EAST-WEST COMMUNICATION DURING THE MONGOL ERA
How the Mongol conquest facilitated the spread of ideas
Mongol conquest was the greatest of all Eurasian conquest of the 13th century. Emperor Genghis, who ruled through the early 13th century, attracted civilization with a unified and well-organized state. The influence of the Mongol Empire traversed through Europe with much impacts on religion, trade and technology. Cartwright argues that the Mongolian Empire was such strong that power to reckon in writing systems established in the 13th and 14th centuries (1). The Mongol Empire spared learning in taxation and ensured printing ideas spread throughout Asian and European continents. Moreover, the contributions of the Mongol Empire are invaluable to the creation of postal systems.
The Mongols had established standardized notes for banks that were used as currencies throughout the entire continent. In terms of trade, the Mongol Empire facilitated knowledge about finance. It contributed to the ‘free trade area,’ where merchants would travel with gold and other valuables without worrying over security (Timothy 1). During his reign, Emperor Genghis had established a prosperous economy in Asian, which impacted other regions to adopt similar ideas in trading. Marco Polo and many European traders often visited the empire to learn about trading (Cartwright 1). Lastly, the Mongolian Empire contributed to excellent knowledge in medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and engineering. Moreover, Empire Genghis had loved education; therefore, he supported learning and glass technology. It was during the Mongol conquest that thirst for knowledge grew to the point that learning became formalized; the explosion in education impacted exploration in Europe and the spread of ideas across Asia to Europe.
How the Mongol conquest facilitated the spread of religions
The Mongol conquest impacted the spread of religion due to the expansion of the empires. The Mongol Empire’s vast expansion led to religious milieu coming into contact with the conquered population; hence, the spread of religious groups. The encounter with conquerors had a contribution to highlighting the role of religion amongst the people of Mongol. In shaping the religious systems, the Mongol Empire had impacted those conquered populations’ religious beliefs, thus influencing the interpretation by Mongol rulers of the political landscape (Cartwright 1). The Mongol religion vastly composed of Shamanism intertwined with traditional worship culture and beliefs. The Mongol conquest led to the adoption of various religions such as Buddhism; therefore, Kublai Khan converted to Buddhism. by conquering China, the Mongols changed their traditional beliefs, and Buddhism became official during the Yuan Dynasty 1271-1368 CE.
How the Mongol conquest facilitated the spread of inventions
The spread of invention and technology became more apparent when the Mongol conquest had established its effect in the Eurasian region. The most remarkable invention of the time was of Silk Road that facilitated trade connecting Europe and Asia. Silk Road became the most significant economic route for countries that led to the expansion of invention back and forth, as two continents shared various resources and technology (de Graaf 1). The Chinese invention of paper spread to the Mongols’ Middle East courtesy, who had business relations with European merchants. Due to the Mongol conquest, innovations such as gunpowder and blast furnace spread to Europe. The blast furnace invention helped revolutionize agriculture in ancient Europe, whereby the improved metal production led to the plow’s making. Furthermore, the spread of gunpowder to other parts of Europe and Asia contributed to modern warfare. However, the Mongols used gunpowder in making hand grenades used in conquering other nations.
The Mongols are known as the inventors of dried milk; therefore, the conquest led to the spread of this nascent technology to Europe and the vast Asian continent. Until today, dried milk is a food supplement in the world. Moreover, the invention of the composite bow used in conquest war led to changes in military systems. As many nations adopted the bow invention, warfare became sophisticated, shown by superior bows and arrows borrowed from Mongols. In conclusion, despite the narrative of a bloodhungry country, Mongol has remained historic in shaping both military and economic standards in Europe and Asia attributed to gunpowder, dried milk, and bow inventions.
How the Mongol conquest facilitated the spread of diseases
During the Mongol conquest, the deadliest Bubonic plague killed millions of Mongol nomadic people. As a result of the Mongol conquest, trade expanded, leading to increased movement of traders, thus spreading the Bubonic plague. The sea and land trading routes were populated by unquarantined traders who facilitated the deadliest Bubonic plague’s spread. The contagious disease spread via the Silk Road by the Mongol armies who, in conjunction with traders, helped spread the enzootic malady (de Graaf 1). The disease had spread to Hubei, Shanxi, Guangxi, and Guangdong in the ensuing years, among other areas. Mongol conquest, therefore, had a devastating impact on health as people lost lives. Moreover, the conquest was a significant contribution to the social disruption in many areas, as populations of merchants and Mongols moved from Central Asia to Europe, affecting the uninfected population (Timothy 1). The Mongol conquest has both been a positive contribution to the Eurasian region’s invention and religious landscape and the negative impacts in terms of the ‘Black Death’ of the Bubonic plague.
Works Cited
Cartwright Mark. Religion in the Mongol Empire. 2019. ANCIENT HISTORY ENCYCLOPEDIA. Retrieved from: https://www.ancient.eu/article/1469/religion-in-the-mongol-empire/
de Graaf, W. J. “THE SILK ROAD IN THE MONGOL ERA.” 2018. Retrieved from: http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=146210
Timothy May. The Mongol Empire in World History. World History Connected. 2008. Retrieved from: https://worldhistoryconnected.press.uillinois.edu/5.2/may.html