Pastoral Peoples on the Global Stage

The Mongol Moment 1200-1500

o Pastoralism (334)

Occurred where productive farming was

difficult or impossible

Pastoral nomads learned to use the milk,

blood, wool, hides, and meat of their animals

to occupy lands that couldn’t support

agriculture

Horses, Camels, goats, sheep, cattle,

etc.

- Provided new baggage and

transportation

possibilities.

- How did pastoral nomads use animals to survive? In

what ways was the use of animals innovative?

- Look at the table on pg. 335, Why do you think the

nomads with cattle, goats, and sheep made a bigger

impact on the world than those with reindeer?

Occurred in grasslands of inner Eurasia,

Arabian Deserts and sub-Saharan Africa.

America didn’t have enough large animals

that could be domesticated.

o Pastoral Societies (334-335)

Differed from agricultural communities and

civilizations.

-How did pastoral societies differ from agricultural

societies?

Less productive economies

Smaller populations due to need for

large grazing areas

People lived in small, scattered

encampments other than villages and

cities, characteristics of agrarian

society.

Clans

- Nomads organized themselves in

kinship-based groups or clans that

would occasionally form a tribe.

- Valued equality but some people

ranked as noble or commoner

depending on owning flocks.

In what ways did women in pastoral societies have more

freedom than those in agricultural societies?

Higher status for women

- Fewer restrictions, greater role in

public life

- Involved in productive labor and

retained domestic responsibility

with children and food.

- Cared for smaller animals, though

rarely owned livestock.

- No negative connotations with

remarriage among Mongols and could

initiate divorce

- Mongol women served as political

advisers and involved in military

affairs. All wore trousers.

o Mobility (336)

Most characteristic feature of pastoral

society.

Life dictated by local environmental

conditions and turning un-edible grass

into food and energy.

Nomads gain name by being constantly on the

move

Why were the pastoral societies constantly on the move?

Follow seasonal changes in vegetation

and water supply

Dependent or connected to their

agricultural neighbors

- Access to foodstuffs, manufactured

goods, and luxury items from

farming communities and urban

areas.

- Caused creation of tribal

confederations or nomadic states to

effectively deal with powerful

agricultural societies (mongols)

o Constructing large pastoral states (337)

- Lack of wealth to buy professional

armies and independence of pastoral

clans made political unity

difficult.

What military advantages aided the creation of pastoral

states?

Charismatic leaders (Chinggis/ Ghengis Khan)

could form tribal alliances to create

powerful states.

Military advantages

Raised with horseback-riding/ hunting

skills.

Ability to extract wealth through

raiding, trading, or extortion.

Interaction with agricultural neighbors

Became acquainted with and practiced

various religions

- Pastoral leader would regularly

adopt a religion for political

purposes and his people would

follow.

Mastery of environments unsuitable for

agriculture

Used animals to inhabit the grasslands

and deserts of Afro-Eurasia

- Horseback riding allowed ability to

move larger herds quicker and

longer.

- Made vast nomadic empires across

the steppes possible.

New technologies

- Horse harnesses, saddles, compound

bow, armor, swords, etc.

o Xiongnu: An Early Nomadic Empire (338)

Lived in the Mongolian steppes north of China

and created a huge military confederation

from Manchuria into Central Asia.

Provoked by Chinese penetration of their

territory

Created a revolution for nomadic life

Lead by Modun (reigned 210-174 B.C.E.)

Unified fragmented socieities and

survived off of tributes from Chinese

and other nomadic tribes.

- Forced Han dynasty emperor Wen to

acknowledge equality of Xiongnu.

Created a model that would be used by Turkic

and Mongol Empires and played a role in the

collapse of already weakened Chinese and

Roman empires.

o The Arabs and the Turks (339)

During era of third-wave civilizations, Arab,

Berber, Turk, and Mongol nomads made most

significant mark on world history.

Turks spread Islam to new regions

Nomads shaped and were shaped by

societies they conquered.

Arabs (339)

Developed a camel saddle between 500 and

100 B.C.

How did the development of the camel saddle aid Arab

conquest?

- Enabled Bedouin (Desert-dwelling)

Arabs to fight better, allowing

them to control rich trade routes

for incense through Arabia and

serve as shock troops of Islamic

expansion.

