Mongol Empire Dbq

The Mongol Empire was well known for their ability to conquer two continents within two centuries, but what isn't as well known was their ability to keep and govern the territory they had conquered.The leader of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan, was born in 1162 to a tribe leader. Genghis Khan faced multiple setbacks in his early life, including the death of his father and betrayal from allied tribes. However, Genghis was able to come back and conquer the Eastern and Mongolian Steppes, thus uniting the warring Mongol tribes. Now united as one, the Mongol tribes swept through Asia, conquering China, Russia and the Muslim World. Once conquered, the Mongols used their powerful governmental skills to retain control and create a larger, more successful

Mongol Empire. Their economic skills allowed for trade routes and exploration across Asia and Europe to flourish. In addition, their disciplined government kept the culturally different countries peaceful and unified. Despite the Mongols’ most memorable asset being their ruthless military, their greatest strategies stemmed from their phenomenal governmental and economic skills.
The Mongols used many strategies when it came to governing their people, but the most impressive came from their political policies.

The Yasa was a set of laws created by Genghis Khan that covered a wide variety of topics, from military to religious ideals. These laws were used far after the time of Genghis Khan, and continued to shape Mongol life for centuries. One of the laws from the Yasa stated “A petty thief is punished by blows by rod: ten for each item” (Duhaime). This policy created a safe and peaceful environment throughout the Empire. The steep punishment for committing such a small crime frightened away all would-be criminals. The Mongols were already known for their ruthless military, and no one doubted their ability to dole out swift punishment. The Yasa forced the empire to become an exceptionally protected region where trade could prosper and the people could live freely. Another form of freedom the Yasa protected was religious freedom.This law in the Yasa declared that “all religions were to be treated with respect,” (Duhaime). The Mongol Empire spanned many countries and encompassed many religions, which could have created many barriers, but instead created a sense of unity. Religions such as Islam and Buddhism spread from country to country. Even though the Mongols were continuously at war with the Muslim World, they practiced Islam, so many people did not see the Mongols as a religious threat. The Yasa kept the Mongol Empire united and peaceful, which was

an effective governing strategy because it created a safe and free environment in which their people could prosper.
Another large political factor that attributed to the successful rule of the Mongols was their strong and strategic governmental structure.

Genghis Khan redesigned the governmental structure of the Mongols when he came to power. He reformed the Tribe Leader position and tasked these individuals to represent the Mongols in conquered areas while the army moved on to take over other lands. The Tribe Leader’s only two jobs were to collect an annual fine for the Great Khan and to oversee the citizens for any rebellion, which was to be reported back immediately. This job allowed the Mongols to keep the land they had conquered with minimal men to rule it, resulting in a larger amount of land conquered. The Mongols could not have conquered such a large amount of territory in such a short amount of time without Tribe Leaders, as the army would have been delayed by domestic issues such as small uprisings. The region typically stabilized while the army were gone due to limited war and an influx of resources. Another important part of the governmental structure was job placement. Though the Empire was a meritocracy when it came to promotions in the military, the main way important jobs were given out was through elections. The Mongols would vote for their leader through quriltais. Quriltais were essentially “social feasts that double as political gatherings” where leaders of tribes could socialize and run for a job (Burgan). Though quriltais were around long before Genghis Khan became

Great Khan, they remained in the political scheme when he was elected. The ability to vote and have a grand election united the Mongols behind a single leader. Voting allowed for a political gathering of tribal leaders who were typically enemies. However, they were willing to unite to vote upon their one true leader. There would be no war over who the true leader was, because all tribe leaders had voted. The quriltais created peace among the Mongols, and allowed for a leader to truly control and build the empire without backlash from other tribes. The Mongols showed that a strict governmental structure created discipline and efficiency, which is necessary to the development of an empire and the unity of its people.
Trade policy created by the Mongols allowed for a safe trade environment and a successful economic system, which led to nearly two centuries of prosperity throughout the empire known as Pax Mongolica. Pax Mongolica was an officially documented time of peace that took place throughout the 13th and 14th centuries. Pax Mongolica partially occurred because of a system of trade routes called the Silk Road that were spread across the Mongol Empire. The Silk Road was more active than ever, and items such as gunpowder and paper money that would shape history spread from Asia to Europe. This was all due to the Mongols’ highly effective trade policies. The Mongols stationed a permanent army garrison along major trade routes. This ensured the safety of travelers and explorers. The safety of the Silk Road was a big part of why travelers were able to trade successfully. There was now permanent safety promised to those that had proper papers which many travelers used to their advantages, which was a big reason for the sudden explosion of trade that occurred during this time. Another crucial trade policy, the standardized use of paper money, played a large role in the creation of Pax Mongolica. Genghis Khan instated paper money just before his death, and the famous traveler Marco Polo noted that they used this because “wherever their business may call them, they [the traders] can dispose of it again in the purchase of merchandise they have occasion for,”(Edward Thomas, 240). The Mongol’s new international paper currency was used across Eurasia, which before was divided economically due to the various currencies in the region. This allowed for traders from different countries to exchange goods with ease, prompting them to travel and pursue their trade. Trade policies created a system in which the economy flourished, ensuring peace for the traders and a stable financial budget that would last for centuries.
During Pax Mongolica, travel and trade encouraged the spread of innovations across continents. Innovations from travelers and explorers created an effect that lasted long after the Mongol Empire ended. Many innovations that were made during this time period were created for the purpose of trade, but have had a lasting impact on the modern world. For example “banking innovations such as insurance, bills of exchange & deposit banks,” ensured the success of long distance trading during the Mongol Empire (Sczcepanski). The creation of the deposit bank produced the possibility of long distance trading, as it allowed traders to leave their money in one place and travel, knowing it was safe. Insurance guaranteed the safety of a trader’s merchandise, giving the trader confidence to travel through foreign regions. Innovations such as these encouraged not only long distance trade, but foreign relations. Travelers and explorers were a key part of the spread of innovations. One of the most important explorers was Marco Polo. Marco Polo traveled to China during the Yuan dynasty and worked as a special emissary for Kublai Khan, where he then traveled to other countries on political missions of peace. He spent 24 years in China, then returned back to Venice with innovations and tales of the Mongols. He brought back many important items, such as paper money, coal, and a detailed account of the Yam. The Yam was a complex and advanced communication system used by the Mongols at the time. This is a very important example of how explorers had a profound effect on the Mongol Empire. Explorers spread Mongol inventions throughout Asia and Europe and integrated these inventions into daily life, creating a permanent reminder that the Mongols were once a huge part of the world. Creations from the Mongol Empire were spread around Eurasia, forcing opposing countries to recognize the legitimacy of the Mongols. This spread of inventions showed the whole of Eurasia how advanced the Mongols were and how legitimate their rule was.
The Mongol Empire used government and economics to grow their small tribes into a prospering empire. The Mongols used governmental policies to make newly conquered land into peaceful, functioning countries. Their governmental structure enforced discipline throughout the Mongol Empire. Trade policies created a wealthy, profitable time throughout the Empire that allowed Eurasia to prosper, and innovations created during this time spread through Eurasia and caused a lasting impact. The Mongols’ ability to effectively control land through governmental and economic skill created a safe and peaceful environment in which the Mongol Empire could prosper.