Mongols: the Rise of a Medieval Super-Power

When one considers the concept of an Empire one is drawn to those of the ancient world (Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire) or those attempted in the modern world (Napoleon and Hitler). Few realize that what took the Romans 400 years to build in terms of size, control and the ability to project power with various emperors and generals took only 25 years under the leadership of the Mongol warlord “Temujin” (man of iron) that we know as Genghis Kahn. Under his sons, nephews and grandson Kublai Kahn, the Mongol Empire would be the largest contiguous empire known to man stretching from Korea, the islands of Japan and north Vietnam through China west throughout the Middle East into Syria, part of Turkey, Bulgaria, part of Poland and all of Russia with an actual raid into Egypt.

Course Objectives:

1. Telos would be to discuss the origins, intents, and strength of Mongolian power that would last in various parts of the world from the 12th century up into the 18th century in northern India’s Mogul Dynasty. We will consider the following:

   • The ethnic ramifications of this empire (it has been said that one out of sixteen million men worldwide are related to Genghis Kahn genetically).
   • The financial ramifications (the Mongols stabilized the Silk Road and emphasized trade when they were not raiding and fighting).
   • The cultural ramifications (the Mongols under Kublai Kahn were very interested in all cultures and religions) and their fighting ability (nearly every Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Asiatic country including Japan and Russia has a Mongol invasion story).
   • The political ramifications (had the Mongols not invaded the Seljuk Turk Empire during the Crusades - would the outcome of the crusading era been different in the sense that the West would have lost more than Jerusalem?)

2. Lastly, students will be encouraged to become proficient in the conversational approach to learning: close readings, interpretive questions, and Socratic discussions of the texts. Students will develop lateral thinking skills by way of analyzing and synthesizing themes and motifs from various readings and strive to write persuasively about the tribal origins and military prowess of one of the most terrifying people groups known to mankind.

Texts:

• The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia