Very Short Answer Type Questions
Q1: What are the sources that tell about the Nomadic Empire?
Ans: These are chronicles, travelogues, and documents produced by city-based literati. These authors have often produced extremely biased reports of nomadic life.
Q2: What kind of change/transition of production brought in the Administration?
Ans: A relatively classless society myriad and scattered look turn to become a complex society, the largest in which lord, owners of land and the peasants were of wide difference among them.
Q3: What is “Mongol-un Niuea Lobea an”?
Ans: It was a secret history book of the Mongols. It was the Mongolian and Chinese version (language) that got mixed randomly.
Q4: What achievements the campaign of 1236-41 did attain?
Ans: The campaigner Batu, grandson of Genghis Khan devastated land up to Moscow, seized Poland and Hungary, and camped outside Vienna.
Q5: What had Genghis Khan done at the festival ground?
Ans: He addressed the rich people, accusing them of the sinner and introducing himself as magistrate appointed by God’s especially to punish them. It was his shrewd and conceit tendency. He grabbed all wealth of the merchants forcibly there.
Q6: What is the contradistinction between a chronicle report of I gory killings by Genghis Khan and an eyewitness report on the same?
Ans: The Il-Khanid chronicle and an eyewitness report present differing accounts of the events at the citadel of Bukhara:
- The Il-Khanid chronicle claims that 30,000 soldiers were killed.
- In contrast, the eyewitness report states that only 400 soldiers defended the citadel, implying that only 400 were killed.
Q7: What attempts Genghis Khan made for reinforcement of his confederacy?
Ans: Following attempts were made by Genghis Khan for reinforcement of his confederacy :
- Made old tribal identities non-valid.
- Divided old tribal groupings and distributed their members into new military limits.
- The largest unit of soldiers (10,000 soldiers) included fragmented groups of people from a variety of different tribes and clans.
Short Answer Type Questions
Q8: Why is Genghis Khan remembered as both a brutal conqueror and murderer, despite being regarded as one of the greatest leaders of all time?
Ans: Genghis Khan is often seen as a conqueror and a brutal murderer, despite being regarded as one of the greatest leaders in history. This duality arises from the following points:
- His actions included massacres in cities such as Nishapur, Herat, and Baghdad, which have overshadowed his achievements.
- While he united the Mongol tribes and established a vast empire, these virtues are often eclipsed by his violent reputation.
- The contrasting views of Genghis Khan highlight how one perspective can dominate and erase others, prompting reflection on the complexities of historical figures.
Ultimately, Genghis Khan's legacy is a mix of both his leadership and his brutality, illustrating the multifaceted nature of historical narratives.
Q9: Discuss the implication of the term barbarian.
Ans: The term barbarian originates from the Greek word barbaros, meaning non-Greek. It was used to describe people whose speech sounded like meaningless noise, akin to the sound "bar-bar." In Greek literature, barbarians were portrayed as:
- Childlike, unable to speak or reason properly
- Cowardly and effeminate
- Luxurious, cruel, slothful, and greedy
- Politically incapable of governing themselves
This stereotype was adopted by the Romans, who applied it to various groups, including the Germanic tribes, the Gauls, and the Huns. The Chinese also had distinct terms for the steppe peoples, but these lacked positive connotations.
Q10: How can Yasa be considered an extremely empowering ideology?
Ans: The yasa is considered an empowering ideology for several reasons:
- It created a sense of unity among the Mongol people.
- The yasa acknowledged their connection to Genghis Khan and his lineage.
- It allowed them to maintain their ethnic identity while adapting to new lifestyles.
- The yasa served as a framework for imposing their laws on conquered peoples.
- Although not formally planned by Genghis Khan, it was inspired by his vision and crucial for establishing a Mongol empire.
Q11: What developments took place during the period 1236 to 1260?
Ans: Batu, the grandson of Genghis Khan launched a campaign in Russia, Poland, and Austria along 1236-42. Mongke launched fresh campaigns in Iran and China during 1253-55 and events like the capture of Baghdad, the end of the Abbasid caliphate, the establishment of the II- Khanid state of Iran under Hulegn, and conflict took place between the Jochids and the II Khans.
Q12: What developments did take place in Nomadic Empires by the middle of the thirteenth century?
Ans: By the middle of the thirteenth century, significant developments occurred in the nomadic empires. These can be summarised as follows:
- The Mongols, under Genghis Khan, adapted their traditional customs to form a powerful military and an effective governance system.
- The empire expanded across Europe and Asia, integrating diverse peoples and economies.
- Nomadic societies interacted with and influenced the larger world, rather than remaining isolated.
- After Genghis Khan's death, Mongol expansion continued in two phases, achieving major conquests in regions like China, Iran, and parts of Europe.
- By the late thirteenth century, the Mongol Empire faced challenges in sustaining its campaigns, leading to shifts in political dynamics.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q13: “It is the phenomenon of circumstances which reformed Temujin into Genghis Khan i.e. The King of the universe. Coincide essence of revenge against exploitation of steppe tribes by Chinese at the south duly planned.” Describe the circumstances formed since the beginning and their impact on Genghis Khan.
