How Barbaric were the “Barbarians”?
The Mongols were nomadic people who lived off of meat, horse hide, and milk. Genghis Khan’s leadership was the awakening of the Mongol success. Under the guidance of the Great Khan, the Mongol empire thrived and expanded. After the death of Genghis Khan, his descendents had kept the Mongol reputation standing. The Mongol impact on the 13th and 14th century world affected many people and civilization which helped prove that they were not the savage and evil barbarians that people thought they were; but instead the Mongols were the reason that the Mongol empire thrived as seen through their culture, battle, and travelers.
In the Mongol culture, there have been many contributions and beliefs, which has made
…show more content…
The Mongols are not barbaric shown through their battle as they were very disciplined, organized, and tried to create fear in others. When in battle, if one or more of the ten men fled, then they were all put to death. If all ten men run away, then the whole group of 100 is put to death. If one or more go to fight or get captured by the enemy and the others do not try to go after them then they all are put to death. (Document 10) The Mongol soldiers were very disciplined, which enabled them to give it their all and work together to defeat their enemy. They were also very organized as they tried to save their energy by dividing their forces. This way they could take turns fighting and get some time to rest. If they were still unable to capture the fortress they would use the fat from dead bodies to make an unextinguishable fire. (Document 3) These organization strategies and problem solving skills make them advanced and civil people. When the Mongols attacked they were very prepared, they had a way to defend themselves from the three thousand crossbows. They had awoke fear in the enemy which had many missiles ready, pointed towards them. (Document 4) Some of the prisoners were buried alive upside down and they would also execute then by bow and arrow. (Document 5) This technique would bring fear to the enemy of what could happen to them if they were to be captured. The behavior of the Mongols is not barbaric but instead they use strategic ways to make their empire