Modernity: Beyond the Mongol Empire

Based on the lecture, there are two main nature and characteristics of modernity: Modern Age started from an invention of sophisticated hemispheric network of interchange and communication. Meanwhile, the productivity in this hemispheric community should expand enormously. For example, the supply of food and other useful commodities must increase to a certain extent. According to these two key features of modernity, the debate about whether the Modern Age begins with the creation of Mongol Empire has attracted lots of people’s attention and the answer to this question is various base on their educational background and culture. In my opinion, I don’t think the Modern Age starts from the Mongol Empire because it used to destruct the giant conquered

land rather than promote it. Although between 12th and 13th century, the Mongol tribes conquered the biggest land in human history, which spanned 6000 miles and covered more than 12 million square miles (16% of the Earth’ total land), it destroyed many irrigation systems that restrict agriculture in many regions they invaded. It is true that Mongol Empire encouraged long-distance travel and trade among more than 100 million populations, which stimulate the network communication, however, many areas suffer the economic difficulties and the production in these places were effected negatively, especially agriculture. Collectively, the Mongol Empire didn’t increase the production among its territory so that I don’t agree the claim that it starts the Modern Age.
If I was a 13th century European diplomat and was sent to the land of Mongols to collect their knowledge and history, I would complete a report briefly introduce the stories and influences of this great Empire.

Generally speaking, Mongols are group of nomadic people who have strong loyalties to kinship and families, while Chinggis Khan was a great leader not only united nearly all small clans in the central Asia, but also achieved the conquest of Persia and North China, who finally built the largest empire of the world in the human history. By making alliances with powerful Mongol leader and mastering in diploma strategies, he gradually brought all the Mongol tribes into a united confederation without mass military actions. His creative policies greatly strengthened both Mongol people and arms. As I interviewed some Mongol citizens, they told me that Chinggis Khan symbolized a kind of Mongol authority higher than clan or tribe by breaking up them and forcing men join certain army military rather than tribal groups. In addition, he chooses soldiers and officers based on their talents and skills rather than which clans they belong to. By complementing serials policies, Mongol army and society become most united than ever with strong military power. After Chinggis Khan united the Mongols in short time, he drew his attention to central Asia, Tibet, Persia, and northern China. Before his death in 1227, he finally built a mighty and vast Empire, which reached form northern China to Persia with over 12 million square miles. In my opinion, I think Chinggis Khan is a great conqueror, diplomatist, and a genius military leader because he successfully beat so many enemies and conquer such a big land. However, he is not a good administrator for he doesn’t know how to properly regulate a big Empire so that the Mongol Empire doesn’t last very long and most area is separated in a

century.
As for the the role that the Mongols played with regards to Eurasian trade and cultural integration, they promote interaction among people of different area and connected Eurasian lands more closely than ever by stimulating long distances travel and trade through the whole Empire. I even met Marco Polo, who was a visitor from Italy working as a government officer for Mongol Empire in China. The Mongol rulers value the importance of communication for their vast Empire, so they effectively encourage facilitated trade, missionary efforts, diplomatic travel, and movements of peoples to new lands. In addition, they also made great effort to guard trade routes and keep security issues so that merchants can increase more commercial investments and long distance trade across the whole Empire. I can find various spicy ingredients and silk in Europe which are imported from Asia. It is the first time that China and western Europe linked together because any individual can travel across the entire Eurasian landmass safely. In the culture aspect, Mongols tolerated all cultural and religious tradition in any area in the Empire no matter the places were conquered before or not. For example, Christianity, Confucianism, Buddhism, Islam, and Persian culture were all allowed in Mongol Empire so that the communication and assimilation between different cultures were quite normal at this moment. On the other hand, the Mongols also made priority for magic and super natural powers, which is connected to their native shamanist cults. Meanwhile, some Khans are also recognized as the incarnations of the Buddha because they also find Lamaist Buddhism attractive, especially to the legitimate rulers.
When I traveled in the Persian land controlled by the Mongols now, I found that Persians can still serve as ministers, governors, or officials as long as in lower levels. Meanwhile, they only need to hand in tax receipts and maintained order to rule their land and religions and traditions are all free without any restriction. Some Mongols even some kind of join into Muslim Persian society by assimilating to Persian cultural and Islam religion. It seems the Mongols themselves haven’t influence Persians culture or tradition very deep. However, in economic fields, Persian suffers financial difficulties brought by Mongols’ excessive spending strained the treasure, and overexploitation of the peasantry, which negatively affect the revenue. The government financial budget is so huge that it is nearly possible to develop economy. That’s why Mongols have serious problems governing Persia and collapse in quiet short time. On the other hand, Mongols implement contract policies toward China. For example, they prohibit the marriage between Mongols and Chinese and outlawed learning Chinese language. Using Chinese people to rule themselves is not allowed in the Mongols’ policy, however, administrator form other area is supported such as Persians or Arabs. Meanwhile, they also restrict Chinese traditions and culture by ending the privilege of Confucian scholars, especially its influence among official systems. I also notice that Mongol ruler are not capable to regulate social economics in ancient China, the monetary policy is in totally mass and people don’t trust paper money authorized by government at all. The financial difficulties and factional divisions brought by Mongols seriously damage Chinese social productivity.
In conclusion, Chinggis Khan is the great leader and conqueror, who is also the founder of the largest empire in the human history - Mongol Empire. The Mongol rulers encourage long distance travel and communication among different area from eastern China to western Persia, which effectively contribute to the whole country’s inter connections and mutual influence. However, they cause serious financial problem and damage to the agriculture in many places, which decrease the productivity in the society. Based on these facts, I don’t think the Modern age start from the Mongol Empire.