Ans: Temujin's transformation into Genghis Khan was shaped by a unique interplay of circumstances, which can be understood through the following aspects:
Terrain and Environment:
Temujin was born in the steppes of Central Asia, surrounded by diverse landscapes such as the Altai Mountains, the Gobi Desert, and rivers like Onon and Selenga. These conditions bred a society of hunter-gatherers and pastoralists, fostering resilience and adaptability in their people. The abundance of game, though seasonal, supported their survival, while the harsh environment demanded strength and resourcefulness, traits that shaped Temujin's character.
Society and Tribal Dynamics:
The Mongols were a mix of tribes, including Tatars, Kotan, and Manchus, bound by a shared language and cultural practices. The steppes housed diverse communities, from Turkish tribes to Siberian hunters. This multicultural environment allowed Temujin to unite these tribes under his leadership, leveraging their shared grievances and fostering a sense of collective identity.
Childhood Challenges:
Temujin's early life was marked by hardships. He witnessed his father's murder, his mother's struggles to raise his siblings, and his own enslavement and wife’s abduction. These experiences instilled in him a deep sense of revenge and survival instinct. His early traumas shaped his ruthlessness, evident in his later conquests, where he employed brutal tactics like the massacres in Nishapur, Herat, and Baghdad.
Leadership and Strategy:
Temujin’s ability to unite people was central to his success. He positioned himself as a divine instrument of retribution, claiming to punish sinners under the "Eternal Heaven." By exploiting the shared language and common grievances against the Chinese rulers, he convinced the tribes to align with him, forming a formidable confederacy. His strategic use of loyalty and fear ensured dominance over rivals and widespread support.
Political Shrewdness:
Genghis Khan's rule was marked by a pseudo-polity, blending coercion with emotional exploitation. He used religion and proclamations to solidify his authority, such as declaring himself a divine punisher to extract wealth and loyalty from the populace. This cunning approach extended to his governance, where non-native officials were placed in different territories to prevent rebellion and ensure loyalty.
Institutional Legacy:
Genghis Khan's successors adapted his policies to suit the expanding empire. Yasa, initially a set of decrees, was elevated to a sacred law, akin to the codes of Moses or King Solomon. The empire was divided into Uluses, each governed by his sons, ensuring efficient administration across a vast, transcontinental domain.
In conclusion, Genghis Khan's rise was a product of his ability to harness the challenges of his environment, society, and personal hardships. His leadership transformed a fragmented nomadic society into one of history’s most expansive empires, driven by strategic ruthlessness, cultural unity, and an enduring legacy of governance.
Q14: In what ways do you see the manifestation of speeches so provoking in the period of Nomadic empires?
Ans:
Mobilization of a Diverse Population:
- The Mongols, a minority composed of multilingual, multicultural, and multi-customary groups, used strategic speeches to unite their population.
- The Great Khans employed literature and premeditated rhetoric filled with threats, warnings, and challenges to rally people toward their vision of a transcontinental empire.
Overshadowing Rivals:
- Through their speeches, they diminished the achievements of historical figures like Alexander the Great, portraying their own ambitions and accomplishments as superior.
Methods of Manipulation:
- The speeches included manipulative elements such as invoking divine authority or exploiting fear to control both allies and subjugated peoples.
Condemnable Actions:
- Their speeches often incited heinous acts, including murder, massacre, plunder, and extortion.
- These actions were part of their larger strategy to establish dominance and instill fear.
Scale of Atrocities:
- Historical records highlight the devastating consequences of their campaigns:
- 1,747,000 people massacred in Nishapur.
- 1,600,000 in Herat.
- 1,258,800 in Baghdad.
- Smaller towns like Nasa (70,000 victims), Baihaq district (70,000 victims), and Tun in Kuhistan (12,000 victims) also suffered immensely.
Through calculated and provocative rhetoric, the Mongols not only expanded their empire but also left behind a legacy of both remarkable leadership and brutal devastation.
Q15: Discuss the rise of new political trends in Mongols after Genghis Khan?
Ans: After the death of Genghis Khan, new political trends emerged among the Mongols, particularly after the 1260s:
- The initial momentum for campaigns in the west diminished. Although the Mongols could have advanced into Western Europe and Egypt, their retreat from the Hungarian steppes marked a significant shift.
- In the first two generations, the descendants of Jochi and Ogodei jointly controlled the position of Great Khan. However, they were gradually sidelined by the Toluyid branch of Genghis Khan's descendants.
- With the rise of Mongke, a Toluyid, military campaigns focused more on China during the 1250s, leading to a diversion of resources away from western expansion.
- This shift resulted in a smaller Mongol force facing the Egyptian military, culminating in a defeat that ended their western ambitions.
- Rivalries between the Jochid and Toluyid descendants along the Russian-Iranian frontier further distracted the Jochids from pursuing European campaigns.
Despite these changes, Mongol campaigns in China continued, illustrating a complex internal struggle within the ruling family.
