APWH - MING DYNASTY & MONGOLS

MING DYNASTY & MONGOLS

Mongols

Events

1206 Temujin takes name of Chinggis Khan; Mongol State founded

1215 First Mongol attacks on N. China; Beijing captured

1219-1223 First Mongol invasions of Russia & Islamic world

1227 Death of Chinggis Khan; Ogedei named successor

1234 Mongols take all of N. China, end of Qin Dynasty

1235-1279 Mongol conquest of S. China; end of Southern Song Dynasty

1236-1240 Mongol Conquest of Russia

1240-1241 Mongol invasion of W. Europe

1253 Mongol victory of the Seljuk Turks; rise of Ottoman Turks in ME

1258 Mongol destruction in Baghdad

1260 Mamluk (slave) rulers of Egypt defeat Mongols at Ain Jalut; end of drive west

1260-1294 reign of Kublai Khan in China

1271-1295 Marco Polo’s journey

1271-1368 Yuan Dynasty

1274-1280 Failed Mongol invasions of Japan

1290s First use of guns in China

1336-1405 Life of Timur

Mid-14^th Century Spread of Black Death

Mongol Empire:

-Largest connected empire territorially in history

-Extended from Korea & China in E to ME up to Egypt at its height

-Relatively short lived (1200-1350)

-created by unifying nomadic peoples of C. Asian plateau – use of “terror tactics” & advanced technology to suppress & defeat larger populations

-Mongols usually assimilate to their surrounding cultures

-Chinggis Khan (Temujin) =creator of empire

-Empire is divided into 4 khanates (parts) after Chinggis Khan’s death: Yuan Dynasty (China), Golden Horde (Russia), Il-Khanate (Persia), Central Asia

-Pax Mongolica = “peace of the Mongols” creates a time of connections & ↑trade  throughout Eurasia because the Mongols create stability through intimidation

-Declines due to great size, and rulers are incapable of ruler over such a huge territory, regional rulers tstart to take over

-Women had property rights, served as advisors & generals

Key Points:

-          feared by EUR, ME, India, & China

-          “savage barbarians from the steppes”

-          initiated first direct contact between E & W; safe passage

-          encouraged important cultural exchanges

-          Advanced women’s rights & religious toleration

-          Environmental & economic hardships led to invasions by Seljuk Turks, Ottoman Turks, & Moghuls

• Survival based on well-being of goats
• staple foods= meat & milk of goats from their herds & grain, veggies through trade with sedentary farmers
• dressed in sheepskins, made boots from wool
• tough little ponies for herding & war – skilled horsemanship
• Temujin’s father was poisoned by rival nomadic group => thirst for revenge => Temujin became Chinggis Khan & defeated his enemies => united many nomadic groups through conquest, thus starting empire
• 1206 – at a kuriltai (meeting of all Mongol chieftans); Chinggis Khan was elected to be khagan (supreme ruler)
• skilled archers, skilled horse riders
• Mongol forces were divided into basic fighting units called tumens – used flags & special signal fires as communication & a “pony express” = Yam System
• new weapons= flaming/explosive arrows, gunpowder projectiles, bronze cannons
• forced ruler of Xi Xia kingdom to declare himself a vassal of the khagan & pay a huge tribute → Mongols attacked Qin Empire; exposed to large, fortified cities, but still won
• Muhammad Shah II insulted Chinggis Khan by shaving the heads of the envoys sent, so Chinggis Khan waged war & conquered the Khwarazm
• After the death of Chinggis Khan, the empire was split into 4 parts; split between 3 sons & his grandson Batu – Ogedei (3^rd son) was elected khagan
• Golden Horde (Russia) – named after golden tent of the early khans of the W. sector of the Mongol Empire – Batu conquered Russia
• Mongol ruling over Russia benefited Moscow & Orthodox church due to increased trade, and later on, Russia defeated Timur’s troops at the Battle of Kulikova
• Timur-i Lang/ Timur the Lame= Turk that learned the “terror tactics” & used it to build his own empire that fell in 1405 (his death)

