Wait For It...The Mongols!: Crash Course World History #17

CrashCourse
17 May 201211:31
EducationalLearning
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TLDRJohn Green discusses the Mongols, historically viewed as brutal and barbaric warriors yet recently reevaluated by historians as tolerant empire builders who reinvigorated Silk Road trade. Green analyzes arguments portraying Genghis Khan as an innovative leader meritocratically promoting administrators. However, Mongols were also extremely violent conquerors responsible for slaughtering millions. Their empire promoted diversity and commerce yet didn't last and lacked cultural output. Ultimately perspectives on Mongols reveal much about individual values regarding lasting imperialism versus temporary cultural flowering.

Takeaways
  • 😀 The Mongols were nomadic herders known for being tough and skilled at archery due to their harsh lifestyle.
  • 👍 Genghis Khan united the Mongol tribes through meritocracy and by bringing lower classes into his tribe.
  • 🔥 The Mongols had an effective military built on speed, archery, adaptation, and terror.
  • 🌏 At its peak, the Mongol Empire stretched from Eastern Europe to the East China Sea.
  • ✈️ The Mongols reinvigorated trade and communication networks across Eurasia.
  • 😷 The Mongols may have been responsible for spreading the Black Death to Europe.
  • 💀 The Mongols were extremely brutal conquerors who killed millions.
  • ⏳ Their empire fractured after 80 years and they blended into local populations.
  • 🤔 The Mongols promoted both trade/diversity and slaughter/destruction.
  • 😉 Evaluating the Mongols reveals one's own values regarding imperialism, warfare, etc.
Q & A

  • Who was Temüjin and what important role did he play?

    -Temüjin was the birth name of Genghis Khan. He united the Mongol tribes, promoted people based on merit, brought lower classes into his tribe while removing previous leaders, and built loyalty so he could lead the Mongols to conquer much territory.

  • How did the Mongols choose their leader?

    -A prospective ruler would call a Kurultai, which was a general council meeting. Anyone supporting that leader's rule would attend on their horses, literally voting with their feet by showing up.

  • What two key innovations helped Genghis Khan unite the Mongols?

    -First, he promoted people based on merit rather than family position. Second, he brought lower classes of conquered people into his own tribe while removing the previous leaders.

  • Why were the Mongols so adept at conquering territories and empires?

    -The Mongol army was very mobile, relying on speed and archery from their mounted warriors. They were also quick to adapt and learn siege warfare and other techniques from prisoners and conquered peoples.

  • How did the Mongols facilitate trade and communication across Eurasia?

    -They reinvigorated the Silk Road trading routes and kept their empire safe for travelers. They also developed a pony express-style messaging system called the Yam.

  • What evidence shows the Mongols valued and encouraged religious tolerance?

    -People of many different religions including Muslims, Buddhists and Christians were found prospering in the Mongol Empire. The Mongols followed their own shamanist beliefs tied to their homeland but didn't expect others to convert.

  • What are some brutal acts associated with the Mongols?

    -They slaughtered entire cities and towns, with estimated deaths in the millions in some accounts. Genghis Khan also defined happiness as vanquishing enemies and making them suffer.

  • Why didn't the Mongol empire last over the long term?

    -It split into four Khanates after Genghis Khan's death. His successors failed to make a unified political empire. Within 80 years the Yuan Dynasty left China and the Il-Khanate blended into Persian culture.

  • How might the Mongols have been responsible for spreading the Black Death plague?

    -By opening trade networks they spread disease vectors, possibly via infected rats on ships trading across the Black Sea with Europe.

  • What aspects of the Mongols challenge common perceptions about them?

    -While brutal, they promoted diversity, religious tolerance, trade and communication routes. Some argue they were a precursor to modern globalization trends despite their violence.

Outlines
00:00
😃 Genghis Khan Builds the Mongol Empire

Paragraph 1 discusses the rise of Genghis Khan, who united the Mongol tribes and built an enormous empire. It covers how he promoted people based on merit, not family ties, earned the loyalty of common people, and was elected leader of all Mongols. It also describes how he conquered huge amounts of territory before his death in 1227.