- Encouraged creation of Arab Empire

by nomadic creation

Turkish speaking people

Never a single people, migrated from

Mongolia and southern Siberia westward.

Created series of nomadic empires

between 552 and 965 C.E.

- Fragile alliances headed by

“kaghan”. Troops called “wolves”.

- Confronted great civilizations to

the south (China, Persia,

Byzantium) and raided, allied,

traded with, and extorted them for

tribute payments.

- Spread Turkish culture to agrarian

societies.

In what ways were the Turks influenced by other cultures?

How did Islam play into what happened to them?

Turks convert to Islam between 10th and

14th centuries.

- Become 3rd major carrier of Islam

behind Arabs and Persians.

- Established Islamic civilization as

they migrated south into the Middle

East. Invasion of India brings it

there and Anatolia previously ruled

by Christian Byzantium.

- Served as first slave soldiers in

the Abbasid caliphate then took

political and military power

themselves.

- Turkish rulers use title of sultan

instead of kaghan and exerted real

power.

- Turks transform from pastoral

nomads to sedentary farmers as they

rule their new empires. Don’t

revert back to old ways.

o Masai of East Africa (340)

Unify people through circumcision

Initiates them in ritual, creates a bond

and “age-set”, mobilizes them for

military purposes, integrates outsiders

into the community and creates large

social identity.

Viewed pastoralism as a superior way of life.

Saw farming as demeaning and destroys

land potentially used for grazing.

Saw farmers only good for beer, wives,

and food for herding peoples.

Agricultural people saw Masai as

aggressive and lazy.

Accepted others into their culture.

Outsiders could become Masai by

obtaining cattle, learning the language,

giving a woman for Masai marriage, etc.

How did Masai interactions with other cultures influence

themselves and others?

Dependent on those practicing other ways of

life

Needed hunters for skins, bows and

arrows, and honey for ritual ceremonies.

Often traded their cattle’s meat, blood

and milk

Intermarriage and military alliance

brought Masai close to farmers such as

Gikuyu.

Masai success helped spread their

culture to agricultural societies such

as hairstyles and the name for their

High God.

o The Mongol Empire (342)

13th century breakout leads to largest land-

based empire in human history, from pacific

coast of Asia to Eastern Europe.

- Brough nomadic peoples of steppes

with agricultural civilizations of

outer Eurasia, and Europe, China,

and Islamic world in contact with

eachother.

What unique characteristics did the Mongols have in running

their empire?

- Introduced no new world religion or

civilization and never tried to

spread their own faith to their

subjects.

- Offered conquered people little

more than status of defeated.

- Put those with skills to work.

- Eventually swallowed up by

expanding Russian or Chinese

empires.

o Rise of the Mongol Empire (344)

Chinggis Khan (1162-1227)

- Originally known as Temujin.

Chinggis Khan means “Universal

Ruler”.

- Born into world of feuding tribes.

His father was a minor chieftain of

a noble clan who was murdered

before Temujin was 10.

What events aided Chinggis Khan in becoming the Mongol

leader?

- Inclination to rely on friends

rather than ties of kinship brought

him allies and support from Chinese

patrons who wanted to keep the

nomads separated. Military victory

over rival tribe recognized him as

a chief.

Factors for rise to power

- Shifting alliances

- Betrayals

- Military victories

- Reputation as a leader

- Incorporation of defeated into his

army.

Becomes supreme leader of a now Great

Mongol Nation in 1206.

Expansion under Chinggis Khan

Expansion toward China (source of great

wealth for nomads)

- 12-9 first major attack on

agricultural society south of

Mongolia starts Mongol world war.

- Chinggis, his sons and grandsons

construct empire containing China,

Korea, Central Asia, Russia, some

of the Islamic Middle East and

parts of Eastern Europe.

Setbacks (set outer limits of the Mongol

Empire)

- Winthdrawal from Eastern Europe

- Defeat in Egypt

- Failure of invasion of Japan due to

typhoons

- Difficulty of penetrating tropical

jungles of Southeast Asia.

What factors lead to the success in Chinggis’ expansion of

the empire? Military? Economic?

o How they did it.

- China outnumbered Mongols 100 to 1

and had greater resources.

Military

Mongol armies better led, organized, and

disciplined.