Yuan Dynasty 1279-1368

-          Ruler= Kublai Khan (grandson of Chinggis Khan)

-          Mongols banned Chinese from government positions

-          Chinese were better educated than Mongols

-          Mongols treated foreigners better than native Chinese

-          Marco Polo served as Kublai Khan’s envoy

-          As the Chinese became poorer, nobles revolted & Mongols had less interest holding onto China

-          forbade Chinese to learn Mongol script

-          Mongols were forbidden to marry ethnic Chinese & only women from nomadic families were selected for imperial harem

-          Chinese troops separated from Mongols

-          Tents set up in imperial city (but Kublai Khan lived in Chinese style palaces)

-          capital= Tatu (Beijing)

-          Mongol women refused to accept foot binding

-          Chabi= wife of Kublai Khan – participated in politics

-          Kamikaze= typhoons saved Japan from invasions by Mongols

Ming Dynasty

Trade circuits: Mongols/ Silk Roads (which eventually disappear), East Indian Ocean (India + Southeast Asia ex. Indonesia + Malaysia - also in China Sea trade), China Sea trade (Japan, Korea as well)

Changan- capital of Tang dynasty; population of 2 million

1368- Ming dynasty comes to power in China

Zhu Yuanzhang, a military commander of peasant origins, founded Ming Dynasty and declared himself Hongwu emperor.

1368- 1398- reign of the Hongwu emperor

Immediately tried to get rid of all Mongol traces in China. Discard Mongol dress, names, palaces, administration buildings. Nomads themselves fled beyond the Great Wall. Confucian classics scholars were once appointed again to high positions and civil service exams were restarted and expanded. To promote honesty, loyalty, and discipline, Hongwu had public beatings for corrupt bureaucrats. Improved common people life- promoted public projects, lower force labor. Women played strong background roles- wives could convince Hongwu. However, in society, women settled for what status and respect they have in the family.

1390- Ming restrictions on overseas commerce

1403-1424- Reign of the Yunglo emperor in China >

Yunglo is the third emperor of Ming China. Sent his trusted admiral Zhengze for 7 major expeditions overseas.

1405-1423- Zhenghe expeditions from China to southeast Asia, India, and East Africa

After half a century of ending Zhenghe’s expeditions, China moved from overseas power position to isolated. Europeans and missionaries come in even more. The Jesuit scholars like Matteo Ricci and Adam Schall corrected calendars, forging cannons, fixing clocks and astounding Chinese scholars with accurate instruments.

By late 1500’s Ming retreat from overseas signified decline in the dynasty. Official corruption, public works projects fell to disrepair. The last ming emperor, Chongzhen, did not know that the rebels were serious until they reached the walls of the Forbidden City in 1644.

Ming Dynasty Issues 1368- 1644

Confucian values- Chinese traditional culture- set responsibilities Confucian officials and aristocrats lead.

o    Social Order = Emperor > Nobles/Confucian officials/warriors > peasants > merchants

o    Security against foreign nomadic invasions like (Mongols)

o    Internal trade (China has largest population and most markets)

o    Sinification- making China the dominant culture as its rightful place as the “Middle Kingdom” (Center of the Post-Classical World) - foreign trade and spreading Confucianism

o    Zheng He - Eunuch who was appointed by Ming Emperor to travel + explore and find trade with the rest of Afro-Eurasia, hit Sub-Saharan Africa, maybe South America and Europe. Used large junks (Chinese ships- has compasses) - Big ships, expensive

1371- 1435 - Zheng He - each ship was 400’ long and 160’ wide

bring stuff back for knowledge

• intimidation - Show how Ming dynasty is powerful
• More expensive than Columbus’s ships
• India, southeast Asia, Eastern Africa
• expensive, potential power grab by merchants
• spread of Chinese culture, increase markets
• stopped because it was expensive and don't go with Confucian values.
• Confucianists value classics and language. Merchants do math, science, technology to working class
• money and good life are in books
• lots of memorizing.
• knowledge over trade. don’t leave family
• don’t want merchants having more power than Confucianists