Mongols

Genghis Khan conquered the other tribes Expanded his Empire until he died in 1227 Successors continued to expand Power struggles after his son Ogedei died

cause empire to split apart

- Different descendents all claimed legitimacy

- Four separate “Khanates”

- Really four separate Empires

Adaptation of Culture

Mongols had very little history of scholarship or “high culture”

- No art

- No literature

- No scientific knowledge Adopted the cultures of their subject peoples

- IlKhanate converted to Islam

- Great Khanate imitated Song Culture

Yuan Dynasty

Formed by Kublai Khan and was also termed the

“Empire of the Great Khan”

- Proclaimed after he conquered the Song Kublai Khan claimed the mandate of heaven Genghis Khan entered retroactively as the

founder (called Taizu)

Yuan Dynasty

Used Chinese style bureaucracy and built a palace

Much technology and scholarship from the Tang and Song Continued to develop

European traveler Marco Polo wrote about his visit

Other Mongols came to see the Yuan as too Chinese

Political intrigue weakened government Driven out by rebellions