Mongols and CC Exchange Flashcards
What factors made agricultural living difficult in Asia?
Arid; no rivers or rainfall; little agriculture.
Describe pastoralist lifestyle
Moved around often; no large scale society: sought land for horses to graze; served as intermediaries of trade.
Describe society of Turkish people
Divided into two classes of the nobles and the commoners; status could change due to leadership and bravery in war; less patriarchy because women tended to animals.
Describe culture of Turkish people
Interacted with settled people often; very mobile; many animals; no agriculture; lived on animal products.
Describe religion of Turkish people
Initially devoted to native Shaman religious leaders; close contact with natural/magical spirits; became acquainted with other religions; mass conversion to Islam when conquered Persia.
Turkish interactions with Abbasid
Saljuqs live don edge of Abbasid realm; traded and joined armies; became pre-eminent leaders.
Turkish interactions with Byzantine
Migrated to Anatolia for its riches; defeated Byzantine army; seen as liberators; transformed Anatolia into Islamic society
Turkish interactions with Sultanate of Delhi
Led by Mahmud of Ghazni; plundered Punjab and Gujarat; gained dominance w/ army; Hindu kingdoms prevented expansion; practiced iconoclasm.
How did Chingiss Khan rise to power
Lived in poverty after father died, learned alliance and conquest; became leader of his tribe and conquered all surrounding ones; united Mongols into single confederation; allied with people but betrayed them later.
How did Chinggis Khan organize political and military structures?
Broke up tribes; forced people to fight in army; chose leaders based on merit/loyalty; trained efficient cavalry and archers; used psychological warfare and siege tactics.
Describe psych. warfare
Kill wealthy and upper class; generate fear by brutally killing one person; drive people to starve locked in city; forced towns to surrender out of fear.
Describe Mongol conquests
N China, C asia, Persia; took over Jurchen capital in north China and soon entire region; shattered Persian army, broke Qanats, and massacred when Turkish Shah rejected diplomatic trade offer.
Describe Chinese Mongol empire after Chinggis Khan
Khubilai Khan consolidated Chinese region, conquered S China at capital, sponsored cultural development, founded Yuan dynasty, installed foreign governors, dismissed confucian civil service system, only collected revenues
How did khanate of Persia fall?
Persia: Overspending, overexploitation of peasantry, paper money failed due to loss of value, no commerce, factional gov’t struggles.
Bubonic plague led to depopulation and labor shortages
Describe Russian Mongol empire after Chinggis Khan
Golden Horde overran Russia, took pastureland, extracted tribute from cities;
Describe Persian empire after Chinggis Khan
in Persia ilkhanate was formed when Baghdad was captured in siege and massacre, expanded throughout empire, allowed Persians to remain local governors in exchange for tribute, mass Mongol conversion to Islam.
How did khanate of China fall?
China: paper money lost value, factional struggles in gov’t, assassinations, civil war, chronic rebellion, Bubonic plague led to depopulation and labor shortages.
What happened to Mongol empire after death of Chinggis Khan?
Divided into China, C Asia, Persia, and Russia; ambition and conflict between four regions;
How is Mongols history being revised?
We have much more access to information within the recent 15 years, so many more viewpoints can be taken about the Mongols besides the traditional one. The traditional belief is that Mongols were savage barbarians, but with more information we can see the lasting effect they had on the world and the good they did. They allowed for cc exchange, protected trade routes, and and supported religion as well as the arts.
How are Mongols the exception?
- didn’t build anything/no monuments
- first nomadic group to establish empire
- never established own cities. instead got from conquest
- didn’t have own language or religion; they adopted them from conquered peoples.
How was CC exchange accelerated during this era?
- Communication system with horseback riders to relay messages.
- Excellent conquerors with military tactics.
- Secured trade routes; increased trade, diplomacy, and religion between regions.
- Resettlement integrated skilled workers where needed. Ex: Uighur Turks served as admins because of literacy; census.
How did Tamerlane fill the political vacuum post-khanates?
Was a charismatic leader and brave warrior; took Chinggis Khan as his model; defeated tribes through alliance or conquest; conquered Persia, Afghanistan, Golden Horde, and N India. Empire collapsed after death due to loose tribal organization
How did Osman fill the political vacuum post-khanates?
Emerged from group of Turks who migrated to Anatolia following Mongol conquest; declared independence and began conquering at expense of Byzantine; conquered Balkans peninsula, Byzantine empire (Constantinople), SW Asia, SE Europe, and N Africa.
