Mongols Called the Tartars: Outsiders Beware! The Mongols, or as the Western Europeans called them, the Tartars, were a nomadic, militant people that dominated the battlefield during the pre-industrial time period (“Tartars” 7). Over the span of the 13th century, from the Central Asian steppes in the east to the Arabian lands to the west, the Tartars subdued the unfortunate inhabitants and expanded their empire vastly. To the fear and dismay of the Western Europeans, the Tartars desired to triumph over all of Eurasia; therefore, the Western Europeans were to be conquered next. News of the imminent Tartarian attack rapidly spread through West Europe like a wildfire, and the powerful Holy Roman Church contended to prepare a strategy against the onslaught. In the year 1245, Pope Innocent IV, the head of the Church at the time, sent a group of Friars led by Giovanni da Pian del Carpini to gather some knowledge about the Tartars. It was a dreaded mission, one that would probably end in a terrible death, since the Tartars were a cruel people towards outsiders. Nevertheless, Carpini valiantly ventured into the unknown darkness, and returned to his homeland with valuable information about the Tartars. Through the insight he gained during his travels, he wrote his account of the Tartars in a report called the “Historia Mongalorum” (“Tartars” 19), which is known today as “The Story of the Mongols Whom We Call the Tartars”. This essay will first describe and analyze the feature of Tartarian society that Carpini was seemingly most interested in. Secondly, it will logically create conclusions about what Carpini’s society was probably like, based on his report, while investigating whether Carpini really understood the Tartars or not. Third... ... middle of paper ... ...sian Institute: Morris Rossabi. Columbia University, n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. "Paul David Buell." Max Planck Institute for the History of Science. Max Planck Institute, n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. "Randolph C. Head." Randolph C. Head | UCR Department of History. University of California, Riverside, n.d. Web. 22 May 2014. Rossabi, Morris. "Life in China Under Mongol Rule: Religion." The Mongols in World History | Asia Topics in World History. Columbia University, 2004. Web. 18 May 2014. Head, Randolph. "Lecture Slides, Thursday April 24." History 10. University of California, Riverside. Riverside, CA. 24 April 2014. Head, Randolph. "Lecture Slides, Tuesday May 6." History 10. University of California, Riverside. Riverside, CA. 6 May 2014. Head, Randolph. “RCH Comments.” History 10. University of California, Riverside. Riverside, CA. 21 May 2014.
Mongolia was the largest contiguous land empire in human history. It existed in the 13th and 14th centuries, however its traditions and influences can be found all throughout the world today. The Mongolian Empire was due to the unification of the Mongol and Turkic tribes under the rule of Genghis Khan in 1206. This paramount empire connected the east and west using Pax Mongolica which allowed trade all throughout Eurasia. However, the Mongolian Empire’s importance did not die with the fall of the Empire in 1368, but the vital influences remain significant even today.
When the word “Mongol” is said I automatically think negative thoughts about uncultured, barbaric people who are horribly cruel and violent. That is only because I have only heard the word used to describe such a person. I have never really registered any initial information I have been taught about the subject pass the point of needing and having to know it. I felt quite incompetent on the subject and once I was given an assignment on the book, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern Age, I was very perplexed for two reasons. One I have to read an outside book for a class that already requires a substantial amount of time reading the text, and secondly I have to write a research paper in History. I got over it and read the book, which surprisingly enough interested me a great deal and allow me to see the Moguls for more than just a barbaric group of Neanderthals, but rather a group of purpose driven warriors with a common goal of unity and progression. Jack Weatherford’s work has given me insight on and swayed my opinion of the Mongols.
In this book Weatherford presents an extremely biased view of the Mongols. He only talks about the wonderful things that the Mongols did, as well as their victories. His presentation only makes the Mongols sound immaculate. To other nations, he might sound as if he were terrifying, therefore making his immaculate picture a biased view.
Anne F. Broadbridge’s Kingship and Ideology in the Islamic and Mongol Worlds is comprised of the contrasting positions held on different ideologies in the Medieval Islamic world. She distinguishes the between attitudes held toward political rule in the Middle East and Central Asia, specifically examining the years from 1260 to 1405. Where the influence of the Islamic religion had been playing a major role in how rulers defined their sovereignty, Mongol invasions led to unsettling comparisons to be established in order to clarify a ruler’s purpose as an administrative leader. The primary difference addressed is the conflict between Mamluk Sultans and Mongol Khans, which led to an even greater sense of dissimilar forms of political legitimacy
Sent on a mission by their respective kings, both Ibn Fadlan and John of Plano Carpini gave us a look inside the culture, religion, and military prowess of the Viking Rus and the Mongols. Ibn Fadlans journey to the Bulgar king was not an easy one as he met with the Rus people near the Volga River. The same holds true for John, as he travels to the Mongols to learn much about them and their intentions behind their unprecedented military skills. The Viking Rus and the Mongols have similarities and difference in their culture, military conquest, and religion.
Historians and much of the world deem the Mongols as the most barbaric empire of all time for their exceedingly brutal war tactics and cruel punishments. Before conquering nearly 4,860,000 square miles, this empire started as a small tribe from the steppes and thrived off of horses and trade out of central Asia. In order to maintain and secure imperium, the Mongols used their advanced battle strategies and military organization to overtake other territories and instill new authority. In truth, the Mongols were undoubtedly barbaric on the battlefield, but within their empire, they were rather tame and sophisticated in their judicial system, social infrastructure, and religious views.
