The Mongol Conquests

Mongolian Plateau

Steppe

Chinggis Qan (Genghis Khan) "oceanic king," ca. 1167-1227

Temüjin

Death of father, age 9

Militarily active, age 14-15

United Mongols

Warfare

Became khan, 1185

Tartar massacre, 1202

Alliances

Marriage politics

quriltai (elective assembly), 1206

Chinggis Qan "Oceanic King,"

Conquests

Xi Xia (Tangut), 1210, 1227

Jin (Jurchen)

Yanjing, 1211-1215

Kaifeng, 1234

Khwarazm Shah's Empire, 1219-1221

Bukhara

Samarqand

Russia, 1237-40

Iran, Iraq & Syria, 1253-60

S. Song China, 1279

Theories about success of Mongol armies

Personal ability of Chinggis Khan

Quality of the Mongol soldiers

Military organization, planning, discipline

Reorganization of tribes

Units of 10, 100, 1000, and 10,000 (tumen)

Willingness to employ conquered peoples

Turks: Cavalry
China, Russia, and Iran: infantry, sieges

Tactics of terror

Bukhara

Baghdad, 1258

Hülegü claimed 200,000 killed in letter to Pope

Abbasid Caliph killed