Key Points - Nomadic Empires

Imperial formations constructed by nomadic groups. The Mongols, under the leadership of Genghis Khan established a transcontinental empire straddling Europe.

Founder
Genghish Khan
Background
Pastoralists,
Hunter - gatherers
Society divided into
Patrilineal lineages
Contribution

1. Formation of a transcontinental empire

2. Social organisation

3. Political organisation

4. Military Organisation

5. Encouraged Long distance trade attracted travelers like Marco  Polo.

Achievements:
- Organised the army

Career:
- born around 1162AD
- Father was murdered at an early age
- Conquest of China, Transoxiana,Khwarazm, Samarqand, Herat, Azerbaijan Russia
- Death in 1227

Sources: Chronicles of Rashid al -Din, the Great wall of China, The silk route.
Family tree of Genghis Khan 

Time line: 
After decades of Soviet control, the country of Mongolia is recreating its identity as an independent nation . Genghis Khan appeared as an iconic figure for the Mongol People, mobilising memories of a great past in the forging of national identity that can carry the nation into the future.
British Empire, Mauryan Empire, Mughal Empire
- Comparison with the Mongol Empire.
- Mongols Provided idelogical models for the Mughals of India.

- Timur, another monarch who aspired to universal domination, hesitated to declare himself monarch because of Genghis Khan.

Social Organisation:
All the able - bodied, adult males of the tribe bore arms. The society included groups like the
Turkic Uighurs, the defeated people like - the Kereyits. It was a body of heterogenous mass of people.

Political Organisation:
Genghis khan assigned the responsibility of governing the newly conquered people to his foursons. Genghis Khan envisaged that his sons would rule the empire collectively. The numbers of the family was underlined at the assembly of chieftains, quriltais, where all decisions relating to the family or the state for the forthcoming season - Campaigns, distribution of plunder, Pasture lands and succession were collectively taken.

Military Organisation:
His army was organised according to the old steppe system of decimal units: in divisions of
10s, 100s, 1000s and 10,000 soldiers. He divided the old tribal groupings and distributed their members into new military units. Any individual who tried to move from his / her alloted group without permission received harsh punishment. The largest unit of soldiers, approximating
10,000 soldiers. The new military contingents were required. to serve under his four sons and specially chosen captains of his army units called noyan.

Key Words / Terms
Barbarian: The term 'barbarian' is derived from the greek barbaros which meant a non greek, whose language sounded like a random noise: 'bar-bar'. Cruel, greed and politically unable to govern.
Yasa: Genghis Khan's code of Law.
Tama: The military contingents of the individual princes.
Quriltais: The assembly of chieftains where all decisions relating to the family or the state campaings, distribution of plunder, pasture lands and succession - were collectively taken.
Anda: blood brothers of Genghis Khan.
Naukar: Special ranking as his bondsmen, a title that marked their close relationship with their mster.
Qanats: Underground canals.
Yam: A Courier system introduced by Genghis Khan
Qubcur tax: A levy that the nomads paid willingly for the multiple benefits that it brought.
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Model Questions

2 Marks Question:

1. What do you understand by the term 'barbarian' ?

2. Write two military skills of Genghis Khan ?

What was Yasa ?
Write two achievements of Genghis Khan ?
Why the 'Great wall of China' was constructed ?.
5 Marks Questions:

1. Describe about the nomadic societies ?

2. Mention the estimated extent of Mongol destruction ?

3. Why was trade so significant to the Mongols ?

4. Describe about 'the Great Wall of Chine' ?

5. Write about the military system of Genghis Khan ?

10 Marks Question:

1. Mention the important events after the death of Genghis Khan ?

2. Write about the administrative system of Genghis Khan ?

3. Describe about the code of law of Genghis Khan ?

Model Answers
2 Marks Question:
1. Write two achievements of Genghis Khan
Ans. i) United the Mongol People and freed them from interminable tribal wars. ii) Fashioned a grand transcontinental empire.

5 Marks Question:
1. Write about the military system of Genghis Khan.
Ans. i) Army was organised according to the old steppe system of decimal units. ii) Divided the old tribal groupings and distributed their members into new military units. iii) Any individual who tried to move from his allotted group without permission received harsh punishment. iv) The largest unit of soldiers, approximating 10,000. v) The new military contingents were required to serve under his four sons and specially chosen captains.

10 Marks question:
1. Write about the administrative system of Genghis Khan?
Ans. i) Genghis Khan assigned the reponsibility of governing the newly conquered people to his four sons. ii) These comprised the four ulus, a term that did not originally mean fixed territories.
 iii) Genghis Khan envisaged that his sons would rule the empire collectively. iv) Military contingents (tama) of the individual princes were placed in each ulus. v) The sense of a dominion shared by the members of the family was underlined at the assembly of chieftains (quriltais)  vi) Quriltais, where all decisions relating to the family or the state for the forthcoming season Campaigns, distribution of plunder, Pasture lands and succession - were collectively taken. vii) A rapid courier system connected the distant areas. viii) For the maintenance of this communication system the Mongol nomads contributed a tenth of their herd. ix) This was called qubcur tax, a levy that nomads paid willingly for the multiple benefits that it brought. x)
The courier system (yam) was further refined after Genghis Khan's death.

Passage - based question
Yasa
In 1221, after ...................... the yasa of Genghis Khan'. (Page No. 120) of the textbook
Q.When did Genghis Khan introduce Yasa ?
Q.Who were assembled at the festival ground ?
Ans. The rich Muslim residents.
Q.Who was Abdullah Khan ?
Ans. A distant descendant of Jochi, Genghis Khan's eldest Son.
Q. Who was his Chronicler
Hafiz-i Tanish