And So It Begins
Who are the Mongols?
One of several tribes of nomadic turkic peoples from North-Central Asia. Known for their herds of horses, their cultural taboos against touching blood, stealing women from other tribes, and their affinity for not fighting battles they can’t win.
The great congress of tribes. Tribal leaders gather at the capital in order to elect a new Chinggis Khan (Great Leader).
Kurltai
City by the Will of the Khan. The capital built by Ogedei where the cultural and administrative heart of the empire were kept. Built in 1236.
Karakorum
What is a Kowtow
An act of submission to the Khan, forced upon surrendering heads of state and nobles.
The primary trade route linking Africa, Asia, and Europe. Was brought mostly under the single rule of the Mongols during the 13-15th centuries, until the collapse of the Ilkhanate and the Yuan Dynasty.
The Silk Road
Who was Yesugei
A Mongol Khan (leader), stole a Merkit woman and had several children with her, the most famous of whom was Temuudzin. Was murdered by Tatars via poisoned alcohol.
The banner and sigil of Temuudzin and the Mongol Empire. A horsehair crest under a trident, tied with silk ribbons.
The Nine Bands/Tugh
The northern Chinese kingdoms along the Silk Road, controlled southern Mongolia and Manchuria. Initially allies of Temuudzin, betrayed him and attempted to wrest control of the Silk Road until their destruction.
The Jin and Western Xia
What happened during the Mongol Invasion of Tibet?
Mongol forces invaded Tibet in the 1240’s, and incidentally adopted the Tibetan Buddhist faith, replacing Tengriism as the official religion of their leaders. Eventually, Mongol Khans granted the lead priest of Tibet the title of ‘Dalai Lama’, a tradition that continues today.
What was the Black Death?
Yersinea Pestis, a bacterial infection carried by fleas found on dogs, cats, rats, cows, sheep, goats, and pigs. Used as a biological weapon during the siege of Caffa, 1346. The disease traveled the trade routes, causing one of the deadliest pandemics in Human History with an estimated 120 million deaths. The main plague lasted until 1359, but local flare ups occurred for the next 500 years.
Who was Hoelun
Mother of Temuudzin. Widowed and cast out of the Mongol Tribe (was a Merkit) and left for dead on the Steppe with her sons.
Name the 6 core tribes of The Mongol Empire
Mongols
Keraites
Tatars
Merkits
Naimans
Tayichiuds-Kyrgyz
Define the Invasion of Europe
Mongol Hordes led by Subotai and Batu, pushed deep into Eastern Europe, crushing crusader forces in Poland, Hungary and eastern Germany. The Kievan Rus were annihilated, with only the northern Rus surrendering in order to survive.
Define the Invasion of Central China
Mongol armies found a fractured Chinese state, with several kingdoms in the south, east, and west. Tibet surrendered to Mongol rule, and was allowed to live, while Buddhism began to replace the Shamanic traditions.
Who was Jani Beg
Golden Horde commander who began the Black Death when he used sick slaves and dying animals as ammunition to break the defenders of the city of Caffa.
Who was Borte
The first and most beloved wife of Temuudzin. Bore him 4 sons, who would become the rulers of the Mongol provinces, and eventually the successor states.
Who were the sons of Chinggis Khan?
Jochi - the firstborn, and founder of the Golden Horde. Took command of the invasion of Europe.
Chagatai - the secondborn, and founder of the Chagatai Khanate in central Asia. The longest lasting of the successor states.
Ogedei - the thirdborn and first successor of his father. His children are overthrown by the Toluids
Tolui - the youngest (legitimate) son and progenitor of the founders of the Ilkhanate and Yuan Dynasties.
Name the first 6 Khans of the Empire
The Great Khan: Temuudzin
2nd: Ogedei
3rd: Toregene (Queen of Ogedei)
4th: Guyuk
5th: Mongke (Toluid Civil War)
6th: Kublai
Who was Sorghaghtani Beki and why was she important?
Mother of: Mongke, Hulegu, Ariq Boke, and Kublai. Power behind the Throne, and a Christian. She refused direct power, and kept her husband from directly inheriting as part of political maneuvering for her family. Her influence put three Khans on the throne, and eventually, her children would continue to expand the Empire.
What was so special about Mongol Technology
Mongols innovated by bringing technology from conquered peoples together. By combining bell casting from Europe, mathematics and scientific methodology from Persia, and chemistry from China, the Mongols invented the modern firearm.
Who are the Merkits
A tribe of nomadic peoples living on the Mongol Steppe. Though Temuudzin was half Merkit, the tribe stole Borte as revenge for Temuudzin’s father stealing Hoelun. This act would start the wars of conquest leading to Temuudzin’s rise.
Central asian turkic nomads banded together in a large confederation and hostile to Mongols. Controlled a major section of the Silk Road as an ally of the Khwarezm.
