Chapter 13:
Western Eurasia, 1200-1500
Maps
Map
of the Mongol Empire at the death of Genghis Khan, 1227The
Mongol Empires, 1200-1480This map provides a global perspective.
Maps
of the Mongol EmpireThis site includes three maps detailing the expansion
of the Mongol Empire and its various components.
The
Mongol Empire in the Thirteenth CenturyThe best map of the Mongol
Empire on the Internet. It includes tributary states and invasion
routes.
CNN:
Millenium SeriesClick on "Thirteenth Century" and then "Map" for this
interactive map detailing Mongol Expansion. This site requires
Shockwave.
The
Mongol EmpiresThis map includes Marco Polo's travel route.
Route
of the Polos A large black and white map with extensive detail.
The
Il-Khan Empire of Hulegu, 1294The
Timurid Empire, The Mamluk Sultanate, and the Ottoman Empire, 1405
Images
The
Metropolitan Museum of Art: Special Exhibition, Riding across Central Asia:
Images of the Mongolian Horse in Islamic ArtVirtual
Mongol: HistoryThis site provides contemporary images of Mongol horsemen,
soldiers, etc.
Virtual
Mongol: NatureExplore the topography of the Mongol homeland through
these contemporary images.
Nadaam
FestivalMongolian
ArcherGenghis
KhanThe
Silent CityView images of the ruins of a fortified town in Central Asia
that was captured by Genghis Khan. All of its inhabitants were put
to death.
Marco
PoloIslamic
Art: Late Medieval ArtObserve and learn about Islamic Art during
the period of Mongol intrusion into the Middle East and Central Asia.
Persian
Art Through the Centuries: The Mongol Il-Khans, 1256-1394A comprehensive
site covering artistic developments during this period in Iranian history.
Persian
Art Through the Centuries: The Timurids, 1387-1502A companion to
the previous site.
Miniatures:
Mongols and Painting under the Jala'irObserve these examples of Persian
art originating during the reign of the Il-Khans and Timurids.
Timurid
Architecture in SamarkandThis site provides many images of structures
built in the Central Asian city of Samarkand during the reign of Timur.
The
State Hermitage Museum: Oriental Art, the Golden HordeThis site contains
several images of Russian artwork from the period of the Golden Horde.
CNN
Millennium SeriesClick "Thirteeth Century" and the "Multimedia Recap"
for
Quicktime video clips that explore Eurasian historical developments
during this time.
Activity One:The Mongol Empire was the largest land-based
empire the world has ever known. What began as a tribal confederacy
under Genghis Khan (see
Map
of the Mongol Empire at the death of Genghis Khan, 1227) grew to dominate
the Eurasian continent. See
The
Mongol Empire in the Thirteenth Century. This map demonstrates
two things. First, the Mongol Empire was not truly an empire like
Rome or the Tang. There was no one central government.
Instead, the Mongols divided their conquest into several smaller, and more
manageable units. Second, Mongol influence reached beyond the areas
they controlled. Note the tributary states on this map. The
map at
Route of the
Polos shows the trade routes that crisscrossed the Mongol demains.
Make a list of all the civilizations the Mongols influenced between 1200
and 1500. Your list should include both large and small traditions
such as the Islamic world and Persia. Which groups were
directly influenced? Which were indirectly influenced? The
map at
The
Mongol Empires, 1200-1480 provides a global perspective. This
chapter explores the impact of the Mongols in Western Eurasia, or more
specifically, Western Europe, Russia, and the Islamic World of the Middle
East and Central Asia.
Activity Two:The essay at
The
Islamic World to 1600: The Mongol Invasion explores the areas in Western
and Central Asia that came under the direct rule of Mongol forces in the thirteenth
century. While reading this essay (be sure to visit all the links
provided) keep the following questions in mind. Why did all the Mongol
rulers of these regions eventually convert to Islam? In which kingdom
did the Mongols remain close to their pastoralist roots and why?
Did the Mongols promote order and stability and spread their culture in
this region, such as the Romans did in their empire, or did the more urban
cultures they ruled absorb the Mongols into their own traditions
and outlooks? Did the Mongols hinder or aid the spread of Islam?
Why does your textbook refer to this period in Western and Central Eurasia
as "The Fall and Rise of Islam?" In other words, what eventually
emerged in this part of the world as Mongol power declined?
Activity Three:Most of Europe, except for Russia, was
not directly controlled by Mongol armies. Yet the Mongols had a huge
influence there as well. Go to
The
Path of the Khan and read this essay up to the section "Horsemen of
the Steppe." Scroll down and read the last section "A World Transformed."
Explain how the Mongols allowed for greater European knowledge of the world
to their east. Why was it usually merchants and missionaries who
ventured from Europe into the Mongol realms? Some of these men recorded
their observations of their travels for posterity. For example, go
to
John of Montecorvino.
What were his goals in traveling to the east? For his own account
of his life there, see
Medieval
Sourcebook: Brother John of Monte Corvino: Letter to the Minister General
of the Friars Minor in Rome, c. 1280. Read the essay at
Marco
Polo and his Travels. Why did he venture into Mongol territory?
For his own account of his travels, see
Chinese
Cultural Studies: Marco Polo [1254-1324]: Travels in China. What
do John of Montecorvino and Marco Polo's travel narratives reveal about
European attitudes toward the Mongols and the civilizations they controlled
in Eastern Eurasia? How did their lives, and the lives of many other
European missionaries and merchants, transform the history of Europe in
the long run?
Activity Four:In general, the Mongol conquest brought
the civilizations of the Eurasian continent closer together than ever before.
Go to
Pax Mongolica.
How did the Mongols create this economic integration? What specific
policies did they adapt that allowed for commerce, travel, and the exchange
of ideas? Read the
Legacy
of the Mongols and list several examples of the spread of technology,
ideas, and artistic styles that resulted from
Pax Mongolica.
Which areas benefited the most and which benefited the least from the growth of
Mongol power? Compare and contrast the impact of the Mongols on the Latin West
(western Europe) and the Islamic world. Although each civilization
was strongly affected, which area gained the most benefits from their experiences
with these Central Asian nomads?
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