Interdisciplinary Studies 200-B: ST: The Mongols and Religion(s)

Ever wondered what was particular about the world's largest contiguous land empire in world history? Yes, that's the Mongols! One of the most fascinating features of the Mongol Empire was their relationship with religion/s. While their religious tolerance has been praised by many scholars, the Mongols' view of religion was also deeply pragmatic and rooted in realpolitik. This course will take you from the steppes of Mongolia, where Shamanism was practiced by the Mongolian tribes during the lifetime of Genghis Khan, to the various world areas the Mongols conquered. From Tengrism (Mongolian Shamanism), to Buddhism, Nestorian Christianity, Catholicism, Taoism, Manichaeism, and Islam, the Mongols experimented with, and adopted, many of the major world religions. We will investigate many questions, among which: what did the early Mongol tribes believe in? What was the role of spirits? How were ancestors to be prayed to? Why did the Mongols practice horse sacrifice? What was the role of divination? How were religious figures treated during the various conquests? How did women sustain religious life throughout the Mongol Empire? In what ways did the Mongols use the Mandate of Heaven? How and why did the Mongols end up adopting foreign religions? In what ways did these conversions help their empire building process? Along with lectures, the sessions will include a weekly reading of a primary source in translation. This course is taught by a Visiting Arnold Professor, and is open to students, staff, and faculty. It will be held as a brown bag lunch series.