CHAPTER SUMMARY
The nomads of central Asia during the thirteenth century returned to center stage in world history. The Mongols ended or interrupted the great postclassical empires while extending the world network of that era. Led by Chinggis Khan and his successors, they brought central Asia, China, Persia, Tibet, Iraq, Asia Minor, and southern Russia under their control. The states formed dominated most of Asia for one and a half centuries. The Mongol success was the most formidable nomadic challenge to the global dominance of the sedentary, civilized core civilizations since the first century C.E. The Mongols often are portrayed as barbarian, destructive …show more content…
Boys and girls learned to ride as soon as they could walk. The basic unit of social organization, the tribe, was divided into kin-related clans. Great confederations were organized temporarily for defensive and offensive operations. Males held dominant leadership positions; women held considerable influence within the family. Leaders were elected by free males. They gained their positions through courage and diplomatic skills and maintained authority as long as they were successful.
The Making of a Great Warrior: The Early Career of Chinggis Khan. Mongolian peoples had held brief periods of power in central Asia. They established kingdoms in north China in the fourth and tenth centuries C.E. Kabul Khan in the twelfth century defeated a Qin army, but Mongol organization declined after his death. His grandson, Chinggis Khan, originally named Temujin, was a member of one of the clans disputing Mongol leadership at the end of the twelfth century. After surviving defeat and capture, Temujin gained strength among the Mongols through alliances with more powerful groups. After defeating his rivals he was elected supreme ruler (khagan) of all Mongol tribes in