The Mongols and Africa

Chapter 7 - Part 2

Mongol Empire

Mongol Empire

Attacked: China Byzantium Russia Muslim Regions

Live in steppes (grassy plains of Central Asia) Home to many nomadic tribes Food for their herds/flocks

Largest empire in history More territory in 25 years than Roman Empire in 400

years

Mongols

Conquered all of China

Overtook Muslim states

Well organized

army

Ended Abbasid

Dynasty & Seljuk Turks

Expert horsemen

Vicious attacks on

villages

Genghis Khan “Universal Ruler”

United all Mongols under one rule

Believed he had divine commission to conquer the world

Well organized army that moved at lightning speed

Had lots of wives and children

Yuan Dynasty (1279 – 1368)

Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan)Conquered all of China

Established Yuan Dynasty in ChinaMoved capital to modern day BeijingBuilt highways or trade and communication Invited foreign scholars, artists, missionaries,

merchants, engineers into ChinaEmployed them in government positionsExcluded Chinese from government positions

After death, empire breaks apart

Chinese drive out Mongols in 1368 Establish Ming Dynasty Government control back in Chinese hands Adopt isolationist and anti foreign attitude Closed China to outsiders

Marco Polo visited China Lived there for 17 years First time Europeans learned about life in China

Golden Horde in Russia

Bhatu Khan (another grandson of Genghis Khan) Leads Mongols into Europe (Hungary & Poland) Europeans call them “Tartars” (Greek word for hell)

Ruled in Russia for 200 years Tribute from Russian people Recruits for their army Russian ties with Western Europe and Byzantine

Empire are weakened Moscow grows into powerful capital

Reasons for Moscow’s Growth in Importance

1. Center of inland waterways

2. Location good for trade and defense

3. Leaders of Moscow cooperated with Mongols Tax collectors for Mongols Mongols allowed them limited authority

4. Became religious center (head of church move from Kiev)

As Moscow grows in power, Mongol power decreases 14th century princes openly challenge Mongol overlords Ivan III (1462- 1505)

Refused to pay tribute to Mongols 1480- throw out Mongols Autocratic ruler of independent state of Russia

Tamerlane Empire

Late 14th century

Claimed to be descendant of Genghis Khan (merciless & cruel)

Wanted to rebuild Mongol Empire

Raised army and began new wave of invasions Captured Damascus and Baghdad Defeated Ottoman Turks Weakened Golden Horde (*Helped Russian independence) Entered India 1398

Destroyed capital – Delhi Killed 100,00 people Died while planning to invade China

Mughal Empire

Babur (“The Tiger”) Descendant of Genghis Khan and Tamerlane Leader of Turkish Mongol tribes in Afghanistan 1526- establish Mughal dynasty at Delhi, India

Mughal Empire

Religious Tolerance

Muslim Rulers

Reforms for People

Increased Indian Unity Establishe

d law and order

Fostered achieveme

nt in the arts

Akbar = greatest leader

AfricaSub-Saharan Africa

2nd largest continent

4 times the size of USA

• contact between Sub-Saharan Africa and Eurasia limited by the Sahara Desert.

• One major consequence = lack of access to the innovations of Southwest Asia• agriculture, writing, smelting, and the wheel

• Agriculture reached Africa in first centuries AD (elsewhere started 3000 BC)• Cities developed in Middle Ages AD

Ancient African Kingdoms

Kush (Northern Sudan) Originally part of Egyptian Empire Overthrew Egypt rulers 700 BC Took control over Egypt and made their own pharaohs Eventually fell to Aksum

Aksum (Axum) Embraced Christianity Missionary from Syria Frumentius Traded with Roman Empire, control Red Sea Trade Later becomes country of Ethiopia

Central Africa Middle Ages

Kanem Bornu (800 – 1846) around Lake Chad Part of camel caravan trade Strong military force

Western Africa Ghana MaliSonghai

- Wealth from gold mines- Caravan trade route- Niger River proximity

Western Africa Middle Ages

1. Ghana- 700-1200 Attacked by Muslims and weakened

2. Mali- 1200 – 1500 Mansa Musa (most famous king) Muslim, pilgrimage to Mecca

Took 60,000 people with him 10,000 pounds of gold

Timbuktu = capital Africa’s most important center of trade

3. Songhai Larger than Ghana and Mali Sought after wealth, not military power Moroccans invaded 1591 and ended empire

Eastern African City-States

East Coast of Africa had many important trading ports Each port an important city state Since time of roman empire still thriving today Outlets for ivory, gold, iron and animal skins

Shared similar culture: Arab Persian African

Shared similar language: Swahili

Prospered for centuries until pressure from Europeans & interior tribes

Kilwa- “ one of most beautiful and well constructed towns of the world”

Flourished between 1100-1500 AD

Received goods from inland tribes; sold them to Arab sea traders

Grew in wealth and culture

Benin- Forest Kingdom

Southern Nigeria flourished 1300s-1800s

Provided goods for eastern cities to sell

Produced fine statues and relief sculptures in bronze

African Culture

Family – basic social unit Polygamy was common Family Clan Tribe (Ethnic Group)

Religion Areas of Christianity and Islam Tribal Religions = One big god, many smaller gods

Human sacrifice to keep gods happy

Livelihood Farming/herding Trading- gold, ivory, animal skins

Europeans sail into port cities to trade Slave trade demands more slaves

Main reason for European contact with Africa after 1500s