Kara Khitai
Who were The Hashashin
A radical branch of Shi’ite Islam, controlled by ‘The Man In The Mountain’. Declared Jihaad on the Mongols, and sent Assassins. Believed his mountain fortress to be impregnable. The Mongols proved him wrong. Several of his followers fled the downfall and went to Volga-Bulgaria in Europe. Chinggis Khan chased them down and destroyed them.
Who was Mongke Khan
The first Toluid Great Khan, usurped the Ogedeids in the Toluid Civil War, orchestrated by Mongke’s mother. Under his rule, the Mongols expanded south and east, securing most of modern China.
Define the Rise of the Muscovites
After the devastation of the Black Death, The Golden Horde authorized the submissive Princes of Muscovy (Moscow) to collect taxes and administer Mongol fiefs from Lithuania and Poland to the Ural Mountains. Through corruption, theft, and creative accounting, Moscow stole the taxes from the Khans, and used the money to raise and train an army, eventually leading to the rise of the Tsardom of Russia in 1533.
Who was Jamukha
A Mongol Khan, and sworn brother of Temuudzin. Helped Temuudzin recover his wife Borte, but had a falling out. Became his principle adversary in the wars to unify the Mongol tribes. Was defeated and escaped to the Kara Kitai Khaganate, perpetuating the war. Betrayed and brought before him, Jamukha asked for an honorable death from his sworn brother.
Name 6 of the 10 Mongol Laws
-Reorganization of the tribes into Hordes (military oriented nomadic cities)
-Outlawed selling of women, all theft, assault or harm of messengers, hunting during breeding season, betrayal of your Khan.
-Unified tax codes, exempting the poor
-Instituted Kowtow submission of client states
-Guaranteed merchants safety (so long as they paid the tax)
-Revised military pay to include pensions for widows and orphans
-Adopted Uighar script as the official alphabet
-Government mandated Religious Freedom
-Invention of Credit Cards - Gereges
-Post System - Stables and Mail
What was the Conquest of Manchuria
The Mongol invasion of China proper, and later Korea, began with the campaign against the Manchu tribes. Korea initially surrendered, but later rebelled, triggering reprisal attacks. The Song dynasty aided the Manchu, fearing the rising Mongol influence in Chinese and Tibetan affairs.
Who was Hulegu
Founder of the Ilkhanate, destroyed Baghdad and conquered the Middle East. Purged Islam of the Caliph, and crushed the Abbasids. Suffered the first permanent defeat at Ayn Jalut at the hands of Baybars, the Mamluk.
Name the 4 Conquerors of the Mongols
St. Dmitrii Donskoi - Knyaz of Moscow, defeated Mongols at the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, freeing Russia from the Mongol Yoke
Zhu Yuanzhang - Han Chinese rebel and leader of the Red Hat Buddhists. Organized resistance to the crumbling Yuans and drove them out of China, establishing the Ming Dynasty 1368.
Baybars - Al-Malik al-Zahir Rukn al-Din Baybars al-Bunduqdari, a Mamluk slave soldier in Egypt who organized the defense against Hulegu 1260.
Mikhail Frunze - Soviet commander that attacked the last ruling descendant of Chagatai, conquering them in 1920
Who was Temuudzin
Born around 1162. Declared Great Leader in 1206. Founded the Mongol Empire by uniting the great tribes and instituting many social and legal reforms. Conquered Northern and western Asia, as well as significant portions of East Asia. Died in 1227.
The most powerful Islamic nation in central Asia. Controlled the Silk Road between Persia and China. Protected by mountains to the north, deserts to the south and east.
Khwarezemid Empire
Who were the Song Dynasty Chinese
The Dynasty of eastern China, which resisted the Mongol invasions. Attacked in two prongs, Mongke Khan initiated a full purge of all Chinese. The Song Dynasty would be replaced by the Yuan Dynasty when Kublai succeeded his brother, and completed the conquest, sparing the people to become the new Emperor of China.
Who was Kublai
Founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China, and conqueror of China. Ascended the Mongol throne after his brother died of dysentery in the Song campaign. Completed the conquest, and attempted both attempts to conquer Japan, but failed.
Name the 4 Khanate Successor States
Jochi’s Golden Horde - The Crimean Khanate and Dagestan
-Destroyed by Dmitrii Donskoi, St. Sergius of Radonezh, and later by Ivan IV Monomakh (Ivan the Terrible)
Ogedei/Tolui’s Mongolia - Mongol Khaganate. Conquered by Catherine the Great of Russia
Tolui/Kublai’s China - Yuan Dynasty, Mongol Korea, Tibet. Conquered by the Ming Dynasty, releasing the Koreans from the Mongol Yoke.
Chagatai’s Khanate - Central Asian Khanates, finally destroyed by Stalin in the early 1920’s.