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.
Before Chinggis Khan came into power, Mongolia had a loosely defined set religion; the word “set” would also be loosely defined and used in the case. Native Mongolian religion mainly focused on the spiritual powers that came from the heaven and earth. The Mongols worshiped the sky god Tenggiri over all other spirits and gods, though others were important to them as well. This worship was so extreme at times, that the followers of Tenggiri became extremely cult like. Almost like Mormonism. Despite having such devoted followers, there was no priesthood and very few full-time practitioners. Prognostication was common among practitioners of this native religion, most of it coming through the form of divination through the cracks that appeared in the scapula and other bones of sheep. Shaman were also very common within this religion.1
While the unnamed native religion of Mongolian and Shamanism were extremely prevalent throughout the Mongol Empire, this does not mean that the Mongols did not adopt or take on other religions. On...
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...istians, though, he is not worshiped with prayers, praises or ceremonies. The Mongols are also allowed to have idols made of felt. An example of this would be a felt utter which is a way to thank the guardians that protect the cattle that give them milk and foals; Friar John also mentions that these idols are offered the first milk of every mare and cow.
Along with the worship of idols, the Mongols also venerate the sun, moon, fire, water, and the earth. As an offering they give these elements food and drink, especially in the morning time.2 This would greatly reaffirm the fact that the Mongols were still holding on to some of their pagan traditions. They worshiped other idols and spirits, not just the one true God.
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1. John Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols (n.p.: N/A, n.d.), 9.
2. John Plano Carpini, History of the Mongols (n.p.: N/A, n.d.), 10.
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.
Rossabi, Morris. "Life in China Under Mongol Rule: Religion." The Mongols in World History | Asia
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.
In the 13th century BC, the Mongols rose to power and conquered an empire whose size still has yet to matched. The Mongols conquered lands such as China, leaving such a lasting influence on them that their legacy still lives on. However, despite the Mongols success, their actions have left a constantly ongoing debate on whether they were barbarians, seen and portrayed by different societies of their time as people with no morale or modern civilities, or civilized people who were just feared by other societies. Although the Mongols are generally now seen as Barbarians because of their violent and barbaric war tactics they used to instill fear in people, they are actually civilized because they had a strategically organized army, and because they were accepting of the customs of other peoples. These two elements would eventually lead them to their success.
Finally, one more good thing that came out of Mongol rule was that Genghis Khan rule was that he accepted all religions. He knew that he could never unite a country under one religion or the people would rebel so he saw it best to let them do their own religions. Sometimes thanks to the trading routes religions intermingled. Also thanks to these trading routes different religions reached different places.
The Mongols were nomadic people that lived in tribes in Asia during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. The joining of numerous tribes would eventually form one of the biggest empires in history. With the lack of rain though the region, the Mongols did not have wide spread agriculture, instead they would herd sheep, cattle, goats, horses, and camels that thrived on the grasses and shrubs of the steppe lands where they lived. The Mongol tribes would travel with their herds to lands with copious amounts of grasses so their animals could graze. When their herds exhausted the vegetation, they would migrate to a new area. The tribes were self-sufficient, they not only lived off the meat, milk, and hides provided by their animals, but also used them for trade purposes.
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.
Over the years there have been many great nomadic groups, such as the Vikings and the Kievan, but no nomadic group has been more successful than the Mongols. The Mongols have had many lasting influences on Russia, China, and even Europe. The Mongols have left a mark on the European trading systems in technologies as well as in their trading systems trade routes. One thing that stayed the same throughout Europe was their many religion.
Even though the Mongolian Empire did have some form of being civilized through their public works, the fact that they had harsh, strict laws and gruesome military tactics make them truly barbaric. It may seem as though the Mongolian Empire was advanced when looking at their public works, but since their citizens lived in fear, the Mongols did not develop to their fullest extent. In addition, their ruthless military tactics and severe laws suggest that they had no sense of mercy for others. As a result, the Mongols deserve to be referred to as barbaric. Still, it is important to recognize both sides of the story so that the Mongols are given the credit they deserve.
“They came, they sapped, they burnt, they slew, they plundered and they departed.” This was an eyewitness account concerning the Mongolian conquests between the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers quoted by the eleventh century Persian historian Ata-Malik Juvaini. It has often been a common misconception that the Mongols were all consumed by savagery and that they followed no morals or ethics. Although the Mongol Conquests brought much devastation, the great economic and social impacts that occurred after should not be disregarded. The Mongol Empire was the largest continuous land empire of all time. At the Empire’s height of power it encompassed an area five times the size of Alexander the Greats Greek Empire, extending from the Pacific Ocean to the Danube River. Astonishingly, most of the empire's accomplishments can be attributed to one man, born as Temujin but later became Chinggis or Genghis Khan. Under his leadership and military innovations, the Mongol Army was nearly unstoppable. In a short period of time, he managed to conquer northern China and then Persia, which created an Empire from the Yellow Sea to the Caspian Sea. Genghis Khan unfortunately died in 1227; however, the Mongol expansion did not end. Under Genghis Khan’s successors, the Mongol hordes rode into Eastern Europe, including areas in and around Russia, Hungary, and Poland. While the Mongolians brutality in their military campaigns was evident, the new information brought over by the Mongols had a far more profound effect on the countries of Eastern Europe. One of the Mongols first conquests in Eastern Europe were the Russian territories, and during their occupations the Mongols managed to connect Russia to its vast trade network and create positive ties with t...
Under the rule of Genghis Khan and his successors during the 13th and 14th centuries (between the years 1206-1368), the Mongol Empire, with a military force of unparalleled strength, succeeded in unifying large regions in order to establish new economies and create the largest contiguous land empire in history. By having a democracy similarly present within the Roman Empire and adopting a structure comparable to the satraps of the Persian Empire, the Mongol Empire’s organized government assisted the Great Khans’ efforts in achieving the unification of regions stretching from Hungary to the Pacific. Adding to what was already a powerful cavalry, Mongol leaders utilized battle tactics, military strategies, and adopted siege weaponry from those
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 very tolerant of other religions and did not punish people for not believing what they did. This was an important idea for the time as it might have paved the way for future religious tolerance.
The formation and expansion of the Mongol Empire was made possible through a combination of military expertise and diplomacy. Rulers such as Genghis Khan played a huge role in the commencement of the formation of the Mongol Empire. He was an individual that worked towards training his followers to be effective assets towards the development of the Mongol Empire. The Mongol Empire conquered through the uniting of the steppe tribes which is one of the key contributing factors of the formulation of the Mongol Empire. This was also an example of his diplomacy because regardless of religion as his followers included Christians, Buddhists and Muslims, he did not discriminate any of them but allowed them to be part of the movement. The unity in the Mongol tribes made it permissible for the conquest to conquer Eurasia to begin, this was significant because unity was required in order to train an effective army (Jankowiak, 2013). Evidently the central Asian steppe was able to produced powerful confederations of nomadic tribes through the
Mongols nomadic lifestyle helped shape their religion and other aspects of their society. Their main religion was Shamanism, which is more of a way of life rather than a religion. They worshipped spiritual elements that’s in the natural earth (2). Many of the people who composed the khuriltai were Shamanism and another religion, such as Buddhism, Daoism, and Islam. This could partially be due to the fact that they were on a conquest to capture cities gaining land. They were not looking to expand their religion but rather to gain wealth through raiding cities. Most of these cities already had an established religion, so instead of forcing conversions onto the people of that city the primary ruler of that portion would convert or adapt some