Mongol Empire Research Paper

The Mongolian Empire is unique in history for many reasons. Genghis Khan, the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, had never been interested in the sedentary way of life. Genghis Khan lived a nomadic life of wars and conquering. In 1279, Genghis Khan's grandson, Kublai Khan, defeated the Chinese Song. Kublai was born and trained in the Mongol tradition, but he came to accept many practices and ideas of his adopted home in China. In running his new empire, Kublai Khan tried to balance Mongol and Chinese cultures. After their conquest of Song China, the Mongols adapted to their sedentary lifestyle, but also found a way to continue their traditional ways while ruling a new, settled empire. The Mongol culture, both changed and stayed the …show more content…
During his rule, Kublai Khan imposed a four-level structure on society that put the Mongols at the top and the Chinese at the bottom. He also made sure that top-level government posts were reserved for Mongols or other people and not the Chinese. After conquering Song China, Kublai Khan promoted trade, something that traditional Chinese emperors had always looked down upon. The Mongols had always traded with other groups and “welcomed foreigners such as, Russians, Arabs, Jews, Genoese and Venetians” (The Mongol Dynasty). In addition, the Mongols worked to improve the social status of merchants and traders throughout their domains. As the Mongols increased the availability of paper money and reduced some of the tariffs imposed on merchants, there was a great increase of trade across and throughout Eurasia. In addition, an important legacy of the Mongols' reign in China was their support of many religions. “Following the teachings of his mother, he tolerated all religions in the area, helping to win acceptance of Mongol rule by the Chinese” (Kublai Khan and the Mongol Rule of China). According to Mongols in World History, “Islam... was well supported, and the Mongols built quite a number of mosques in China.” The Mongols clung to many of their own values and way of life, celebrating their traditional festivals and their feasts . Unlike other Mongolian rulers, …show more content…
Unlike previous leaders, such as his grandfather, Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan took a very different approach at leading his empire. When Kublai Khan took over China he kept trade, religion, tradition, and social structure the same. However, he was infulenced by the Chinese government, economy, and many of their traditions. There are many reasons why the Mongolian Empire was unique. The Mongols adapted to a new sedentary lifestyle and also found a way to continue their traditional ways while ruling a settled

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