Introduction
Mongol empire derived from the various tribes fighting among each other for the piece of land and inheritance. Such adversity and controversy led to the decrease of the power of each tribe and its commander within one’s territory. Mongol empire might not have been established, if not the Genghis Khan, who was able to unite it, consolidate the power in own hands and conquer vast territories, that led to sufficient expand of the Mongol Empire throughout the centuries. Mongol Empire is a vivid example of the transformation of the tribal union under the impact of a charismatic leader. During nearly one hundred years, the powerful empire had been established, people from different tribes and nomadic peoples were united. New social and tribal organization has been implemented, which led to the formation of the new political union with own army, rules and culture. The foundation of the Mongol Empire as one of the largest empires in the world history is an example of the proper leadership, ability to unite people from different tribes providing the new centralized political system and training new disciplined and effective army in order to conquer new territories.
Creation of Mongol Еmpire
There are no specific findings about the origin of Mongols. In some of the Chinese annals we can find the information about the tribes who lived from sixth to ninth century on the territory of the future Mongol Empire. The empire formed by Genghis Khan was primarily inhabited by nomadic tribes from Altai, through Mongolia and to Siberia. Turkic, Mongolic, and Tungusic people were under the control of the new country held by the Tamujin. The origin of the word ‘mongol’ goes to the word ‘mong’, which means bold or brave. Originally, it has been created before the Genghis Khan authority, however, leader’s contribution into the development of the army truly illustrates its correspondence to the spirit of the tribes and future warriors.
Around 1130 the Mongols became a powerful force, however, in 1160 faced strong attack from the Turkish tribe and were defeated. At the age of seven Genghis Khan’s father has been prisoned by Turkish people, the family had to move to desolate areas of steppe in order to survive. (Further, it made an impact on leader’s views regarding Turkish people) At the age of sixteen Khan’s wife has been stolen by Merkids. In order to rescue the prisoner, the future leader asked for help of father’s friend. Five people have managed to defeat Merkids and free the prisoner. In 1206 Temujin took the title Genghis Khan and established the new Mongol Empire.
Mongol tribal organization
Throughout the centuries Mongols were fighting tribes, whose aim was to conquer the territory and settle there. Often Mongols fought between each other for the sake of the lands and authority. Basically, there was no strategic vision for the whole community, people within the clan were obliged to obey the leader and there was no upper authority to rule leaders. Furthermore, a leader could transfer own authority to another, more respectful member or the member of own family, for example. Genghis Khan has changed this tribal organization to the dot. The leaders of almost all the communities were changed, so that no leader had connections with people of the community. Moreover, leaders could not be shifted or give the authority to someone else. The Empire became totally autocratic. Genghis Khan realized that ruling such a vast territory alone would be difficult, thus the authority has been divided to 9 main sections: four sons ruled the steppes of the nomads, four daughters were responsible for the sedentary kingdoms, while Genghis Khan took care of them overall. The Mongolian tribal structure became a military organization divided to military units of tens, hundreds and thousands. These divisions were given the households and cattle for the future development. Moreover, the Genghis Khan promoted strong discipline, law and order, education and obedience. Such changes also encouraged people for the future economic raise of the empire. The new army had to be more disciplined and effective. Each instance of disobedience or desertion led to the death penalty. In case soldiers left the fighting area they were killed, the punishment was also presupposed for those who left warriors in captivity and escaped and for those who did not fight seeing other soldiers in trouble. The ones who were brave warriors and proved it on the battlefield were given rewards: ability to be promoted and rule the troop. In addition, Genghis Khan formed Mongol corps, which were responsible for the war tactics. Mongol warriors were splendid in the tactics of siege. They used ladders and sandbags in order to fill in the rows. The rest of the army attacked using weapon and giant shields. Such tactics allowed to conquer castles and other buildings that seemed to be inaccessible. Woman in Mongol empire were given responsible tasks as well: raising horses, judged in the court, ruled large territories, took part in sport competitions along with man and even commanded in war.
Reasons of the conquest of the new territories.
The Mongol Empire has been established on the own territory, tribes were united, however, it was not enough for the Genghis Khan. There are several reasons for conquering new countries: ecological issues, trade and personal intentions. Mongols had experienced the drop in the annual temperatures, which made bad influence of growing season of grass. Without a grass Mongols could not raise animals and harvest enough food for themselves and the army. Another reason was the aim of Chinese dynasties to shorten the cooperation in terms of trade. Chinese leaders threatened Mongols with the possible cut down of grain and craft supplies, which might be another reason for the conquest. The most powerful issue was the will of Genghis Khan to conquer the world, get the glory and to follow the shaman’s prediction. Shamanism was the most powerful religion in Mongol empire and once the shamanist predicted a worldwide glory for the Genghis Khan, who would spread it all over the world conquering new territories.
Genghis Khan’s contribution into the history of Mongol Empire.
