Nomads of the Asian
Steppes
Asian Steppes
Steppe: Vast stretch
of grassland –
spreads across Asia
for thousands of
miles

Nomadic people
roamed the
steppes

Temperature
extremes: -57° to
96°F
Mongol Nomads
Many nomads
roamed on
horseback – lived
together in clans
(kinship groups)
The Rise of the Mongols
Mongol clan leader
named Temujin
defeated rivals
across Mongolian
steppe – took
name of “Genghis
Khan” or ‘universal
ruler’
Spent 21 years
conquering much
of Asia
Genghis Khan’s “Reign of Terror”
“In retribution for every hair on their
heads it seemed that a hundred
thousand heads rolled in the dust”
Genghis Khan
Sought revenge
against other tribes
& Muslim
neighbors –
ruthless
tactics/slaughtered
thousands
Created largest
unified land empire
in history (from
China to Poland)
The Mongol Empire - Khanates
Genghis Khan
Ogadai
(Genghis Khan’s son)
Kublai Khan
a.k.a. the ‘Great Khan’
(Genghis Khan’s grandson)
The Khanates
Each Khanate ruled a portion of the
empire
Kublai Khan
“The Great Khan”
Mongolia & China
Khan of Persia
Khan of Russia
Khan of Central
Asia
Khanate of the
Golden Horde
Chagatai
Khanate
Ilkhanate of
Persia
Khanate of the
“Great Khan”
The Khanates of the Mongol
Empire
Khanates were effective leaders (similar to
province system of earlier civilizations)
At first – destroyed land & irrigation of
enemies --> became very feared
Eventually adopted culture from many
areas --> ruled with stability, law & order

The Pax Mongolica “Mongol Peace” (12001300) had stability, trade, & exchange of
ideas
Problems for Kublai Khan
Khan was once told by an advisor:
“I have heard that one can conquer the
empire on horseback, but one cannot
govern it on horseback”
Kublai Khan’s rule
Government run by Mongols, but the
population was overwhelmingly Chinese
Distrust led to lack of Chinese influence in
government

BUT…this distrust led to a HUGE foreign
influence in China – including
Arab Muslims, Indians, Persians, and Christian
Europeans
One European to visit & trade: Marco Polo
Marco Polo questions
Who was Marco
Polo?
Where was he from?
What was he doing in
China?
Why did Kublai Khan
employ him?
Marco Polo – Accurate story or
‘made up’?
What are the problems with the primary
source account that you have just read?
In other words, what makes it not
believable?
What makes this account “believable”?