Mongol DocumentsPOV

Document 1



What does this quote tell you about the Mongols and their purpose?


Point of View Point of View:
Who is the author? Name ___________________

Positiontitle (king,
traveler, servant, leader)
Status (aristocracy,
middle class,
servant, slave)
Education
Level
Nationality Location writing
from
Religion Gender
Author





How does it affect
the authors
statement?




Tone (angry, persuasive,
resigned,)
Type of document (letter, treaty,
speech, )
Motive for writing (inform, complain,
protest, share good news, )
Intended Audience





Document 2







What happened in Russia?


Point of View Point of View:
Who is the author (in this case, who commissioned it)? Name ___________________

Positiontitle (king,
traveler, servant, leader)
Status (aristocracy,
middle class,
servant, slave)
Education
Level
Nationality Location writing
from
Religion Gender
Author





How does it affect
the authors
statement?




Tone (angry, persuasive,
resigned,)
Type of document (letter, treaty,
speech, )
Motive for writing (inform, complain,
protest, share good news, )
Intended Audience




The greatest joy for a man is to defeat his enemies, to drive them before him, to take from them all they possess, to see those they love
in tears, to ride their horses, and to hold their wives and daughters in his arms.
Speech by Genghis Khan to his men before the campaign into China, 1206

Thus angered, the Tatars [Mongols] now began the conquest of the Riazan land with great fury. They destroyed cities, killed people,
burned, and took [people] into slaverythe cursed strangers approached the capital city of Riazan, besieged it, and surrounded it with a
stockade. The princes of Riazan shut themselves up with the people of the city, fought bravely, but succumbed. On December 21 [1237],
the Tatars took the city of Riazan, burned it completely, killed Prince Iuri Igorevich, his wife, slaughtered other princes, and of the captured
men, women, and children, some they killed with their swords, others they killed with arrows, and [then] threw them into the fire; while
some of the captured they bound, cut, and disemboweled their bodies. The Tatars burned many holy churches, monasteries, and villages,
and took their property.
Unknown Russian chronicler describing the Mongol conquest of Russian cities, 1237-1238.

Document 3
What do you think influences these 3 leaders in saying this?


Point of View Point of View:
Who is the author? Name ___________________

Positiontitle (king,
traveler, servant, leader)
Status (aristocracy,
middle class,
servant, slave)
Education
Level
Nationality Location writing
from
Religion Gender
Author





How does it affect
the authors
statement?




Tone (angry, persuasive,
resigned,)
Type of document (letter, treaty,
speech, )
Motive for writing (inform, complain,
protest, share good news, )
Intended Audience





Random Mongol Facts:
The Mongols had physical advantages over their enemies:
Because they lived on the high plains of Mongolia, their bodies would have more red blood cells to transport an equal amount of
oxygen. When they moved to the lower levels of Asia and Europe, this meant that their endurance and strength would be
increased this is the same trick track and field athletes use today when they have their training camps in high elevations like
Mexico City or Denver for several months; it is called blood doping.
Great eyesight it was said that they could distinguish a man from an animal from 18 miles away.
They had great visual memory a built-in map generator in their head. They did not have maps on paper, but could remember a
place and the way there after riding there once. This was an essential survival skill in the steppes, because there are no road signs
there not even roads!
They learned how to ride even before they learned how to walk when they were 2 years old.
The use of Terror and Cruelty as weapon
They put whistles on their arrows to terrorize the enemy, especially the horses
Poisoned the arrows with snake or vegetable poisons, which killed immediately
In 1220, after the siege of Bukhara in Uzbekistan, they poured molten Gold down the throat of the Governor. Reason: He had
killed Mongol merchants, who he accused of spying to rob them. The Mongols apparently thought, if he wants our gold, he shall
get it...
1221 in Merv (Persia), they slaughtered 700,000 people. Only the useful, like engineers, doctors, artisans, were spared and
enslaved. Not even dogs were left alive. Reason: Revenge for the death of a son-in-law of Dschingis Kahn, during the siege.
After they conquered Baghdad, they locked up the Caliph in a tower with all his gold and silver. Why? To punish him, because he
had refused to spend his personal wealth on the defense of the city. Baghdad was looted for seven days during which the Caliph
starved to death amongst his riches. They slaughtered about 800,000 people in Baghdad. After that, Damascus surrendered
immediately when the first Mongol patrol was in sight of the city.
Fear Factor: In Persia, one Mongol took a man captive but had no sword to kill him. So he ordered the man to lie down on the
ground without moving while he would get a sword. The man was so terrified that he actually lay there until the Mongol came back
and cut his head off.
In 1237 the city of Riazan in Russia was conquered after a siege of five days. Before the citizens were slaughtered (by impaling
and flaying), they were forced to watch how the Mongols raped systematically all young women, including nuns.
They always left some people alive and set them free, so that the news of the terror would spread.
We submit ourselves, our families and our lands, for we have knowledge passed on to us from our forbears.....from Ali ibn Abi Talibs mouth
we have a knowledge that you will one day be the owners of this land, that the grip of your power will defeat its governor, and that he will give
way before the verdict of greatness...
Letter sent to a Mongol Khan by three Islamic government officials of Baghdad, 1258