3.+Yuan+Dynasty+(Mongols)

​ ​​**Terms to Know

Genghis Khan: Called "universal ruler" in 1206, ruled the Mongol Empire. Pax Mongolica: Also called "Mongol Peace" is a term used to guarentee safe travel for traders. Kublai Khan: The grandson of Genghis Khan, he assumed the thrown in 1260. Yuan Dynasty: Founded by Kublai Khan, it lasted till 1368 till it was overthrown. Marco Polo: Venetian trader who traveled by caravan on the Silk Roads with his father and uncle. **

- 1206-1227 Genghis Khan - 1229-1241 Ögedei Khan - 1246-1248 Güyük Khan - 1251-1259 Möngke Khan - 1260-1294 Kublai Khan - 1333–1370 Toghan Temur (Last one)
 * Date of the dynasty:** 1206–1368
 * Significant leaders:**


 * Trade networks**

Mongolia prized their commercial and trade relationships with neighboring economies and this policy they continued during the process of their conquests and during the expansion of their empire. All merchants and ambassadors having proper documentation and authorization, traveling through their empire were protected. This greatly increased overland trade. During the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, European traders, numbering hundreds, maybe even thousands, made their way from Europe to the distant land of China. Marco Polo is only one of the best known of these. Well traveled and relatively well maintained roads linked lands from the Mediterranean Sea to China. The Mongol Empire had negligible influence on seaborne trade. Despite the u nofficial Franco-Mongol alliance, trade of Western Europe especially Italians with the Mongol territories had rapidly increased since the 1300's. They established their routes, markets and guilds in China, Russia, Crimea and Iran under the Mongols.


 * Social Stucture**

Mongolians, unlike the settled agriculturalists to the south, have never valued complex extended families, and in the 1980s most lived in nuclear families composed of a married couple, their children, and perhaps a widowed parent. Among traditional herders, each married couple occupied its own tent, and sons usually received their share of the family herd at the time of their marriage. The usual pattern was for one son, often, but not necessarily, the youngest, to inherit the headship of the parental herd and tent, while other sons formed new families with equivalent shares of the family herd; daughters married out to other families.

Mongols were highly tolerant of most religions, and often sponsored several at the same time. At the time of Genghis Khan, virtually every religion had found converts, from Buddhism to Christianity to Islam. To avoid strife, Genghis Khan set up an institution that ensured complete religious freedom, though he himself was a shamanist. Under his administration, all religious leaders were exempt from taxation, and from public service. Mongol emperors organized competitions of religious debates among clerics with a large audience. Initially there were few formal places of worship, because of the nomadic lifestyle. However, under Ögedei, several building projects were undertaken in Karakorum. Along with palaces, Ogodei built houses of worship for the Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, and Taoist followers. The dominant religion at that time was Shamanism, Tengriism and Buddhism , although Ogodei's wife was a Christian. Later, three of the four principal khanates embraced Islam.
 * Religion**

Women's advice actually changed the course of the Mongol Empire. Women played a very important role in the economy, they took care of the animals if need be. The Mongols had total male mobility for warfare. This made the Mongols a more fearful force than they might have been. Women also played a role in the military. Many women who actually took part in battle were mentioned in Mongol, Chinese, and Persian chronicles. Women were trained for the military. Mongol women had rights and privileges that were not accorded to most East Asian women. Mongol women had the right to own property and to divorce. Although we don't know about ordinary Mongol women, we do know about prominent Mongol women among the elite. They were mentioned repeatedly in Mongol, Chinese, and European chronicles of the 13th century.
 * Gender Roles**


 * Internal threats**

There were many internal threats that slowed the Mongols, one of which when the people revolted and almost killed the ruler. They are not exactly sure who was promoting the threats to the ruler.


 * External Threats **

Many external threats that happened against the Mongols were the people that they would fight were sometimes stronger then the Mongol Army. So the Mongols would be put to the test and would have to attempt to fight even though they have less men.


 * Military Warfare**

The Mongol warrior used to wear Chinese silk underwear, if it could be obtained. One would not normally consider underwear to be military equipment, but the fact is that silk is a very tough substance. If arrows are shot from a larger distance, they will not easily penetrate the silk. Even if an arrow penetrates the human skin, the silk may hold, so that the arrow can be drawn out from the wound by pulling the silk around. This would also prevent poison from entering the bloodstream. Each rider had a sharpening stone for keeping the metal arms in top shape. Since self-sufficiency was the order of the day, in addition to the indispensable knife an awl, needle and thread were carried by each rider, to enable quick and effective repair of almost any type of equipment in the field. Each warrior carried a battle axe, a curved sword known as scimitar; a lance, and two versions of their most famous weapon: The Mongol recurved bow. One of the bows was light and could be fired rapidly from horseback, the other one was heavier and designed for long-range use from a ground position.

[] [] [|en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_Empire] [] [] Sources: World History Book Culture Grams
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