Mongol Eurasia and Its Aftermath, 1200 - 1500

1. Mongol Eurasia and Its Aftermath, 1200 - 1500

2. I. The Rise of the Mongols • Steppes and Nomadism A. Nomadism in Central and Inner Asia • Impact of nomads • Power of khan • Role of slaves • Importance of tribute • Political federations – importance of marriage, women • Females couldn’t directly succeed – tried to get position for sons • Families had believers in two or more religions: Buddhism, Christianity, or Islam • Impact of shamanism • Religious role played by a khan and Sky/Heaven God

3. B. The Mongol Conquests, 1215 – 1283 • 1206 – Genghis Khan – tribute and conquests of early 13th c. • 1236 – grandson Batu - Russia/Eastern Europe • 1258 – death of Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad • Pursuit of territory under Ogodei • Mongol Empire united until 1265 • 1241 – death of Ogodei and succession • Khubilai declared himself khan in 1265, descendents of Jagadai didn’t accept him • 1271 – Khubilai emperor of Yuan Empire (China) • 1279 - Yuan destroyed Southern Song • 1283 - Invaded Vietnam – made them give tribute, unsuccessful attacks on Java and Japan • Military technology/techniques • Choices: resist and be massacred/starve, or surrender and live – then contribute soldiers to Mongol army

5. C. Overland Trade and the Plague • Commercial integration affected east and west • Silk, porcelain • Venetian Marco Polo (1254 – 1324) • BUBONIC PLAGUE in southwestern China since the Tang period • Spread of plague in China through trade/military • Animals infected – then people • Caravan traffic infected oasis towns • Prevented Mongol army from capturing city of Kaffa in Crimea in 1346 – plague remained, then reached Europe/Egypt by ship • More diseases (typhus, smallpox, influenza) accompanied plague • Cause of great pandemic of 1347 – 1352?

7. II. The Mongols and Islam, 1260 – 1500 A. Mongol Rivalry • 1260 – IL – KHAN state controlled much of Middle East • Khanate of the GOLDEN HORDE – Southern Russia • Religious tension between Mongols and Muslims (practices) • Cause of conflict between Il-Khan and Golden Horde • Alliances between Il-Khan/Pope and Mamluks/Golden Horde – impact on the Crusades • 1295 - Il-khan ruler, Ghazan declared himself a Muslim • Blend of Sunni/Shi’ite theology

10. B. Islam and the State • Methods of taxation; enterprises funded • Problems with taxation and decline of agriculture • Ghazan – financial problems, failure to lessen tax burden • Paper money and depression • Fighting among Mongol nobility for revenue • Mid – 1300s – Mongols from Golden Horde moved into western Il-khan region • New power in the east – Khanate of Jagadai • Leader Timur launched campaigns into western Eurasia, India, and against Ottoman sultan • Groundwork of Muslim Mongol-Turkic regime, the Mughals in the 1500s

11. C. Culture and Science in Islamic Eurasia • Accomplishments of historian Juvaini (1283) • Rashid al – Din – first history of the world • Ibn Khaldun • Shi’ite scholar Nasir al – Din Tusi and Mongol interest in Muslim science • Math and cosmology • Greek/Ptolemaic understanding of universe • Nasir al – Din proposed model of small circles rotating within a large circle = moon around the earth • Nicholas Copernicus • Under Il – khans: predicted eclipses, astrolabes, three – dimensional quadrants • Spread of information on astronomy/mathematics into Byzantium, Western Europe, India, and China • Mathematician Ghiyas al – Din Jamshid al – Kashi and decimal fractions • Al – Kashi and pi

12. III. Regional Responses in Western Eurasia A. Russia and Rule from Afar • Golden Horde and smaller Mongol states • Trade routes • Role of Orthodox Church • Politics of language • Golden Horde got Russian Princes to act as tax collectors/census takers • Russian Princes, tax collection, and currency shortages • Alexander Nevskii, growth of Moscow, decline of Kiev/Ukraine • Question of Mongol impact on Russian interaction with the West • Traditional structure of local government survived Mongols along with Russian princes, competed with each other • Tsar Ivan III (Late 15th/early 16th centuries)

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

14. IV. Mongol Domination in China • Yuan Empire • Synthesis of Mongol & Chinese cultures • Khubilai Kahn • Beijing • Lamas • Mongols as a unifying force • Racial ranking • Administration similarities with Il-khan • Impact of trade on economy • Prestigious merchant class • Impact on society • Cottage Industry • Destruction of agrarian lifestyle • Massive population decrease – causes?

15. Cultural exchange – Il-kahn & China • Medical developments • Fall of the Yuan Empire – 1340s • Mongol princes • Zhu Yuanzhang & the Ming • Return 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?

16. V. Early Ming Empire 1368-1500 • Zhu Yuanzhang = Hongwu (r.1368-1398) • Nanjing • Shift from Buddhism to Confucianism • Anti-Mongol ideology • Economically unsound • Military service • Stability: recognized Yuan as legitimate rulers • Yongle (r. 1403-1424) • Return to Yuan practices; Beijing, trade, aggression • Zheng He • Achievements • Why didn’t seafaring become more important?

17. Innovation versus advancement • Agriculture • Peace • Japan • Metals • Shipbuilding • Examination system • Weaponry • Technology gap • Achievements • Literature • Porcelain

18. VI. Centralization and Militarism in East Asia, 1200 - 1500 • A. Korea • Need to choke off sea trade • Mongol conflict 1231 – 1258 • Koryo/Mongol rule • Ended isolationism; cultural, scientific, agricultural • Rise of new landed & educated class • Loyal to Mongol, Ming forced recognition • Yi Kingdom - 1392 • Rejected Mongol period, yet continued practices • Confucianism • Advances in technology; printing, literacy, agriculture • Strong defensive navy (gunpowder)

19. B. Japan • 1274 – Mongol invasion • Mongol threat unified the decentralized Shogunate administrative structure • Defensive structure required • Movement of resources from east (imperial) to west • 1281 – Second Mongol invasion • Again weather intervenes – kamikaze • Major economic & social impact of Mongol threat; strengthen warrior class, national infrastructure • Ashikaga Shogunate – 1336 • Regional independence restored, rise of power of warlord • Trade resumed following fall of Yuan • Shogun Yoshimasa – cultural impact, Zen Buddhism • Break down of power – warlords, Onin War, scramble for power – 1400s

20. C. Vietnam • Annam and Champa rivalry • Relationship with Tang and Song • Mongol required submission & tribute, but little cultural • Ming control for 30 years • Mongol threat to Ming • By 1500 Annam controlled Champa • Key elements of society • Confucian administration • Distinct Amman legal codes • Mahayana Buddhism