05:04
😮 16 Million Descendants of Genghis Khan Alive Today

Paragraph 2 notes there are 16 million direct descendants of Genghis Khan alive today. It explains that his empire fell apart into 4 main khanates after his death. Like Alexander the Great's empire, it did not remain a unified political entity.

10:09
🤔 Evaluating the Mongols: Good or Bad?

Paragraph 3 analyzes whether the Mongols should be viewed positively or negatively. It presents arguments for both sides: they increased trade and communication but also slaughtered millions. It poses thoughtful questions about weighing different historical impacts.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Mongols
The Mongols were a pastoral nomadic group from central Asia that conquered massive amounts of territory under leaders like Genghis Khan. They were skilled warriors and adaptable conquerors, creating one of the largest land empires in history. However, their empire eventually declined due to a lack of long-term administrative organization.
💡Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan was the leader who first united the Mongol tribes in 1206 AD and led them on a series of successful military campaigns to control territory from China to Persia. He implemented innovative policies that promoted loyalty and helped him consolidate an empire across Asia.
💡Conquests
The Mongols rapidly conquered massive areas of land under leaders like Genghis Khan and his descendants. At their peak, they controlled over 11 million contiguous square miles in just 25 years, creating political instability in many regions.
💡Cavalry
The Mongols had an effective and mobile cavalry that utilized speed and archery to overcome opponents. Their expert horsemanship and archery attack formation acted like 'fast tanks' that could quickly adapt siege warfare methods.
💡Trade
The Mongols strongly promoted trade across their empire, leading to economic and cultural exchange on the Silk Road trading routes between Asia and Europe. This included the spread of goods, ideas, art, cuisine and more.
💡Religious Tolerance
The Mongols were relatively tolerant towards multiple religions including Islam, Buddhism and Christianity. They did not force their subjects to convert as they tied their native religion to Mongolian land.
💡Yam System
This was a messenger system the Mongols developed using postal stations and riders to quickly relay information across their vast empire. It enabled long-distance administrative communication.
💡Khanates
After Genghis Khan's death, the Mongol empire split into four main political units called Khanates ruled by different leaders/descendants. These were the Yuan Dynasty, Il-Khanate, Chagatai Khanate and Golden Horde.
💡Pax Mongolica
This refers to the 'Mongol Peace' - a period of stability and safety for trade during much of Mongol rule. According to legends, a traveler could supposedly journey safely with gold on their head.
💡Black Death
The Mongols likely contributed to the spread of the bubonic plague or Black Death to Europe and Asia by facilitating long-distance trade and travel that exposed more civilizations to the disease.
Highlights

The Mongols conquered more land in 25 years than the Romans did in 400.

Genghis Khan promoted people based on merit rather than family position.

The Mongols chose their rulers by having candidates call a general council, with supporters literally voting with their feet by showing up on horseback.

By the time Genghis Khan died in 1227, his empire stretched from Mongolia to the Caspian Sea.

If the Mamluks hadn't stopped the Mongols at Ain Jalut, they probably would have taken all of North Africa.

There are 16 million direct descendants of Genghis Khan alive today.

Mongol mounted archers were like super fast tanks compared to the foot soldiers and knights they were up against.

The Mongols increased communication by developing a pony express-like system of way stations to quickly relay information across their empire.

The Mongols forcibly relocated useful people like artists, musicians and administrators around their empire, creating cross-cultural pollination.

The Mongols were tolerant of different religions and didn't expect conquered people to adopt their shamanist beliefs.

Genghis Khan: "The greatest happiness is to vanquish your enemies, to chase them before you, to rob them of their wealth..."

Historians estimate the numbers killed by the Mongols to be in the millions.

Within 80 years, the Mongols had left China and blended into Persian society so much they'd taken up agriculture.

The Mongols were likely responsible for spreading the Black Death by opening up trade routes that carried infected fleas.

What you think about the Mongols says a lot about you - do you value diversity over destruction?

Transcripts

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