How Did The Mongols Influence China

Sarah Bankhead
11/16/12
History 107

Mongol Influence

There were many great warriors throughout the Middle Ages, however none so prominent as the Mongols. While the Carolingian “war machine” conquered a sizable expanse of land, it was a miniscule feat when compared to the enormous empire the Mongols ultimately created. Though they prospered for a relatively short period of time, they succeeded in generating a lasting impact. The traditional stereotypes of the 13th century Mongols were influenced by stories from Russia, China, and Persia, which insinuated that the Mongols were barbaric raiders contingent upon destroying everything in their path. This perception is not entirely true, while the Mongols were still a fierce war machine,
After visiting China, the Europeans realized the wealth of this area and the potential benefits of trading with them. The European merchants brought a plethora of goods to China. Items such as slaves and furs were given in exchange for the Chinese’ silks, spices, ceramics, and copper1. Because of this, the route from Europe to Asia is commonly known as the “Silk Road”3. Likewise, from this interconnectedness, developments in one area led to developments in the other. While trade between China and Europe was voluntary, trade in other parts of the empire was encouraged through incentives. For example, Persia rewarded participants of voluntary trade with a higher tax cut2. This in turn improved commerce within the empire benefiting the empire as a whole. Trade was beneficial for both parties participating because they were receiving goods that they could not obtain in their own region. The mixing of cultures and goods in these regions is significant as well because it introduced a new support for cultural acceptance and dependence. One new form of cultural acceptance that emerged was religious
Thomas Craughwell, The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan's Mongols Almost Conquered the World, (Beverly, MA: Fair Winds Press, 2010), 119-155. 2. Rossabi, Morris. Columbia University, "The Mongols in World History." Last modified 2004. Accessed November 14, 2012. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/index.html. 3. Barbara Rosenwein, A Short History of the Middle Ages, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009), 263-267.

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[ 1 ]. Barbara Rosenwein, A Short History of the Middle Ages, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009), 263-267.
[ 3 ]. 1 Barbara Rosenwein, A Short History of the Middle Ages, (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009), 263-267
2 Rossabi, Morris. Columbia University, "The Mongols in World History." Last modified 2004. Accessed November 14, 2012. http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/mongols/index.html.
[ 4 ]. 3 Thomas Craughwell, The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan's Mongols Almost Conquered the World, (Beverly, MA: Fair Winds Press, 2010), 119-155.
[ 5 ]. 2 Rossabi, Morris. Columbia University, "The Mongols in World History." Last modified 2004. Accessed November 14, 2012.