Conquered tribes assimilated the

defeated into their units.

- Mostly nomads, supplied cavalry

forces, Chinese made up artillery

crews and agricultural peoples

supplied infantry and artillery

forces.

- Others served as laborers, building

roads and bridges as well as moving

supplies.

- Discipline enforced by policy

stating if one soldier runs away

the entire unit would be killed.

Leaders’ willingness to share hardships

- “I eat the same food and am dressed

in the same rags as my humble

herdsmen… I am always in the

forefront, and in battle I am never

at the rear.” – Chinggis Khan.

- Made elaborate tactics, retreat and

deception possible.

Wealth from conquered civilizations

- Raised standard of living of

Mongols, making them more loyal.

Reputation

- Ruthless brutality and destructive.

- Chinggis Policy, “whoever submits

shall be spared, but those who

resist, they shall be destroyed

with their wives, children and

dependents.”

- Mongols wipe out kingdom of

Khwarizm whose ruler offended

Chinggis. Their women were

enslaved and men used as human

shields and fill for crossing

moats.

- Chinggis would often annihilate an

entire population if it was too

troubling.

- Served as psychological warfare to

encourage early surrender.

Economic Systemization (347)

Ability to mobilize human and material

resources.

- Census taking showed leaders what

was available and allowed for

taxation of conquered people.

- System of relay stations provided

rapid communication across empire

and fostered trade as well.

- Scribes translated official decrees

into various languages of the

empire.

Mongol rulers would offer 10 percent

above asking price and free use of the

relay stations to merchants to maintain

trade relations.

Welcomed and supported various religions

as long as they didn’t lead to political

opposition.

o Encounters with the Mongols (348)

China and the Mongols

Most difficult and lengthy Mongol

conquest (1209-79)

- Destructive in Northern China with

plunder on a massive scale, but

less violent in southern China.

Let Landowners keep their land for

support. Lead some to believe

Mongols granted the Mandate of

Heaven and were legitimate rulers.

Mongol-controlled China

- Mongols decide to extract as much

wealth as possible from China.

- Accommodation to Chinese culture

and governance.

- Used Chinese taxation techniques

and postal system. Gave themselves

the dynastic title of “Yuan”, and

transferred their capital from

Karakorum to what is now Beijing.

Khubilai Khan

- Ruler of Mongol China from 1271 to

1294, grandson of Chinggis Khan.

How did Khubilai Khan rule China? What positive aspects did

he have on the Chinese?

- Improved roads, built canals,

lowered taxes, limited death

penalty, adopted Buddhism for

political support.

Holding onto customs

- Mongols did not become chinese, and

still practiced steppe life in the

Forbidden City, where they slept in

tents and herded animals.

- Didn’t practice foot binding and

discriminated against Chinese in

law.

- Didn’t learn Chinese, brought in

muslims or Eurasian subjects to

serve as officials

End of Mongol Rule by 1368

What lead to the Mongols losing control of China?

- Factionalism among Mongols

- Rising prices

- Plague epidemic

- Growing peasant rebellion

o Persia and the Mongols (350)

- More abrupt and destructive than

conquest of Song dynasty China

- Mongols viewed as infidels to

Muslims and their victory was a

shock due to the Muslims vast

intellect and Mongols’ savage

tendencies

Sacking of Baghdad in 1258 ends Abbasid Caliphate and

results in death of 200,000 people.

Damage to Persian and Iraqi agriculture and their

peasant farmers.

How did Mongol rule damage Persian agriculture? What

were the effects?

Taxation and torture pushes lots of them

off their land.

Agricultural land turned into pasture

and sometimes desert for Mongol animals

Resulted in the Wine production

increasing and silk industry increasing

due to relation with Mongol-ruled China.

Assimilation to Persian customs

In what ways did the Mongols assimilate into Persian

culture?

Made use of Persian bureaucracy allowing

most government operations to remain

being run by Persians.

Rebuilt damaged cities and repaired

neglected irrigation works.

Conquering Mongols became Muslim

Learned some Persian

Some abandoned nomadic ways and became

farmers

Mongols weren’t driven out of Persia but

instead assimilated into Persian

society. Differed greatly from

experience in China.

o Russia and the Mongols (352)

Begins around 1237.

Why was the Mongol invasion in Russia more destructive than

invasions in China and Persia?

