Genghis Khan, Mongol Emperor from 1167 to 1227, birth name Temujin, succeeded his father Yekusia, the chief of the Mongol tribe. Genghis Khan became famous for his well-organized army, twice the size of any other empire in history, with dictatorship abilities that were so powerful that it lasted a century after his death. Mongols were nomadic people, hunter-gatherers, herding sheep and horses and they were also known for killing off opposing armies who refused to join forces with them, subjugating millions who wanted to create empires of their own. Some rulers chose to collaborate and others refused. The ones who collaborated knew they weren’t any match for the Mongol empire, “There were perhaps 80,000 riders, trailed by a great herd of spare mounts. And in front they drove thousands of civilians, as human shields” 1. Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire led a conquest from Asia to Europe for over 150 years in the late 12th century. He left a great legacy through his laws and ideas while evoking religious freedom and laying the foundation for medieval globalization, unifying the Mongol and the Turkic tribes in Mongolia. Genghis Khan left wounds for ages in countries like China, Russia, India, the Middle East, and many parts of Europe for centuries to the point that people, in present day Mongolia, still view him as “God”. Mongols were more tolerant of other religions than many today because Genghis Khans had a mixture of religions in his clan from Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, to worshiper of Tengri (the ruler of heaven). His idea of conquest was not to separate people of different cultures, but to have as many followers in order to dilute opposing empire because strength and strategies were more important than for them. In my pap...
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...familiar with, and transformed them into highly sophisticated and unique tactics that only the Mongols Empire would incorporate. Along with their unique tactics, they also had concentrated firepower and a greater amount of technology than their opponents, making it possible for them to annihilating their opponents in a shorter time span. The other factor to consider is that their empire included all different types of people from different religions, which benefited them because they counted on Christian and Muslim engineers to manufacture their siege artillery equipments. Along with tactics and concentrated firepower they had the right garments that were durable because it included lightly armored leather which gave them agility, and mounted leather shields in order to protect their faces. These entire contributors made the Mongol Empire successful for 150 years.
Genghis Kahn conquered a total of 4,860,000 square miles. That’s more than two times the amount lassoed by Alexander the Great, the second most successful conquerer. The amount of land that Genghis Kahn conquered is over one million square miles greater than the entire area of the United States, Alaska and Hawaii not included. (doc A) The pain inflicted by Khan and his army during their conquests was unfathomably merciless, demented, and “barbaric.” His victories resulted from actions and inhumane methods. (doc D and doc F) The law code he enforced was ruthless and unyielding. (doc K and doc N) Very few of his successful methods were harmless. (doc L) Enormous inhabitant deaths occurred. (doc E and doc I) The only religions acknowledged were monotheistic. (doc H, doc G, and doc M) The Mongol Empire was infinitely more barbaric than any other empire seen before the thirteenth century.
The Mongols were a group of nomadic people who were known for not only their ferocity in battle but also their tolerance of other cultures. Over the course of their many empires, the Mongols conquered lands from as far as the Korean peninsula to the Islamic civilizations of the Middle East. The movement of the Mongol people into these areas was met with mixed opinions, as members of some societies respected the braveness of the Mongols while others saw them as destructive. According to Ala-ad-Din Ata-Malik Juvaini, 15th century Korean scholars, and Rashid al-Din, the Mongols were a group of tolerant people who attempted to eradicate injustice and corruptness (1,3,4). However, members of other societies viewed the Mongols as coldhearted and merciless because of the damage they dealt in the conquest of Russian cities and the taxes they forced upon their conquered societies (1,2). Nonetheless, some scholars and historians recognized the Mongols power and braveness, but were indifferent with their views of the Mongol civilization.
The Pax Mongolica, also known as the Mongol Peace and Pax Tatarica, was brought up at the end of the time of Mongols’ conquests. Western Scholars designated the fourteenth century as the Pax Mongolica. The Pax Mongolica contributed to the development of a new global culture because the Mongol Khans pursued peaceful trade and diplomacy (220). The bubonic plague epidemic of the 1300s led to the destruction of the Mongol Empire because of the deaths it caused; also, the plague had demoralized the living and deprived the Mongol Golden Family of its primary source of support by cutting off trade and tribute (247).
The Mongols were a group of barbarians led by Genghis Khan. They were ruthless and destroyed everything in their path, but they also led to many positive things in the world. The Mongolians of the Asian Steppe had a positive impact on the world during their rule of the Asian continent from 1206 to 1368 by influencing laws, uniting China, and spreading messages and inventions. Many people liked the Mongols despite their destructive ways.
Although the Mongols could be seen as barbarians because of the way they used war tactics to both instill fear in people and attain the land that made up their large empire, their acceptance of other customs caused conquered people to have more loyalty for them and their organized army also helped them to quickly gain control of large amounts of land. These are the reasons why the Mongols were successful and civilized. Allyson Persaud
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.
The Mongols; a vicious and destructive military force, feared throughout its empire and under the rule of one man, Chinggis Khan. This picture of the Mongols and their empire is one often painted by our modern society. However, much of what we think we know about the Mongols has been exaggerated and biased from the point of view of the people that were conquered. In reality, the Mongols, although at times violent and destructive, bore many similarities in tactics and practices to the classical empires that had preceded them. They were not just simple barbaric savages looking to destroy whatever they could. They were a people united for a common purpose, trying to achieve it the same way that prior civilizations had done so: military force. Even though a Western perspective may find the actions of the Mongols objectionable, it must be understood that this was not a Western society, nor did it house the same values as one. The Mongols were not the destructive barbarians they are often made out to be, but rather an effective military force working for unification.
