NOMADIC EMPIRES & EURASIAN INTEGRATION

NOMADIC SOCIETY

• Two classes- Nobles and commoners
• Nobles- absolute authority over their forces during war, little governing
• Commoners- could move up to noble by courageous behavior during war
• Central Asia didn't receive enough rain to support large-scale agriculture
• No large water supply but big grass fields, Nomadics herded grazing animals on these fields for trade

TURKISH MILITARY EXPANSION

• Saljug turks were essentially a part of the Abbasid empire, once they overshadowed the kingdom
• Turkish rule extended to Syria and Palestine, even Persia
• In 1071, Saljug forces inflicted a devastating defeat on the Byzantine army at Manzikert in eastern Anatolia
• The Saljug Turks completely owned the Byzantine Empire now and ruled that land
• Turkish groups completely changed Anatolia and set up political and social institutions

TURKISH MILITARY EXPANSION

• The Ghaznavid turks let their armies into northern India
• Punjab, Gujarat, Bengal, and eventually the capital of Delhi
• The civilizations did not change much like in Anatolia

GENGHIS KHAN

• Genghis would take in even poor social class people from different civilizations
• The rich hated him but that didn't matter because they were no longer rich
• He was brutal in military attacks and would wipe out complete civilizations if needed for land
• People liked Genghis Khan greatly, this helped him gain power
• He continued to win people's minds over, gain land by attacks, and build his civilization by slowly becoming super powerful

MONGOLS

• Genghis chose high military and political officials not based on class, but on talent and loyalty
• Khan broke up the tribes and forced men to join new military units with no tribal affiliations
• Leaders for important post could be a very poor man, but if he was fast with his bow and loyal to his emperor, he would be the leader

KUBLAI KHAN

• Kublai extended Mongol rule to all of China, attacking the Song dynasty in southern China (fell)
• He launched invasions in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Burma; naval expeditions to Java
• They never go the chance to attack Japan, but came close (typhoons)
• Not being able to adapt to tropical climate make it difficult to cope with guerrilla tactics employed by defenders
• The storm of 1281 destroyed thousands of Mongol ships on their efforts to attack Japan

Video
Mongolian Horse Riders!
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d9lils2Q00U