The first international battle held by the emperor was the conquest of China. Taking into account economic and personal issues, Genghis Khan moved to Tanguts in 1209, in the northwest of China. This time the battle was not held as the leaders made a deal: Tanguts took off the traffic fees imposed on Mongolia and Khan returned home with a plain victory and no victims. Another target was the dynasty Jin in the North China. The reason of it was economic trade as well. The dynasty had a trade dispute with Mongols, which resulted in invasion. Khan had conquered the dynasty by 1215 and its members had to shift one’s settlements and capital farther to the south. The last invasion was in the south Asia. The reason of it was the murder of Mongol envoys, who asked to reconsider the trade conditions between the countries. The campaign took 6 years from 1219 till 1215 and ended up with the Mongol victory. After two years the Genghis Khan passed away, leaving own inheritance to son Ögedei. In order to make strong connections between such vast territories, the emperor tended to make relationship connections among own children and valuable person of the given region. Such marriages should have led to the strengthening of the empire’ power and creation of the united Mongol nation. Love in marriage was a common factor for Mongols, Khan’ children were not allowed to choose the spouse by own will only, it should have been supported with the economic, territorial and political benefit for Mongol empire. Overall, during the reign of the Khan, the empire stretched from the Yellow Sea to the Caspian Sea, changed the structure of the tribal organization entirely and created one of the most powerful military forces in the world along with establishing one of the largest Empires ever.
Further rulers of the Mongol Empire
After the death of emperor a vast territory has been left to the Khan’ children. The last wish of the emperor was to transfer the power and the achievement and to keep the unity of the state: ‘Be then as but one tongue and one soul’, though, it was never bound to happen. Ögedei inherited the empire and conquered the Jin Empire by 1234, while the armies of Prince Batu and Sübedei took over the Armenia, Iran, Russian principalities, Caspian steppes, Poland and Hungary. Another vivid deed of the new Khan was the neglect of woman in the political, state affairs and in the society. Khan used to separate girls from the noble families, develop harems and distributed them by own wish in order to satisfy sexual needs of soldiers. Moreover, Ögedei went farther and decided to create such harems for merchants, caravan drivers or anyone else who could use them. Such actions can be considered as the act of sexual terrorism during that time. After the death of Ogedei, his son Güyük took the power, but died on1248 with little accomplishments. By the year 1260, the Mongol Empire has been divided into four parts ruled by different descendants. The vast territory, tribal unions, cultural differences on the conquered territories and the difficulties to rule the Empire were the main issues emperors faced during the reign. Two sectors (China, Korea, Tibet, Mongolia and central Asia) were under the impact of Khubilai Khan, which would have issues with own domains. West Asia was under the impact of Huleg, while “Golden Horde” ruled by different Khans and disputed with third sector regarding the trade issues. The Mongol Empire remained powerful and frightening for the rest of the world, however, it started experiencing first cracks in the governing and administrative systems along with the lack of unity.
The rapid development of the country was caused by the enforcement of the strength and weapon that Mongols used in order to conquer new lands. Indeed, Mongols were outstanding warriors themselves as life in the tribe and steppe requires vast abilities for killing animals for the food, making shelters on the new territory and being ready to meet intruder on own land. Moreover, constant wars were in Mongol’s own blood as three centuries before the first Khan came, tribes were living under the danger of another war to begin. Mongol tribes had no major culture, administrative division or long lasting history to find the best solution to unite the Empire again. The rules and regulations conducted by the Genghis Khan did not work properly in the vast territories, moreover, future Khans did not have such devotion, strength and discipline to rule the country in the way the founder died. Mongols did not want to adjust to the cultural differences on the conquered territories and tried to lure people away from other religions. Such problems influenced the further development of the Empire and led to its collapse.
In conclusion, Mongol Empire was one of the largest empires in the world and, probably, the most rapidly created one. The proper leadership, devotion and implementation of the autocratic ideas had formed the country with centralized political system, basically, set it in hands of one person. The vital influence of one leader Genghis Khan had shaped the further history of the vast Empire that stretched through the whole continent. Rapid and unexpected change of the tribal organization to the military units was vital in the formation of the Empire, its army and future success on the battlefield. Such division dominated throughout the whole empire and on the conquered lands, moreover, due to it, the leader could control the conquered territories with help of own servants ruling there. The ability to rule the country properly, find new solutions to change the existing regime and force the development of society and army were the main achievements during the Khan’s reign. One of the vivid factors that shows the innovative approach to rule the country was concentrating the authority in hands of own daughters, who facilitated the overall development of trade, economics and helped to rule vast lands and army. Fast development and collapse of the Empire allow to conclude that Genghis Khan’s leadership was extremely valuable in order to conquer new lands rapidly and set own regime there, however, such measures were not enough in order to create a long-lasting system, maintain it and make people follow it. Nonetheless, the Mongol Empire has set the vivid trace on the history of European and Asian countries and the foundation of the Empire can be considered as one of the fastest and most successful throughout the history.
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