The Mongols were a fierce people who conquered many lands under the strong leadership of Genghis and Kublai Khan. From their origins in Asia to the growth of their empire that stretched from the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Europe, their inspiration of Europe lasted for centuries. Both good and bad things came from them, but overall, their reign was for the betterment of European culture. The advancements Europe made within the 1200’s could not have been accomplished without the successes of the Mongol Empire.
The Mongol Empire was the largest land-based empire in world history during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries C.E. The Mongols protected prominent trade routes in Eurasia such as the Silk Road. This allowed for an increase in interregional trade and brought about the spread of new cultures, ideas, and technologies to Eastern Europe and other regions of the world. Due to this diffusion of technology, at the beginning of the fifteenth century a German inventor by the name of Johannes Gutenberg invented what we know now as the printing press in the Holy Roman Empire. This allowed for the mass-producing of books and papers and helped fuel the new Scientific Revolution’s idea of doubting religions and other previous ideas, accepting only
The Donghu are mentioned by Sima Qian as already existing in Inner Mongolia north of the state of Yan in 699–632 BC along with the Shanrong people. Mentions in the Lost Book of Zhou (Yizhoushu) and the Shanhaijing indicate the Donghu were also active during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). The Mongolic-speaking Xianbei formed part of the Donghu confederation, but had earlier times of independence, as evidenced by a mention in the Guoyu ("晉語八" section) which states that during the reign of King Cheng of Zhou (reigned 1042–1021 BC) the Xianbei came to participate at a meeting of Zhou subject-lords at Qiyang (岐阳) (now Qishan County) but were only allowed to perform the fire ceremony under the supervision of Chu (楚), since they were not vassals by covenant (诸侯). The Xianbei chieftain was appointed joint guardian of the ritual torch along with Xiong Yi. These early Xianbei came from the nearby Zhukaigou culture (2200–1500 BC) in the Ordos Desert where maternal DNA corresponds to Daurs and Evenks. The Zhukaigou Xianbei (part of the Ordos culture of Inner Mongolia and northern Shaanxi) had trade relations with the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). In the late 2nd century the Han Dynasty scholar Fu Qian (服虔) wrote in his commentary "Jixie" (集解) that "Shanrong and Beidi are ancestors of the present-day Xianbei". Again in Inner Mongolia another closely connected core Mongolic Xianbei region was the Upper Xiajiadian culture (1000–600 BC) where the Donghu confederation was centered.
The Mongols were a tough, strong, and a fierce Asian group of people. Their reign
With Genghis Khan in command, the Mongols learned to be merciless in their conquests. They believed they had the “God given right… to conquer the world” (Fernandez-Armesto, 2011, p. 340). Genghis organized his troops, and terrorized and...
...tural diversity of societies and cultural diffusion promoted a stable economy from the successful trade and the new codes allowed for a prosperous time of religious tolerance and safety. It is crucial that the Mongols should be rightfully labeled as civilized because they did not match the idea of what barbarism is. Unlike popular belief, the Mongols did in fact have an enriched culture from trade and displayed a level of respect for one another through their codes of conduct. Also, although it may seem that the Mongols may not have any standard morals from their cruel battle tactics, they indeed did since they displayed that with their laws against theft and adultery. All this suggests that the Mongols were far from barbarians like what many from history claim and instead of wrecking havoc during that time, helped create a strong foundation of peace and stability.
During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries there were a group of people called the Tartars. These people were members of the Mongolia and they called themselves Tata. “However, when people realized that this sounded a lot like Tartarus, Roman mythology’s variation of Hell, they started calling the Mongols Tartars – ‘people from Tartarus,’ meaning demons from hell” (Poisuo, 1). The Mongols were known for the violence and wanting to take over the world by attacking everyone. Therefore, people around the world started calling them “demons from hell.” Carpini who was one of the first Europeans to enter the Mongol Empire, wrote about his journey through the empire and everything that he learned about the Tartars, their religion, marriages, food, clothing, and many more, in his book “The Story of the Mongols Whom We Call the Tartars.” Carpini’s description of the Tartars throughout the book seems to be unpleasing to him and his values of life. Despite the fact that Carpini describes many different aspects of Mongol life in his book, in my judgment he is most interested in their family values and how different they are from the Western European family values that he has grown up into, Carpini was mostly blinded throughout the book by his previous judgment on Mongols, which could be trusted due to the fact that the Mongols really were violent. In comparison to post-Classical societies the Mongols fit in with some aspects such as how much power money can get for people, however, they differ in their beliefs such as family values.
The Mongols are well known in history as the largest contiguous empire in human history. At the Empire 's height, the Mongols occupied 11 to 12 million contiguous square miles and Genghis Khan, the ruler of the Mongols, liberated the people of the land he conquered. With all of the land Genghis Khan had acquired, trade flow was crucial to the survival of the Mongols. As of with great powers, they fall as quickly as they rise. Following the death of Genghis Khan in 1227, unrest within the Empire grew. The end of the great Mongolian Empire was slow, but eventually it fell to its lowest by the early 14th century. The Mongols rose under a great Khan, who conquered most of what became the Mongolian Empire. After his death the leaders of the Mongol
Religion has been a stable part of many societies, ancient and modern, throughout all of history. Despite this ringing true in most cases, this was not always the case for the great Mongol Empire. They have had many views ranging from neutral, extreme tolerance, and then to Khans and the Mongols themselves taking on different religions, or bringing in advisors that were monks or religious teachers. Their views ranged from one extreme to the other, changing throughout the years almost as often as the wind changes directions. Even though their views on religion varied throughout their time as an empire, these views are exactly what helped them thrive through the changes made via their expansive world conquest.