Genghis Khan, as it is well-acknowledged, is renowned for governing the extensively immense Mongol Empire. Despite the common argument that he indiscriminately (done at random or without careful judgement―by definition) slaughtered millions of people, Genghis Khan aspired to conquer new territories and, in accordance to their religion, animism, “the sky god made it their goal to unite the land under one sword.” How else would he have done the preceding? Just as the Mongol Government Official stated, “war is inevitable,” especially when capitulation is refused. Moreover, Genghis Khan noted that peace usually follows surrender. Though Prince Kiev attempted to confute the aforementioned, he was mistaken when he said that “war sparked between the two peoples” as a result of an attempt at peace. In response, Genghis Khan’s negation included that war arose as a consequence of their mistrust of him and the denial of a viable peace
Throughout history, there have been many empires that have shaped the outcome of all life on this world that we live on. Some of the greatest empires in the world, the Roman Empire, the greatest militaristic regime in history, or perhaps we can look towards northern Europe and the British Empire, those who had the capability to control the greatest amount of land mass in history. However there is one thing that even those famed Brits never accomplished. Something only one group in history has managed to do, a group that stands out among a crowd of the greatest people to represent planet earth. The men to strike fear Into the most battle hardened soldiers, the barbarians, the moguls. So what did the Mongols accomplish that was special. They managed to conquer the largest contiguous land mass in the worlds an area that stretched from Egypt to Russia and also to encompass all of China. Doing this they managed to shape the lives of millions of people. from Russia to China and everywhere in between. However most historians agree that China was affected more than any other country by the reign of the Mongols. The effects the Mongolian Empire had on China were large and diverse, and included but not limited to the economic influx due to the increased amount of trade routes and the utilization of the peasant class, the social impact, as all people part of the Mongolian empire flew under one one banner, and finally the technological impact as ideas flourished under the watchful eye of the Mongols.
The impact of the Mongol conquest of both the Islamic heartlands and Russia was extensive and long lasting. After the Mongol conquests into the regional cities of Russia, they established a long run for two and a half centuries. Russians had to pay tribute and turn over all their goods to the Mongol overlords. These peasants essentially became serfs as they were giving their goods for protection in turn. On the other hand, Moscow prospered despite being destroyed during the conquests. With its rebuilding, it became the tribute center for the Mongol lords, and the center for the Orthodox Church. To continue, the Mongols helped organize the Russian military and partially helped establish a political precedent of a centralized authority with little limitations to the assigned power. In the Islamic heartlands, the Mongol conquest killed the caliph and destroyed Baghdad, leaving the Muslims without a follower and capital center. In a sense, this second conquest was much harsher than the one of Russia with its violence and religious impact.
Between the early 1200's and the mid 1300's the Mongol Empire, led by Genghis Khan, took control of around 9,300,000 square miles of Eurasia. Genghis Khan first started conquering neighboring clans before setting his sight on the rest of the world. When they would conquer a city, the Mongols would give the city a chance to surrender and if they declined and the Mongols succeeded in conquering them, then all of the citizens would be slaughtered. Under Genghis Khan, the Mongol Empire grew to encompass Central Asia, parts of the Middle East, and east to the borders of the Korean Peninsula. In 1227, Genghis Khan died, which led to the empire being divided into four khanates that would be ruled by his sons and grandsons. Genghis Khan's descendants
To start, the mongols were able to used brutal and strategic military tactics that helped them conquer more than 4,800,000 miles of land. The Mongols leader “Genghis Khan” was a very smart and strategic leader. He organized his army into groups of ten, hundred, and one thousand. If such groups runs away or flees, the entire group was put to death. Genghis Khans army was able to succeed in conquering land due to horses. His army
When Westerners such as ourselves and people native to Europe are asked what they know of the Mongols the answer is usually ruthless barbarians intent upon world domination. After all these years you would expect that the educational points presented to the different generations in school would have given a different view of the Mongol civilization. Leaving this vision instilled upon generation after generation is detrimental to learning the different positive aspects left behind by such a powerful empire. The nomadic lifestyle that the Mongols endured empowered them to become hardy warriors. The Mongols began their conquests in response to Ghengis Khans personal missions as well as a disruption in trade and the ecology of the land upon which they inhabited.
The Mongols were also known for their surprise attack which spread to other armies, making it a keen warfare used all around the world. This battle tactic consisted of a group of men who are fighting out on the battlefield and they begin to retreat only to draw the enemy into a trap. The enemy runs into a rain of arrows as the rest of the men are hiding off to the side with loaded weapons, and fierce ground fighters ready for combat. This is one key that the Mongols had to help them conquer Asia. Lastly, the Mongols had a positive impact on the world because they united most of Asia.
In the West, Genghis Khan and the Mongol tribe are often presented as brutal savages who wiped out entire cultures, destroyed cities and killed many people. While these accounts are true, there was certainly more to the Mongol empire than sheer brutality. Many of the practices that Genghis Khan put into place were responsible for the successes of the Mongol Nation. With an ability to adapt and innovate, Genghis Khan became known as the world’s greatest conqueror and is still revered in many countries today.