Post by Lone Wanderer on Jan 20, 2018 11:56:01 GMT
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World (2004) is a history book written by Jack Weatherford, Dewitt Wallace Professor of Anthropology at Macalester College. It is a narrative of the rise and influence of Genghis Khan and his successors, and their influence on European civilization. Weatherford provides a different slant on Genghis Khan than has been typical in most Western accounts, attributing positive cultural effects to his rule.
In the last section, he reviews the historiography of Genghis Khan in the West and argues that the leader's early portrayal in writings as an "excellent, noble king" changed to that of a brutal pagan during the Age of Enlightenment. Weatherford made use of three major non-Western sources: The Secret History of the Mongols, the Ta' rīkh-i jahān-gushā of Juvayni and the Jami al-Tawarikh of Rashid-al-Din Hamadani.
Legacy
• Astronomy: "New knowledge from the travel writings of Marco Polo to the detailed star charts of Ulugh Beg proved that much of [the Western] received classical knowledge was simply wrong." p. 236
• Paper money: experiments in Persian Il-Khanate (p. 204-5), also p. 236
• Art: The Franciscans, who had wide contacts with the Mongol court, and Mongol/Persian art influenced Giotto di Bondone and his disciples, so much so that St. Francis was depicted in Mongol dress - "literally wrapped in silk". Also, in a 1306 illustration of the Robe of Christ in Padua, the golden trim was painted in Mongol letters from the square Phagspa script commissioned by Khublai Khan (p. 237-8)
• Democracy and Government: Suggests that some of Kublai Khan's reforms in China, which localized power and gave political strength to individual farms, was the first democratic experience in China. It was revived only when the Republicans and Communists began to reintroduce local government. The author also suggests that the tribal government of the Mongols had many democratic elements. He refers to Mongol leaders being selected by council (khuriltai) as "elections", although, these like the Athenian or Roman versions (or early United States election of senators by state legislatures), may be more properly called election by an elite (an oligarchy). In addition, he repeatedly declares that the Khans ruled through the will of the people.
• Globalization: Military- They created battle tactics and used method to conquer. Mongolian army only carried what they needed mainly because the Mongol army carried knowledge which were information needed to conquer armies. [3] Trebuchet (make this bolded was an invaluable Medieval siege attack weapon, similar to a catapult, which was used for hurling heavy stones to smash castle or city walls. When traditional Mongols weapons and tactics no longer were effective when attacking cities Genghis Khan made changes, he adopted large weapons from the Persian, Chinese, and Arabs and developed new strategies according to the book “Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world” (pg. 8) it states “The Mongols devised and used weapons from the different cultures with whom they had contact, and through accumulation of knowledge to they created a global arsenal that could be adapted to whatever situations they encountered.”[4] They change message to catapulting, Trebuchet was an invaluable Medieval siege attack weapon, similar to a catapult, which was used for hurling heavy stones to smash castle or city walls. The Mongols had gotten the knowledge from Arabs the Mongols then employed Arabs to travel with them to create this weapon when needed.
• Religion: Mongol were highly tolerant of most religions during the early Mongol Empire, and typically sponsored several at the same time. At the time of Genghis Khan in the 13th century, virtually every religion had found converts, from Buddhism to Christianity and Manicheanism to Islam. To avoid strife, Genghis Khan set up an institution that ensured complete religious freedom, though he himself was a shamanist. Under his administration, all religious leaders were exempt from taxation, and from public service. Genghis Khan also globalized the Mongol army by recruiting many people outside of the Mongol empire. Genghis Khan and his army battled may empires such as the Chinese, Russian, Khwarazm and more. As Genghis Khan conquered the empires, he used torture as a form of punishment but it was not as strict and severe. He did this in a way to scare many people but at the same time he did this in a way that many people decided to join his Mongol army and at the same time people gained respect towards Genghis Khan. So, as Genghis Khan conquered other armies and empires, he took in different people into his army which created a mixed cultured with innovative ideas and battle tactics. In other words, Genghis Khan changed traditional military tactics and created a more hybridized army to defeat and conquer other empires.
