The Mongol capital strategy was a major feature of the Mongol imperial tradition, and it was a major factor in the success of the Mongol Empire. The Mongols maintained a number of capitals across the empire, and the capitals were major centers of the political, cultural, and economic life of the empire.
The most important of the Mongol capitals was Karakorum, which was the capital of the Mongol Empire from 1220 to 1260. Karakorum was located in the Orkhon Valley, in central Mongolia, and it was the first major capital of the Mongol Empire. The city was founded by Genghis Khan in 1220, and it served as the capital of the empire under Genghis Khan and Ögedei Khan.
The other major capitals of the Mongol Empire were Khanbaliq (modern Beijing), which was the capital of the Yuan Dynasty; Sarai, which was the capital of the Golden Horde; Tabriz, which was the capital of the Ilkhanate; and Almalik, which was the capital of the Chagatai Khanate.
The Nomadic Capital Tradition
The nomadic capital tradition was a major feature of the Mongol political tradition. The Mongols maintained a nomadic court that moved with the great khan, and the court was a major center of the political and cultural life of the empire. The nomadic tradition was a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to maintain the unity of the empire, and the nomadic tradition was a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to project their power across the Eurasian landmass.
The nomadic capital tradition was a major feature of the early Mongol Empire, but the tradition was gradually replaced by the sedentary capital tradition as the empire expanded. The sedentary tradition was more efficient for the administration of a large empire, and the sedentary tradition was more suitable for the cultural exchange that took place under the Pax Mongolica.
The Sedentary Capital Tradition
The sedentary capital tradition was a major feature of the later Mongol Empire, and it was a major factor in the success of the Mongol state. The sedentary capitals were major centers of the political, cultural, and economic life of the empire, and the sedentary capitals were a major symbol of the cosmopolitanism of the Mongol world.
The most important of the sedentary capitals was Khanbaliq (modern Beijing), which was the capital of the Yuan Dynasty. Khanbaliq was one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities in the medieval world, and it was a major center of trade, culture, and administration. The city was a major synthesis of Chinese, Tibetan, and Persian architectural traditions, and it was a major symbol of the cosmopolitanism of the Yuan Dynasty.
The Significance of the Capital Strategy
The significance of the capital strategy was a major factor in the success of the Mongol state. The capitals were major centers of the political, cultural, and economic life of the empire, and the capitals were a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to maintain the unity of the empire.
The capital strategy was also a major factor in the cultural exchange that took place under the Pax Mongolica. The capitals were major destinations for merchants, missionaries, and other travelers, and the capitals were major centers of the cultural exchange that took place under the Pax Mongolica.
The capital strategy was also a major factor in the development of the modern states that emerged from the khanates. The most obvious is in the modern state of China, where Beijing has continued to be a major capital since the Yuan Dynasty. The other examples include the modern state of Iran, where Tabriz and other former Ilkhanate capitals have continued to be major cities.
The Decline of the Capitals
The decline of the capitals was a major feature of the decline of the Mongol world. The capitals lost their importance as the Mongol Empire declined, and the capitals were eventually abandoned or absorbed by new states.
The most important of the abandonments was the abandonment of Karakorum in the late thirteenth century. The city was eventually destroyed by the Chinese in 1380, and the site of the city is now a major archaeological site. The other abandonments included the decline of Sarai in the late fifteenth century and the decline of Tabriz in the late fourteenth century.
The decline of the capitals was a major factor in the political fragmentation of the Mongol Empire. The loss of the capitals was a major blow to the prestige of the central khanate, and it was a major factor in the eventual fragmentation of the empire into four khanates.
The Legacy of the Capitals
The legacy of the capitals is visible in the modern world. The most obvious is in the modern state of Mongolia, where the site of Karakorum is now a major tourist destination. The other examples include the modern state of China, where Beijing has continued to be a major capital since the Yuan Dynasty.
The legacy of the capitals is also visible in the modern political traditions of the former Mongol territories. The most obvious is in the modern Russian state, where the political traditions of Sarai were a major influence on the development of the Russian state. The other examples include the modern Chinese state, where the political traditions of Khanbaliq were a major influence on the development of the Chinese state.
Sources
- David Morgan, The Mongols (2nd ed., Oxford, 2007).
- Peter Jackson, The Mongols and the West, 1221–1410 (London, 2005).
- Timothy May, The Mongol Conquests in World History (London, 2012).