Mongol Empire in 13th Century II

Effects of conquests

Devastation of agriculture

Ecological impact

1 tumen=10,000 men, 150,000 horses, 1,500,000 sheep

Tax policies

Irregular taxation until ca. 1250

Reforms of Mongke (r. 1251-9)

*Khubilai Khan, r. 1260-1294

Grandson of Genghis Khan, b. 1215

Khan of Khans

Founded Yuan dynasty in China

Conquered S. Song, 1279

Conquest of South

Ecological barriers

Insufficient grasslands
Terrain unsuited to cavalry warfare

Waterways
Forests
Mountains

Overcoming barriers by 1279

Chinese Infantry
Navy
Siege warfare

Limits of Mongol Conquests

Political division in generation of grandsons

Ecological limits of empire

South China is only exception

Sub-tropical rain forest

Forest

Europe west of Hungary

Desert

Ayn Jalut, Syria, 1260

Turkic slave soldiers of Mamluk Empire

Tropical Rain Forest

Vietnam Failed invasions of 1284-5, 1287-8

Guerilla resistance

Ocean

Japan, 1274, 1281

Java, 1293

Mongol Impact on Eurasia

Silk Road regulated

Increased trade

Marco Polo Departure from Venice, 1271

Agriculture

Crop exchanges

Economy

Long distance trade

Technological exchanges

Case Study: Gunpowder and firearms

China

Gunpowder 6th c.

Fire arrows, 9th c.

Mythbusters reconstruction of fire arrow weapon, ca. 1500

Bombs 11th c.

Cannon 13th c.

Spread of gunpowder and firearms

Mongols carried technology to Middle East/Russia

Silk Road Travel and Religion under the Mongol Empire

"Nestorian" Christians

John of Plano Carpini (1245-47)

William of Rubruk (1253-55)

Rabban Sauma (ca. 1275-1294)

Marco Polo (1271-91)

Discussion: Foltz 105-126; Hansen 390-417, 418-421, 428-434

1. What was the Mongol attitude toward religion?

2. What do these travelers reveal about the Mongol Empire?

3. According to Foltz and Hansen, how did political and religious intrigues become intertwined at the Mongol capital of Qaraqorum?