The Mongol diplomatic tradition was a major feature of the Mongol imperial tradition, and it was a major factor in the success of the Mongol Empire. The Mongols developed a sophisticated system of diplomacy, and the system was a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to manage their vast empire and to maintain relations with the various states and peoples of the world.
The Mongol diplomatic tradition was based on a number of key principles, including:
- The use of envoys as the primary instrument of diplomacy
- The use of marriage alliances to cement political relationships
- The use of the imperial passport (paiza) to facilitate the movement of envoys and merchants
- The use of the yam postal system to support the diplomatic missions
- The use of terror as a tool of diplomacy
The Mongol diplomatic tradition was a major factor in the success of the Mongol state, and the tradition was a major influence on the development of the modern international system.
The Use of Envoys
The use of envoys was a central feature of the Mongol diplomatic tradition. The Mongols sent envoys to the various courts of the world, and the envoys were the primary instrument of Mongol diplomacy. The envoys were typically selected for their diplomatic skill and their knowledge of foreign languages, and the envoys were typically given a high degree of authority in their negotiations.
The most famous of the Mongol envoys were:
- Yelu Chucai, a Chinese scholar who served as the chief adviser of Genghis Khan and who was a major figure in the diplomatic relations of the empire
- Mahmud Yalavach, a Uyghur administrator who served as the chief administrator of North China
- Rabban Bar Sauma, a Nestorian Christian who was sent to the courts of Europe in 1287-1288
- John of Plano Carpini, a Franciscan friar who was sent by Pope Innocent IV to the Mongol court in 1245-1247
- William of Rubruck, a Franciscan friar who was sent by King Louis IX of France to the Mongol court in 1253-1255
The Use of Marriage Alliances
The use of marriage alliances was another central feature of the Mongol diplomatic tradition. The Mongols used marriage alliances to cement political relationships, and the alliances were a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to maintain the unity of the empire. The most important of the marriage alliances was the marriage of the imperial princesses to the foreign kings, which was a major symbol of the alliance.
The most famous of the marriage alliances were:
- The marriage of Genghis Khan to Börte, which cemented the alliance between the Kiyat and the Onggirat
- The marriage of the Mongol princesses to the kings of the various khanates, which cemented the alliance between the khanates
- The marriage of Hulagu’s son to the daughter of the Byzantine emperor, which cemented the alliance between the Ilkhanate and the Byzantine Empire
The Use of the Imperial Passport (Paiza)
The use of the imperial passport (paiza) was another central feature of the Mongol diplomatic tradition. The paiza was a tablet of metal, wood, or ivory that was issued by the imperial government and that entitled the bearer to demand fresh horses, lodging, and food at the yams. The paiza was the medieval equivalent of a diplomatic passport, and it was the basis of the security of the diplomatic system.
The paiza was a major innovation of the Mongol diplomatic tradition, and the paiza was widely copied by the successor states of the Mongol Empire. The paiza is also significant for what it tells us about the reach of the Mongol Empire: the fact that the paiza was recognized across the entire Eurasian landmass is a striking reminder of the political unity that the Mongols had achieved.
The Use of the Yam Postal System
The use of the yam postal system was another central feature of the Mongol diplomatic tradition. The yam was a network of way stations that the Mongols used to communicate across the empire, and the yam was the basis of the diplomatic communication. The yam made it possible to communicate across the empire in a matter of weeks, and the yam allowed the government to send orders and reinforcements to the front in a matter of weeks.
The yam was a major factor in the success of the Mongol diplomatic tradition, and the yam was a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to manage their vast empire. The yam was also a major factor in the spread of the Pax Mongolica, and the yam was a major factor in the cultural exchange that took place under the Pax Mongolica.
The Use of Terror as a Tool of Diplomacy
The use of terror as a tool of diplomacy was another central feature of the Mongol diplomatic tradition. The Mongols used terror as a tool of diplomacy, and the terror was a major factor in the success of the Mongol diplomatic tradition. The most important of the uses of terror was the deliberate spread of stories of the destruction of cities that had resisted, in order to encourage other cities to surrender.
The use of terror was a major factor in the success of the Mongol diplomatic tradition, and the use of terror was a major factor in the ability of the Mongols to expand their empire. The use of terror was, however, also a major source of the negative reputation of the Mongols, and the use of terror was a major factor in the resistance that the Mongols encountered in some regions.
The Legacy of the Mongol Diplomatic Tradition
The legacy of the Mongol diplomatic tradition is visible in the modern world. The most obvious is in the modern international system, which is based on many of the principles that the Mongols established. The most important of these principles is the principle of diplomatic immunity, which the Mongols established and which has become a central feature of the modern international system.
The legacy of the Mongol diplomatic tradition is also visible in the modern diplomatic practices of the successor states of the Mongol Empire. The most obvious is in the modern Chinese state, which has a long tradition of diplomatic relations with the various states of Eurasia. The other examples include the modern Russian state, which has a similar tradition of diplomatic relations.
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).