• Unprecedented religious tolerance
• Low level of discrimination toward other races
• Low level of meddling with local customs and culture
• The idea of rule by consensus within Mongol tribes
• Culture of meritocracy
• Culture that believed in the rule of law
• Strong sponsorship of Eurasian trade
• Building of roads to support trade
• First culture to promote universal literacy
• First international postal system
• First widespread use of paper money
• Reduction of the use of torture in the penal system
• Belief in diplomatic immunity for ambassadors/envoys
In the last section, he reviews the historiography of Genghis Khan in the West and argues that the leader's early portrayal in writings as an "excellent, noble king" changed to that of a brutal pagan during the Age of Enlightenment. Weatherford made use of three major non-Western sources: The Secret History of the Mongols, the Ta' rīkh-i jahān-gushā of Juvayni and the Jami al-Tawarikh of Rashid-al-Din Hamadani.
Legacy
• Astronomy: "New knowledge from the travel writings of Marco Polo to the detailed star charts of Ulugh Beg proved that much of [the Western] received classical knowledge was simply wrong." p. 236
• Paper money: experiments in Persian Il-Khanate (p. 204-5), also p. 236
• Art: The Franciscans, who had wide contacts with the Mongol court, and Mongol/Persian art influenced Giotto di Bondone and his disciples, so much so that St. Francis was depicted in Mongol dress - "literally wrapped in silk". Also, in a 1306 illustration of the Robe of Christ in Padua, the golden trim was painted in Mongol letters from the square Phagspa script commissioned by Khublai Khan (p. 237-8)
• Democracy and Government: Suggests that some of Kublai Khan's reforms in China, which localized power and gave political strength to individual farms, was the first democratic experience in China. It was revived only when the Republicans and Communists began to reintroduce local government. The author also suggests that the tribal government of the Mongols had many democratic elements. He refers to Mongol leaders being selected by council (khuriltai) as "elections", although, these like the Athenian or Roman versions (or early United States election of senators by state legislatures), may be more properly called election by an elite (an oligarchy). In addition, he repeatedly declares that the Khans ruled through the will of the people.
• Globalization: Military- They created battle tactics and used method to conquer. Mongolian army only carried what they needed mainly because the Mongol army carried knowledge which were information needed to conquer armies. [3] Trebuchet (make this bolded was an invaluable Medieval siege attack weapon, similar to a catapult, which was used for hurling heavy stones to smash castle or city walls. When traditional Mongols weapons and tactics no longer were effective when attacking cities Genghis Khan made changes, he adopted large weapons from the Persian, Chinese, and Arabs and developed new strategies according to the book “Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world” (pg. 8) it states “The Mongols devised and used weapons from the different cultures with whom they had contact, and through accumulation of knowledge to they created a global arsenal that could be adapted to whatever situations they encountered.”[4] They change message to catapulting, Trebuchet was an invaluable Medieval siege attack weapon, similar to a catapult, which was used for hurling heavy stones to smash castle or city walls. The Mongols had gotten the knowledge from Arabs the Mongols then employed Arabs to travel with them to create this weapon when needed.
• Religion: Mongol were highly tolerant of most religions during the early Mongol Empire, and typically sponsored several at the same time. At the time of Genghis Khan in the 13th century, virtually every religion had found converts, from Buddhism to Christianity and Manicheanism to Islam. To avoid strife, Genghis Khan set up an institution that ensured complete religious freedom, though he himself was a shamanist. Under his administration, all religious leaders were exempt from taxation, and from public service. Genghis Khan also globalized the Mongol army by recruiting many people outside of the Mongol empire. Genghis Khan and his army battled may empires such as the Chinese, Russian, Khwarazm and more. As Genghis Khan conquered the empires, he used torture as a form of punishment but it was not as strict and severe. He did this in a way to scare many people but at the same time he did this in a way that many people decided to join his Mongol army and at the same time people gained respect towards Genghis Khan. So, as Genghis Khan conquered other armies and empires, he took in different people into his army which created a mixed cultured with innovative ideas and battle tactics. In other words, Genghis Khan changed traditional military tactics and created a more hybridized army to defeat and conquer other empires.
• Unprecedented religious tolerance
• Low level of discrimination toward other races
• Low level of meddling with local customs and culture
• The idea of rule by consensus within Mongol tribes
• Culture of meritocracy
• Culture that believed in the rule of law
• Strong sponsorship of Eurasian trade
• Building of roads to support trade
• First culture to promote universal literacy
• First international postal system
• First widespread use of paper money
• Reduction of the use of torture in the penal system
• Belief in diplomatic immunity for ambassadors/envoys
