Mongol Eurasia and Its Aftermath, 1200 - 1500

I. The Rise of the MongolsSteppes and Nomadism

A. Nomadism in Central and Inner AsiaImpact of nomads Power of khanRole of slavesImportance of tributePolitical federations – importance of marriage, womenFemales couldn’t directly succeed – tried to get position for sonsFamilies had believers in two or more religions: Buddhism, Christianity, or IslamImpact of shamanismReligious role played by a khan and Sky/Heaven God

B. The Mongol Conquests, 1215 – 12831206 – Genghis Khan – tribute and conquests of early 13th c. 1236 – grandson Batu - Russia/Eastern Europe1258 – death of Abbasid Caliph in BaghdadPursuit of territory under OgodeiMongol Empire united until 12651241 – death of Ogodei and successionKhubilai declared himself khan in 1265, descendents of Jagadai didn’t accept him1271 – Khubilai emperor of Yuan Empire (China)1279 - Yuan destroyed Southern Song1283 - Invaded Vietnam – made them give tribute, unsuccessful attacks on Java and JapanMilitary technology/techniques Choices: resist and be massacred/starve, or surrender and live – then contribute soldiers to Mongol army

C. Overland Trade and the PlagueCommercial integration affected east and westSilk, porcelainVenetian Marco Polo (1254 – 1324) BUBONIC PLAGUE in southwestern China since the Tang periodSpread of plague in China through trade/military Animals infected – then peopleCaravan traffic infected oasis townsPrevented Mongol army from capturing city of Kaffa in Crimea in 1346 – plague remained, then reached Europe/Egypt by shipMore diseases (typhus, smallpox, influenza) accompanied plagueCause of great pandemic of 1347 – 1352?

II. The Mongols and Islam, 1260 – 1500

A. Mongol Rivalry1260 – IL – KHAN state controlled much of Middle EastKhanate of the GOLDEN HORDE – Southern Russia Religious tension between Mongols and Muslims (practices)Cause of conflict between Il-Khan and Golden HordeAlliances between Il-Khan/Pope and Mamluks/Golden Horde – impact on the Crusades1295 - Il-khan ruler, Ghazan declared himself a Muslim Blend of Sunni/Shi’ite theology

B. Islam and the StateMethods of taxation; enterprises fundedProblems with taxation and decline of agricultureGhazan – financial problems, failure to lessen tax burdenPaper money and depressionFighting among Mongol nobility for revenueMid – 1300s – Mongols from Golden Horde moved into western Il-khan regionNew power in the east – Khanate of JagadaiLeader Timur launched campaigns into western Eurasia, India, and against Ottoman sultanGroundwork of Muslim Mongol-Turkic regime, the Mughals in the 1500s

C. Culture and Science in Islamic EurasiaAccomplishments of historian Juvaini (1283) Rashid al – Din – first history of the worldIbn Khaldun Shi’ite scholar Nasir al – Din Tusi and Mongol interest in Muslim scienceMath and cosmology Greek/Ptolemaic understanding of universeNasir al – Din proposed model of small circles rotating within a large circle = moon around the earthNicholas Copernicus Under Il – khans: predicted eclipses, astrolabes, three – dimensional quadrantsSpread of information on astronomy/mathematics into Byzantium, Western Europe, India, and ChinaMathematician Ghiyas al – Din Jamshid al – Kashi and decimal fractionsAl – Kashi and pi

III. Regional Responses in Western Eurasia

A. Russia and Rule from AfarGolden Horde and smaller Mongol statesTrade routes Role of Orthodox Church Politics of languageGolden Horde got Russian Princes to act as tax collectors/census takersRussian Princes, tax collection, and currency shortagesAlexander Nevskii, growth of Moscow, decline of Kiev/UkraineQuestion of Mongol impact on Russian interaction with the WestTraditional structure of local government survived Mongols along with Russian princes, competed with each otherTsar Ivan III (Late 15th/early 16th centuries)

B. New States in Eastern Europe and AnatoliaHoly Roman Emperor Frederick II Teutonic Knights Mongol armies international – Mongols, Turks, Chinese, Iranians, some EuropeansMore information about Mongols reached EuropeEuropeans learned about: passports, coal mining, moveable type, high temperature metallurgy, mathematics, gunpowder, casting and use of bronze canonOutbreak of plague in 1340s 14th century – Lithuania and BalkansSerbian King Stephen Dushan Origins of Ottoman TurksIl-khans influenced eastern AnatoliaDecline of Byzantine state and appeal of Muslim jihad 1453 - Sultan Mehmet II captured Constantinople Ottomans took advantage of decay of Mongols – religious/linguistic identity

IV. Mongol Domination in ChinaYuan Empire

Synthesis of Mongol & Chinese culturesKhubilai KahnBeijing LamasMongols as a unifying forceRacial rankingAdministration similarities with Il-khanImpact of trade on economy

Prestigious merchant classImpact on societyCottage IndustryDestruction of agrarian lifestyleMassive population decrease – causes?

Cultural exchange – Il-kahn & China

Medical developments

Fall of the Yuan Empire – 1340sMongol princes

Zhu Yuanzhang & the MingReturn to Mongolia – power base established

Importance of Mongol identity

Tribute to Ming, but only as a facilitator of trade

Did the Mongols retard or stimulate political & economic change?

V. Early Ming Empire 1368-1500

Zhu Yuanzhang = Hongwu (r.1368-1398)NanjingShift from Buddhism to ConfucianismAnti-Mongol ideologyEconomically unsoundMilitary serviceStability: recognized Yuan as legitimate rulers

Yongle (r. 1403-1424)Return to Yuan practices; Beijing, trade, aggression

Zheng HeAchievements

Why didn’t seafaring become more important?

Innovation versus advancementAgriculture

Peace

Japan

Metals

Shipbuilding

Examination system

Weaponry

Technology gap

AchievementsLiterature

Porcelain

VI. Centralization and Militarism in East Asia, 1200 - 1500

A. KoreaNeed to choke off sea trade

Mongol conflict 1231 – 1258Koryo/Mongol rule

Ended isolationism; cultural, scientific, agriculturalRise of new landed & educated classLoyal to Mongol, Ming forced recognition

Yi Kingdom - 1392Rejected Mongol period, yet continued practicesConfucianismAdvances in technology; printing, literacy, agricultureStrong defensive navy (gunpowder)

B. Japan1274 – Mongol invasion

Mongol threat unified the decentralized Shogunate administrative structureDefensive structure requiredMovement of resources from east (imperial) to west

1281 – Second Mongol invasionAgain weather intervenes – kamikazeMajor economic & social impact of Mongol threat; strengthen warrior class, national infrastructure

Ashikaga Shogunate – 1336Regional independence restored, rise of power of warlordTrade resumed following fall of Yuan

Shogun Yoshimasa – cultural impact, Zen BuddhismBreak down of power – warlords, Onin War, scramble for power – 1400s

C. VietnamAnnam and Champa rivalryRelationship with Tang and SongMongol required submission & tribute, but little culturalMing control for 30 yearsMongol threat to MingBy 1500 Annam controlled ChampaKey elements of society

Confucian administrationDistinct Amman legal codesMahayana Buddhism