Term
page 318
Kuriltai
(KURL-tuh) |
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Definition
Meeting of all Mongol chieftains at which the supreme ruler of all tribes was selected.
Significance: -determined the next ruler of Mongol tribes
Analyze: -prevented large disputes over successors |
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Term
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Definition
Title of the supreme ruler of the Mongol tribes
Significance: -leader of Mongol tribes
-selected at kuriltai
Analyze: -strong leader was needed to direct Mongol tribes |
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Term
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Definition
Basic fighting units of Mongol forces; consisted of 10,000 cavalrymen; each unit was further divided into units of 1,000, 100, and 10
Significance: -system of military organization
-commanders in each level responsible for training, arming, and disciplining cavalrymen under their charge
--different levels kept one another informed of enemy's movement
Analyze: -fortitudinous military necessary for successful quells of other civilizations |
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Term
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Definition
Capital of Mongol Empire under Chinggis Khan, 1162-1227
Significance: -place where Khan consulted with Confucian scholars about ruling, Muslim engineers about weapons and trade, and Daoist holy men about elixirs for immortality
-established law codes and records in Mongolian language
Analyze: -Chinggis tolerated other cultures and wanted to learn from them in order to build a successful, durable empire |
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Term
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Definition
Ruler of Golden Horde; one of Chinggis Khan's grandsons; responsible for invasion of Russia in 1236
Significance: -grandson of Chinggis Khan responsible for invasion of Russia in 1236
-first successful invasion of Russia during winter
-Mongols forced Russians to pledge allegiance and tribute
Analyze: -desired wealth and power, but also wanted to capture Russia in order to prepare army for conquering of western Europe |
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Term
page 322
Khanates
(KHAN-ayts) |
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Definition
Four regional Mongol kingdoms that arose following the death of Chinggis Khan
Significance: -led to Golden Horde (Batu) and conquering of Russia, as well as Ogedei being successor of Khan
Analyze: -feuds over who should carry on Mongol leadership spurred four khanates |
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Term
page 321
Ogedei
([OHGD-dih]; 1186-1241) |
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Definition
Third son of Chinggis Khan; succeeded Khan as khagan of the Mongols following his father's death
Significance: -succeeded Chinggis Khan
-he was an efficient diplomat and manipulator
-revived Mongol advance into China
Analyze: -good qualities made him a plausible successor |
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Term
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Definition
One of the four subdivisions of the Mongol empire after Chinggis Khan's death, originally ruled by his grandson Batu; territory covered much of modern south central Russia
Significance: -under rule of Batu, responsible for invasion of Russia in 1236
Analyze: -invasion acted as a precedent for planned invasion of western Europe |
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Term
page 323
Battle of Kulikova |
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Definition
Russian army victory over the forces of Golden Horde; helped break Mongol hold over Russia
Significance: -Russian army helped break hold of Mongols
Analyze: -Russian princes stopped being tribute collectors and became defenders of their nation |
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Definition
In legends popular from 12th to 17th century, a mythical Christian monarch whose kingdom was cut off from Europe by Muslim conquests; Khan was originally believed to be this mythical ruler
Significance: -shows European's credulousness when it came to potential Christian allies
Analyze: -fear of Muslim invasion caused European Christians to believe almost anything; took them quite some time to recognize true threat of Mongols |
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Term
page 326
Baibars
([BAY-bars]; 1223-1277) |
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Definition
Commander of Mamluk forces at Ain Jalut in 1260; originally enslaved by Mongols and sold to Egyptians
Significance: -commander of Mamluk (slave) forces of Egypt
-ironically, previous slaves were now a threat to Mongols; eventually defeated them in 1260
Analyze: -cooperation of Christians permitted Baibar's forces to pass through Palestine and defeat Mongols |
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Term
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Definition
A ruler of Golden Horde; Islamic convert; his threat to Hulegu combined with the growing power of Mamluks in Egypt forestalled further Mongol conquests in Middle East
Significance: -alliance with Mamluks prevented further Mongol invasions in Middle East
Analyze: -Hulegu settled for the kingdom he already had in order to avoid losing it all |
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Term
page 327
Kubilai Khan
([KOO-bluh KAHN]; 1215-1294) |
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Definition
Grandson of Chinggis Khan; commander of Mongol forces responsible for conquest of China; became khagan in 1260; established Sinicized Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1271
Significance: -his forces conquered China; changed dynastic name to Yuan
-passed laws to preserve distinction between Chinese and Mongols
Analyze: -changed dynastic name to appeal to Chinese
-wanted to established Mongol dominance and control |
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Definition
Present-day Beijing; so-called when Kubilai Khan ruled China
Significance: -built on land where previous dynasties were located
-absorbed some Chinese culture (rituals and classical music)
Analyze: -location was still inhabited by Chinese, hence the Sinification |
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Definition
Influential wife of Kubilai Khan; promoted interests of Buddhists in China; indicative of refusal of Mongol women to adopt restrictive social conventions of Chinese; died c. 1281
Significance: -advised Khan on being kinder towards remaining imperial Song family
-shared Kubilai's respect for Chinese culture; refused to turn agricultural lands into pasturelands for Mongols' ponies
Analyze: -she knew that angering Chinese people would only make them harder to control
-women held higher status in Mongolian society; Chabi didn't want to be restricted by Chinese culture |
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Term
page 329
Romance of the West Chamber |
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Definition
Chinese novel written during the Yuan period; indicative of continued literary vitality of China during Mongol rule
Significance: -very popular dramatic work
-indicates the flourishing of literary culture during time
-actors/actresses no longer considered "mean" people, but more like celebrities
Analyze: -dozens of major playwrights that wrote for all social classes |
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Term
page 331
White Lotus Society |
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Definition
Secret religious society dedicated to overthrow of Yuan dynasty in China; typical of peasant resistance to Mongol rule
Significance: -used claim of magical powers to convince more peasant resistance
-rebel leaders often argued and chaos ensued
Analyze: -dynastic decline caused unrest throughout the entire region; questions of succession and rule emerged |
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Term
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Definition
Given name of the Hongwu emperor, founder of Ming dynasty
Significance: -originally a man from a poor peasant family
Analyze: -dynastic decline of Yuan made many Chinese citizens impoverished and eager for change |
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Definition
Succeeded Mongol Yuan dynasty in China in 1368; lasted until 1644; initially mounted huge trade expeditions to southern Asia and elsewhere, but later concentrated efforts on internal development within China
Significance: -originally set out to trade with southern Asia
-later put more focus on bettering the development of China
Analyze: -rebuilding the local region was more important than establishing as many trade routes as possible |
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Term
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Definition
Also known as Tamerlane; leader of Turkic nomads; beginning in 1360s from base at Samarkand, launched series of attacks in Persia, the Fertile Crescent, India, and sthrn. Russia; empire disintegrated after his death in 1405
Significance: -complex man; both highly cultured and interested in fine arts, but also a ruthless conquerer w/o any sympathy towards human suffering or remorse about atrocities he commanded
Analyze: -didn't care about anything except expanding his territory and gaining power
-after his death, empire was torn apart by warring commanders and old foes |
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