• Mongolia is located in Central Asia, north of China• Early Mongolia was controlled by many nomadic

tribes led by warlords• Mongolian culture revolved around hunting, fishing,

fighting and the horse.

The Mongol Empire“The Legend of the Khans”

Genghis Khan• Temujin was born in one of the more combative

areas of Mongolia• Many of his family members died in battle or

were killed by in-fighting within the tribe.

Genghis Khan• Temujin’s wife was kidnapped by a rival tribe• He was a skilled leader who • He recruited the best soldiers and military minds

to be in his inner circle

• Temujin proclaimed he was the rightful leader of the known world

• He created a new government and destroyed all tribes that did not demonstrate loyalty to him.

• In 1206 he became Genghis Khan, which translates into Universal Ruler

New Laws• Kidnapping of women is forbidden• All children are legitimate• Women could no longer be sold into marriage• The stealing of animals is a capital offense• Regulation of hunting to the winter time

New Mongolian Order

• Genghis Khan created a supreme officer of the law to oversee trials and introduced record keeping, put the native language into written form, and created an official seal

Conquering China• Genghis thought it was his destiny to conquer the

world• China was a powerhouse in peril• In 1211, the Mongols crossed the Yellow River and

seized Northern China

• Khan used a divide and conquer method to obtain military victory in China

• Many Chinese communities feared the Mongols, so Genghis showed them benevolence and adopted them into his new empire

• Those who opposed were ravaged with terror and bloodshed

• The Mongols would start a battle with a rain of arrows

• The Mongol army would surround and enclose their enemy on horseback.

• Mongols wore silk shirts and light armor for quickness and to absorb arrow attacks

Mongol Attacks

Military Conquests

• Genghis captured Afghanistan and Persia to increase trade

• Genghis captured Armenia and parts of Eastern Europe to open up access to the Caspian Sea

• The Mongols also captured Korea, parts of Russia, and Hungary

• The Mongolian Empire was the Largest Empire in history

• Genghis Khan attempted to invade Japan, but the Mongols were shipwrecked as they tried to sail themselves and their horses to Japan

The Mongol Empire

Next Generation

• Ogodei Khan took over for his father in 1231• He continued Mongol conquests and was at the

gates of Vienna before his death in 1241

Kublai Khan• Kublai Khan was seen as the next great Khan• He stabilized Mongol government and territory• Kublai Khan conquered China in 1259 and

declared himself Emperor • He named the new dynasty “Yuan”-which means

“beginning.” • Visitors from all lands were welcome to Kublai

Khan’s court. • A Christian from Europe, Marco Polo came from

Venice, Italy. Marco Polo’s writings helped to increase trade with Europe and China.

• China prospered only under Kublai Khan, but not under the later Khans, or emperors who followed him.

• Kublai launched a new assault on Japan - a Mongol, Chinese and Korean force with 4,400 ships and 140,000 men, catapults, horses, combustible missiles, bows and arrows

• They were defeated by a hurricane (kamikaze winds) off the south coast of Japan

Mongol Success

• The Mongols found success due to their hands off policy of rule

• After they conquered a community, they did not disturb that community’s way of life

• Religious and Social Tolerance was a key factor in keeping the empire together

• The biggest change was the taxes went to the Mongols to fund their wars and to build a new infrastructure