Unique Characteristics Of The Mongols

In the 1200's, in the heart of Mongolia, emerged an empire that would remain incomparable to any other throughout history. Covering a vast expanse of land over a period of nearly two centuries, Genghis Khan and future rulers united a large and diverse group of nomadic people and developed an adept military, conquering civilizations across Asia and parts of Europe. Unique characteristics that they possessed differentiated their empire and both aided and hindered them. The Mongols’ communication system, eagerness for trade, and open mindedness paved the way for their successes, yet these qualities also led to their absorption of the cultures they had defeated, and ultimately contributed to their downfall.
Before discussing these three traits,

The Mongols were knowledgeable when it came to trade, and were aware of the development across Asia that commerce with the wealthy Mediterranean markets could bring, so European merchants had no need to educate or persuade them to make compromises. (Di Cosmo 90-91) Clearly, the Mongols ensured that they were well informed on the topic, understanding the benefits it could result in. Trade would also bring a new dimension to the kinds of relationships that they could establish with other territories. When communicating through exploration or conquests the Mongols were always coming in from a superior position; on the other hand, commercial partnerships would place both sides on equal footing, fostering a greater appreciation for one another. The ortaghs, meaning “partners”, were merchants who were licensed by and acted under the government, (Di Cosmo 90) providing a way for trading to become more official by giving the government the ability to ensure that it was taking place and control it. This would also guarantee that the leaders of the empire would profit from the institution as well. To administer the empire, the Mongols set up cities as hubs of trading, including Karakorum in Mongolia, Sarai in Russia and Dadu in China. They were particularly useful to merchants and envoys. (Stock) The Mongols may have been inspired by the ports and cities they observed of the countries that they traded with. Building these centers would serve the purpose of organizing trade and making it more efficient, which was advantageous as the empire expanded. In addition, they would provide places for merchants from different regions to communicate with one another, lending its way for the flow of different beliefs and ideas across their lands.