mongol state building were Temujin's focus on trusted friends instead of kinship which gained him followers and gathered the many tribes. Along with this, he allied with a powerful tribal leader which ultimately united the Mongols.

How were the roles of Mongol women as shown in this image different from the roles of women in most other settled societies during this era? What accounts for the differences?

The roles of Mongol women (as shown in the image) were different from the roles of women in most other settled societies during that time period because they had more power. Most women were seen as less than men and were expected to raise children and be submissive to their husbands. In Mongol society women were allowed to have influence on decisions. For example in the picture, Chingiss Khan is shown as to have been influenced by his wife who isn't submissive compared to other societies.

Based on your knowledge of world history and the evidence in this image, what were the social effects of the plague in Western Europe?

The social effects of the plague based on the evidence in this image and my own knowledge of world history were probably a decrease in the populations, less interactions between people, and more focus on religion. People were probably more drawn to religion because they needed something to get them through the death of a majority of the population.

Yuan dynasty (China)

The time in China of Mongol rule (the Mongols gave themselves a dynastic name to resemble Chinese dynasties)

Temujin (Chinggis Khan)

a Mongol who united the many tribes of Mongols and led Mongol conquest

Black Death (plague)

a disease that spread throughout Eurasia (heavily affected the population)

What factors contributed to Mongol success in building the largest land-based empire in human history?

Factors that contributed to Mongol success in building the largest land-based empire in human history were their brutality and skills they had from being nomadic pastoralists. They had military advantage due to their skills with horseback riding that no other settled agrarian society would have had cause to develop. Along with this, their conquests were very brutal and violent as they would kill whoever did not submit to them. When other civilizations had heard of their brutality, they were more willing to submit to Mongol rule instead of being killed. All of this contributed to their success in building the largest land-based empire in human history.

Compare and contrast the political and economic effects of Mongol rule on China, the Middle East, and Russia.

Mongol rule in China and Russia led to political unity after the downfall of the Mongols, while it led to political disarray in Persia (but eventually Persia was able to unite itself again). The Mongols also caused damage to the already established economies in China and Persia, but there was no main system for the economy in Russia, so the Mongols really set up the economy in Russia instead of destroying it.

What accounts for the political and military success of the Mongols?

Mongolian brutality, strategy, population growth, and political techniques account for the political and military success of the Mongols. They were known for being ruthless when conquering others, so many people submitted to them instead of being killed. Along with this, they used their conquered people in the military to make it stronger because they had a small population to start. They used military strategies that they learned from the people they conquered (like siege warfare from China). Their government systems were very efficient; like their relay stations that were used to spread official decrees and their census-taking which would let them know what resources they had and how to tax the people.

Based on your knowledge of world history and the evidence in this image, compare the Persian and Chinese influences on the Mongols who ruled over them.

Persian influence on the Mongols was similar to the Chinese influences on the Mongols because both caused the Mongols to convert to the religion that was in the area. This influenced the laws and government that the Mongols in those areas enforce.

How did the Mongol Empire lead to cross-cultural interactions?

The Mongol Empire led to cross-cultural interactions by uniting the many different cultures of the civilizations that they conquered. From this, the many cultures were forced to interact which caused cross-cultural interactions that influenced each other (especially through trade throughout the many areas they conquered)

What does this image seek to convey about the Mongol attack on Ryazan?

This image seeks to convey that the Mongols were very brutal when they attacked Ryazan. The image shows them burning a town and they probably did this to most of the town in Russia to conquer them.

What does this image show about Mongol military techniques?

This image shows that the Mongols relied on their pastoral skills of riding on horses as a military technique. This would've allowed them speed and force when put against an agrarian civilization who had no need to develop the pastoral peoples skills.

Hulegu

the first il-khan of Persia (Chinggis Khan's grandson)

Mongol world war

the long military conquest by the Mongols over most of Eurasia (empire building)