Fernando Parra
AP World History
Period 2
11-08-10
DBQ: The Mongol Terror, Mongol Peace
In the post classical era, the big picture that is being projected is that
nomadic kingdoms were at its highest apex alike the Mongols. The Mongols
lived on the high steppe lands of eastern central Asia, they also conquered
most of all Eurasia, as seen on document 8, were it shows the expansion of this
vast empire, making trade safe for the first time all along the Eastern to Western
parts of Eurasia. The Mongol rule was most noticeable during the 13th and 14th
century since most of their considerable accomplishments were made during
this era. Since their achievements were made all along Eurasia, the reactions of
settled societies in response to Mongol expansion in Eurasia during the 13th
and 14th centuries, depended on the interactions they had with the Mongol
Empire, such as those from Europe and the Islamic world. There were settled
societies who interacted directly with the Mongols, which had mostly positive
reactions than those settled societies whose interactions were not as great as
those who did having negative points of view for the Mongols.
In Europe, settled societies had a very different aspect of how the
Mongols dominated according to their relationship. While in the document of
Marco Polo (Document 2) reporting on his travels through Persia, it shows the
admiration he had for the Mongols for pacifying trade. As he praised the
Mongols, it is to take into considerations that his point of view was biased since
he had worked for the Ilkhanate of Persia and served as a warlord therefore he
saw the Mongols with respect and praise. Document 4 also shows how William
of Rubrick from France, admires the not only the structural designs or how the
palace for the Khan is structured, but he mostly sees all the different people that
surround this area which is Karakorum were people form different places come
and assemble and trade many ideas and crops. His reaction was clearly
favorable to the Mongol expansion. Unlike this two documents, document 1
shows different reactions to the Mongol expansion. Document 1, which is from a
Franciscan envoy to the ¨Great Khan¨, trying to convert Mongols to Christianity,
the reaction that Giovanni de Piano Carpini had was a reaction of
surprise
due to how they acted according to who they interacted with. He respected how
Mongols were so obedient to their lords and how among them they dare not to
steal. In the other hand, when it comes to treat other people, they become
arrogant and disrespectful, willing to steal from people that are not from the
area. He was judgemental to this attitudes. As a result from this envoy, a year
later Guyuk Khan, sent a letter to Pope Innocent IV (document 3) threathening
the Roman Catholic Church that if they would not surrender their realms to them
they shall declare war. This reactions were made because of the envoy and
letters that were sent to Guyuk Khan that they ought to be baptized and become
Christians. Guyuk Khan felt insulted and therefore he threathened Pope
Innocent IV.
In the Islamic world, the reactions as well differed according to their
interaction with the Mongols. As seen in the document by Ibn al-Atir (document
6), since he was a Muslim historian his point of view is considered as biased
and his tone is exagerated in describing the Mongol actions, he even compared
the Mongols as the Antichrist which it shows how he hated the Mongols.
Contradictory to this document, document 5 is from a merchant´s point of view,
Ibn Battuta, who is really affected positively since the Mongols protected trade
and merchants. Therefore, Battuta respects and value the Mongols. Although
this documents refer to the Mongols one as evil and the other one as admirable,
the letter sent to Hulagu Khan by three Shi´te dignitaries of Baghdad,
(document 7) they respect and surrend to the Mongols since they noticed by
now that it was not worthy fighting them since most likely they would end up
getting slaughtered. This fact can be supported by document 9 where Genghis
Khan describes all the horrible things he would do by defeating his enemies.
While these documents seem to focus on Europe, Islamic world and
mostly the high classes, it would be helpful to have documents from China and
the lower classes such as the peasants. Since these documents are focused on
Europe and the Islamic world we cannot conclude on how the lower classes
reacted such as the peasants in the Byzantine Empire where they saw Mongols
as liberators but their reactions cannot be determined without a primary source
document. In China the reactions might have been different to those reactions
in Europe and the Islamic world, due to the fact that the conquered people in
China saw the Mongols differently to all those in to the East of China.
The reactions of settled societies to the Mongol expansion, differed
significantly by how they interacted with the Mongols. The Mongols empire went
from East to West and South to North but the way they treated those who
interacted with them is remarkable different to those who did not interacted with
them directly. The Mongols for some was seen as a demolishing force that
destroyed all living thing that surrounded them as they went by and for others,
who did interact directly, their praise was not enough to say how much they
appreciated the Mongols.