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Sioux Falls Scientists endorse The Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire (2020) 24 lectures, 12 hours Picture these two scenes: In the first, you look over the wall of your city during the Middle Ages only to see the surrounding countryside choked with armed and mounted warriors, who have seemingly come from nowhere to ravage your ill-fated community. In the second, you have traveled for thousands of miles overland in relative safety, from Europe to an East Asian court that is civilized beyond compare, with foods, fabrics, technologies, and customs that will scarce be believed when you get back home. These are two sides of the Mongol Empire, the largest, most brutal, and yet one of the most enlightened realms the world has ever known. Award-winning teacher and historian Professor Craig Benjamin brings both sides of this remarkable civilization to life in The Mongol Empire with 24 lectures that recount the storied conquests and achievements of the steppe nomads of Central Asia, who flourished from the 1100s to 1500s. Even today, the Mongol conquerors are almost as shrouded in mystery as they were for the victims of their sudden raids so many centuries ago. Yet their empire was crucial to the fate of the religions of Islam and Orthodox Christianity and to the civilization of China. Plus, the long period of stability they brought to Central Asia opened the door to dependable commercial and cultural ties between Europe and East Asia. Indeed, many historians believe that the Mongol conquests, as violent as they were, helped usher in the modern world. A Horde of Great Leaders In The Mongol Empire, you learn that the internal politics between Mongol tribes could be intricate and bloody, with different relatives and factions fighting for control. However, among all the contenders for power, three great Mongol rulers stand out:
You will also meet an army of lesser known but equally mighty khans, queens, and princes. Among them were Chinggis’s son and immediate heir, Ogedai, who expanded his father’s empire and kept it together thanks to his gift for administration; Toregene, who exercised complete power after the death of her husband, Ogedai; Batu, one of Chinggis’s grandsons, who founded the Golden Horde division of the empire, which extended into Hungary and threatened the heart of Europe; Hulagu, another grandson, who invaded Persia and sacked Baghdad, ending the golden age of Islam; and Babur, related to Chinggis on his mother’s side and Timur on his father’s side, who established the Mughal dynasty in India, which dominated the subcontinent until the British arrived in the 18th century. The Secret of Mongol Military Success What made the Mongols so successful against first-class fighters like the Turks, Chinese, Persians, and the armored knights of Europe? Professor Benjamin analyzes the qualities that gave Mongol mounted archers a decisive edge, including:
Furthermore, the nature of the Eurasian steppe itself—a nearly unbroken grassland extending for 5,000 miles—gave the Mongols a sparsely populated homeland with ready access to rich civilizations on its periphery: China, India, Persia, Anatolia, and Europe. Few other groups knew how to survive on the arid steppe, whereas, the Mongols could easily disappear at the close of their campaigns only to reemerge months or years later, thousands of miles away, to menace a new target. Craig Benjamin is a Professor of History in the Frederick Meijer Honors College at Grand Valley State University, where he teaches big history and ancient Inner Eurasian history. He earned his PhD from Macquarie University in Sydney. Professor Benjamin has written or edited numerous books, including Big History: Between Nothing and Everything and Empires of Ancient Eurasia: The First Silk Roads Era, 100 BCE-250 CE. He has also worked as a guide lecturer for Archaeological Tours, leading parties to China and Mongolia, among other countries. 24 Lectures - 30 minutes each
The Mongol Empire Sioux Falls Scientists endorse The Mongol Empire |