The Government of Kublai Khan

“It is easier to conquer from the back of a horse than to rule from one”

– a Chinese official to Kublai Khan

(how the Mongols answered these questions)

I. What shall be our relationship with the Chinese?

– Lived separately from the Chinese– Separate law codes– Separate language– Practiced Tibetan Buddhism

Mongol Society and Privileges• Four classes:

– Mongols most privileges in society– "Color-eyed" Central Asians, – Han Chinese in northern China, Manchus, – Southerners Southern Song and other ethnic groups --

least trusted – least privileges

II. How shall we govern? • At first Kublai Khan acts as conqueror collecting

random tribute - later settles and governs as an authentic emperor– Mongols and Foreigners filled the top levels of

government.– Han and Southern Chinese excluded from high

government positions (deciding government policy and running government)

– Han and Southern Chinese officials used in lower level positions (carrying out government policy)

• Result – the Mongols needed interpreters so that the high levels of government could communicate with the lower levels of government

III. What should we do about the land?

• One Federal Tax system on the land to the Central Government (Instead of to local lords)

• Improvements to agriculture (irrigation)

• repaired Grand Canal- 135 miles

• 1000 + mile highways

• public granaries to stave off famine (starvation)

The Grand Canal

IV. Where shall we have our political center?

• Building, Infrastructure and Settlement:– Moved capital from Himalaya region (Dadu or Ta Tu)– New capital in Beijing– hospitals– orphanages

• Result of Settlement: Some Mongols revolt in protest of moving the capital and settling down in China. Kublai Khan defeats them

• As years go by the Khanate of China loses control of the Mongols on the Steppes

Cultural and Product Exchange

• Products traveling west along the Silk Route (protected by the Pax Mongolia)– Chinese prints– Gunpowder / early guns– Compass– paper money– playing cards– silk– porcelain

Traveling East to China

• Merchants from India, Persia, Central Asia, Italy• Marco Polo 1275 – 1292 – trader / government

official?• Kublai Khan hosted missionaries and religious

scholars and some Mongols adopted a mix of Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam

• Science and Technology from the West was brought to China

Decline of the Yuan Dynasty

• Kublai dies in 1294• Weaker rulers and over taxation angers

Chinese• Failed attempt to conquer Japan• Overthrown by Chinese peasants in 1368

–-> Ming Dynasty claims the Mandate of Heaven

• Pax Mongolia breaks up as the Khanates decline one by one