Response Paper 3
In Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, authored by Jack Weatherford, was written to get the reader engrossed in a true representation of the history of the Mongol Empire, as well as its’ champion, Genghis Khan, which ruled it from its’ founding in the year 1206 until his death in 1227 AD. The introduction of the book gives a strong background as what the author intends his work to achieve and what historical resources he used to compile this “better” history of the Mongols. Most people have a negative view of the Mongol Empire and Genghis Khan, with traditional history depicting them as savage barbarians that conquered Asia by submission. However, while part of this view is correct, interesting facts were brought …show more content…
It was subdivided this way in order to be able to better visualize how Genghis’ upbringing influenced him later in being able to unite the various warring Mongol tribes and create an empire that stretched from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean. The Mongol Empire can be metaphorically referred to as a big “cultural machine” in the sense that subjugated cultures (Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Chinese, etc.) were allowed to continue their own customs and traditions, as long as they recognized the Khan as the supreme ruler over their territory. Creating such a system allowed order, peace, and prosperity of the various cultures to be maintained in the empire for nearly two centuries. It is truly something to be appreciated in a historical sense.
The most important thing that stuck out were the social aspects of the Mongols and how they came together to influence the way in which the Mongol Empire was ruled. Genghis Khan set basic principles on how the empire should govern itself, and at the core they were shaped by his experiences in his youth and wanting to maintain unity among the various tribes of the steppes. Armed with these principles, he was able to institute them in such a way as to keep his empire together, bound by supreme loyalty as a unifying …show more content…
It afforded the various groups under Mongol rule the capability to continue their own customs and traditions as well rooting out the most troublesome social problems. Kidnapping, enslavement, abductions, and adultery (in most forms) were all abolished. Theft of property was made illegal and punishable by execution. He codified hunting laws to protect the sustenance of the Mongol herders under his rule. He established universal religious freedom, and went as far to permit different beliefs as long as they were not to be used for political purposes. He set up basic political laws to protect the legitimacy of the office of the khan. A rudimentary judicial system was created to be able to enforce the Mongol laws he created. Lastly, he created an excellent system of communication with messengers to be able to stay in contact with far-flung regions of the empire, as well as being able to be used for battlefield communication if the need arose. All these laws were important in the sense
In Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, authored by Jack Weatherford, was written to get the reader engrossed in a true representation of the history of the Mongol Empire, as well as its’ champion, Genghis Khan, which ruled it from its’ founding in the year 1206 until his death in 1227 AD. The introduction of the book gives a strong background as what the author intends his work to achieve and what historical resources he used to compile this “better” history of the Mongols. Most people have a negative view of the Mongol Empire and Genghis Khan, with traditional history depicting them as savage barbarians that conquered Asia by submission. However, while part of this view is correct, interesting facts were brought …show more content…
It was subdivided this way in order to be able to better visualize how Genghis’ upbringing influenced him later in being able to unite the various warring Mongol tribes and create an empire that stretched from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean. The Mongol Empire can be metaphorically referred to as a big “cultural machine” in the sense that subjugated cultures (Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Chinese, etc.) were allowed to continue their own customs and traditions, as long as they recognized the Khan as the supreme ruler over their territory. Creating such a system allowed order, peace, and prosperity of the various cultures to be maintained in the empire for nearly two centuries. It is truly something to be appreciated in a historical sense.
The most important thing that stuck out were the social aspects of the Mongols and how they came together to influence the way in which the Mongol Empire was ruled. Genghis Khan set basic principles on how the empire should govern itself, and at the core they were shaped by his experiences in his youth and wanting to maintain unity among the various tribes of the steppes. Armed with these principles, he was able to institute them in such a way as to keep his empire together, bound by supreme loyalty as a unifying …show more content…
It afforded the various groups under Mongol rule the capability to continue their own customs and traditions as well rooting out the most troublesome social problems. Kidnapping, enslavement, abductions, and adultery (in most forms) were all abolished. Theft of property was made illegal and punishable by execution. He codified hunting laws to protect the sustenance of the Mongol herders under his rule. He established universal religious freedom, and went as far to permit different beliefs as long as they were not to be used for political purposes. He set up basic political laws to protect the legitimacy of the office of the khan. A rudimentary judicial system was created to be able to enforce the Mongol laws he created. Lastly, he created an excellent system of communication with messengers to be able to stay in contact with far-flung regions of the empire, as well as being able to be used for battlefield communication if the need arose. All these laws were important in the sense