Mongols encounter a dis-unified Russia where

independent princes failed to fight off the Mongol

invaders.

More destructive than experiences in

China and Persia

- Mongols now armed with catapults

and battering rams adopted from

Chinese or Muslim sources

Russia’s incorporation into Mongol Empire

Laborers and craftsmen deported to work

in other Mongol lands

Mongols didn’t establish permanent

residency or administration in Russia

Why didn’t the Mongols occupy Russia during their rule?

- Not located on major trade routes

- Economy not nearly as developed as

other civilizations

- Location of the steppes meant they

could rule from there while still

easily reaching Russian cities.

- Not worth expense of occupation and

had little to offer.

How did some Russian citizens/ institutions benefit from the

Mongols?

Russian princes received appointment

from Khan to pay tributes to Mongols at

Sarai, some would exploit this for

personal wealth.

Russian Orthodox Church benefitted from

Mongol religious tolerance and was

exempted from taxes.

Uncooperative cities such as Kiev were

destroyed. Others like Moscow who

emerged as the primary collector of

tribute for the Mongols grew and

prepared itself for the large role it’d

have in the renewed Russian State during

the 15th century.

Absence of direct Mongol rule (353)

Mongols less influenced by Russian

cultures.

- Allowed themselves to assimilate to

Islamic culture of the Kipchaks in

the steppes.

Russians influenced by Mongols. Used

their weapons, rituals, taxation

systems, and their mounted courier

service.

End of Mongol rule in Russia during late 15th century

Divisions among Mongols

Growing strength of Russian state in

Moscow

Mongols retreat into Eurasia, last

large-scale Mongol invasion.

o Mongol influence on a world economy (354)

What are some examples of the Mongols influencing a world

economy?

Mongols constantly promoted international commerce

for taxing and extracting wealth from more developed

civilizations.

Provided a secure environment for

merchants by providing financial backing

for caravans, introducing standardized

weights and measurements, and gave

merchants tax breaks

Brought the two ends of Eurasia closer

together and launched a new phase in the

history of the Silk Roads.

Mongol ruled China connected overland

route through the Mongol Empire with

oceanic routes through South China Sea

and Indian Ocean.

Diplomatic relationships in Eurasia

How did the Mongol presence promote diplomatic relationships

in Eurasia?

1241-1242 Mongols destroy Polish,

German, and Hungarian forces and prepare

to march on Western Europe until Great

Khan Ogodei dies and they return to

Mongolia

- Pope and European rulers send

delegations to Mongol Capital to

secure Christian crusade assistance

against Islam.

- Brings back info about eastern

lands

- Persia and China gain relations

from being ruled by Mongols.

o Cultural Exchange in the Mongol Realm (356)

Exchange of peoples and cultures.

How did the Mongols influence cultural exchange in Eurasia?

What effects did it have?

Mongol policy moves craftsmen and

educated from conquered homelands to

distant parts of the empire.

Mongol religious tolerance and support

of merchants brings people in willingly

- Mongol capital of Karakorum becomes

a cosmopolitan city like Medina.

Exchange of ideas brings Chinese

technology and artistic conventions

westward.

- Europe which was less

technologically developed then Asia

benefits greatly.

o The Plague (357)

Bacteria spread across trade routes during the early

14th century

Carried by rodents and transmitted by fleas to humans

Infected died in a few days

How did the plague change European society? In what ways

did it improve?

wiped out 1/3-2/3 of Europe’s

population and played a role in ending

Mongol rule in China.

Erupted in 1331 in N.E. China

1346 Mongols used catapults to hurl

corpses infected with the plague into

the city of Caffa in the Crimea

- First documented case of biological

warfare

India and sub-Saharan Africa less affected

Italy practices quarantines and organized burials to

contain disease.

Belief that it was the end of the world lead to

attacks on Jews who some held as responsible for

spreading the disease. Sends them fleeing to Poland

where a flourishing Jewish culture developed.

Changes to European Society

Labor shortages

Peasant revolts

Less people trading and certain cities

failing due to low population

Mongols lose control of Chinese, Persian

and Russian civilizations.

Disruption of land based routes run by

Mongols leads to Europeans navigating

the seas to get to Asia. Naval

technology increases, military advantage

over mongols