History 248-A: Topic in Asian History: Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire

Was Genghis Khan really such a bad guy after all? Were the Mongol Invasions of the 13th century really a disaster? It almost seems immoral to ask questions like this, but in this class we'll go ahead and ask them anyway. This course explores the impact of the rise of Genghis Khan and the spread of his Empire as recorded in a multitude of primary sources, literary, archaeological, and artistic, which have survived from the 13th and 14th centuries. Using primary source material, much of it now available in English translation, students will examine the rise and rule of the Mongol khans through the words of the empire's administrators, observers, chroniclers, critics, victims, and even entertainers. We will also watch the Mongols in films, including The Conqueror (MGM, 1956), starring John Wayne (!); Mongol (Sergei Bodrov, 2007), and the Marco Polo series. We will examine the Mongol way of life, what they ate, how they educated their youth, how they trained for combat, their rapport to nature and the horses that were so central to their conquests, the role of women in Mongol society, their drinking culture, among other topics. You will learn about the complex and fascinating relation the Mongols had to religion and to the various religious traditions they encountered during their conquests. We will also discuss the Mongol legacy in various contemporary societies, including China, Japan, and Russia. During each class, we will read a primary source extract together and discuss it, for instance a section of the biography of Genghis Khan, a diplomatic letter exchange between the Mongol Khan and the Pope, or medieval descriptions of the Mongols by European travelers, etc. This class will allow you to see the Mongols in a brand-new way. Applies toward the Asia geographical area for the History (Global) major.