Nomadic Empires and Eurasian Integration

Chapter 18

Nomadic Environment & Economy

Not enough rain for large-scale agriculture

Humans can’t survive on grasses and shrubs

Drove herds and flocks where there is grass

Followed migratory cycles Lived in tents (yurts) Dense populations only at oases Some craft production Had to trade Led caravan routes across central

Asia

Nomadic Society

Nobles and Commoners Clans and tribes looked after their

own affairs During wartime, nobles had absolute

authority Social classes were fluid; there was

movement up and down

Nomadic Religion

Shamans Attracted to religions they

encountered through trade Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity,

Manichaeism Many converted to Islam in the 10th

century and their migration spread Islam

Nomadic Military Organization

Khan=ruler Massive military power due to

cavalry Great mobility, well-organized Able to conquer others easily

Turkish Empires (Persia)

Mid-eighth to mid-ninth centuries, lived on borders of the Abbasid realm

By mid-tenth century, Saljuq Turks in Abbasid army and living in realm

By mid-eleventh century, Saljuqs overshadowed Abbasid caliphs; Tughril Beg was sultan; caliphs were figureheads and power was held by Turkish sultans

Turkish Empires (Anatolia)

Turks began migrating there by 11th century

Battle of Manzikert victory allowed Turks to take over most of Anatolia

Many people converted to Islam

Turkish Empires (India)

Mahmud of Ghazni led Ghaznavid Turks of Afghanistan into northern India

First they came to plunder, but then they took political power

Mahmud of Ghazni was a zealous foe of Hinduism and Buddhism

By 13th century, the Sultanate of Delhi controlled all of northern India

Chinggis Khan and the Making of the Mongol Empire

High steppe lands of eastern central Asia

Kin groups organized into families, clans, and tribes; difficult to organize into a large-scale, united society

Temujin: unifier, father forged alliances but was poisoned by rivals, poverty and capture, worked alliances with “diplomacy”, in 1206 became Chinggis Khan.

Broke up tribes and forced men to join new military units not based on tribal affiliation

Officials chosen by merit and loyalty Capital and palace at Karakorum

(Har Horin) Mongol population only about 1

million, army only about 125,000 at most

Equestrian skills, bows and arrows, fast traveling, slaughtered those who resisted

In 1211, Mongols invaded northern China under the Jurchen (Song Dynasty)

In 1219, Mongols conquered Afghanistan and Persia after shah refused to open trade relations, destroyed cities, massacred people

Chinggis Khan ruled through his military but didn’t set up an administration to control the conquered land

Mongol Empires after Chinggis Khan

Realm divided into four regional empires after his death

The Great Khans of China: Khubilai worked to improve welfare of subjects, promoted Buddhism and other religions, built roads, extended Mongol rule to all of China, Yuan dynasty 1279-1368, did not extend rule any farther, did not allow intermarriage of Mongols and Chinese, ended Confucian examination system, some Mongols adopted Lamaist Buddhism

The Golden Horde of Russia: did not occupy Russia but demanded tribute from them until the mid-15th century when the princes of Moscow refused

The Ilkhanate of Persia: Hulegu (Khubilai’s brother) toppled the Abbasid empire, Mongols allowed Persians to run government except for the highest positions, adopted Persian culture especially Islam

The Khanate of Chaghatai in central Asia: ruled by son of Chinggis Khan, thrived until the 18th century

Mongols and Eurasian Integration Courier network Volume of trade through central Asia

increased, as merchants could travel safely across the entire Eurasian landmass

Diplomatic embassies Missionaries sent out by Islam (Sufis),

Lamaist Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity and Roman Catholic Church

Moved skilled artisans, craftsmen and educated people around in their realm; took censuses

Decline of Mongols in Persia and China

In Persia: excessive spending, overexploitation of the peasants, failed attempt to introduce paper money, fighting amongst Mongol leadership, no heir, rule ended after 1335

In China: inflation, infighting, bubonic plague, rebellion of the Chinese, by 1368 the Mongols fled

Tamerlane the Whirlwind

Tamerlane: Turkish conqueror, Timur the lame, modeled himself after Chinggis Khan, first extended authority throughout khanate of Chagatai, then Persia and Afghanistan, then Caucasus Mountains and India, conqueror not an administrator, died in 1405

His empire turned into the Mughal, Safavid and Ottoman empires.

Foundation of Ottoman Empire

Osman: created a small state in north-west Anatolia and declared independence in 1299

Followers were Ottomans By the 1380s the Ottomans had a

strong foothold on the Balkan Peninsula

In 1453, they captured the Byzantine capital of Constantinople and made it their capital called Istanbul