The Mongols: Empire and Impact

The Mongols

• Originated in the Inner Asian Steppe, with nomadic pastoralist tribes.
• Practiced a religion focused on the sky spirits.
• Genghis Khan united various tribes and forged a vast empire.
• Their empire encompassed a large geographical area.

Post-Mongol Conquest World

• Mongol conquests produced significant short-term and long-term impacts.
• Mongol rule in China, Russia, and Persia had lasting influences.
• Tamerlane's role is highlighted in this era.

Inner Asia and the Rise of the Mongols

• The Eurasian Steppe, a vast grassland, stretched from Mongolia to Eastern Europe.
• It was unsuitable for agriculture, making pastoral nomadism vital.
• Pastoral nomads relied primarily on livestock as resources and travelled with their animals across vast distances.
• Nomadic groups like the Mongols, and other steppe peoples, are known for their skilled horsemanship and adaptability to harsh environments
• Mongol warriors were known for their horseback fighting and tactical strategies.
• Mongol societies were, in some ways, more egalitarian in comparison to many civilizations that existed at the time.
• Female roles within Mongol society were influential.
• The Mongols, and other nomadic groups, followed a system of fictive kinship that helped to unite them.
• The people practiced a religion known as animism where they attributed spirits to natural entities.

The Mongol Empire

• Genghis Khan's empire utilized standardized military practices, creating a highly disciplined force.
• The Mongols were adept at conquering new lands and effectively managing and ruling.
• The leadership of strong military figures like Subodei, is notable for developing their organization and strategy.
• The Mongols actively absorbed and adopted cultural elements from the population groups they conquered.
• The Mongol Empire spurred trade and interaction along the Silk Road.
• The Mongol Empire collapsed and was subsequently divided into several separate khanates.

Post-Conquest Mongol World

• Pax Mongolica, a period of relative peace and stability, facilitated trade and cultural exchange across vast regions.
• Marco Polo's travels serve as a well-known example of this period.
• Diseases, like the bubonic plague, spread throughout trade routes.
• The Mongol Empire contributed to the decline of some previous empires, such as the Abbasid Caliphate, and the rise of new powers in various regions.
• The empire fostered the incorporation of several cultures into those it came into contact with.
• This period led to a mix of impacts that were significant, negative, and positive.