Mongols
Homeland [2000]. The homeland of the Mongol speakers was the Altai Mountains and grasslands of north of China. Most Mongols moved herds of animals back and forth from summer to winter grazing lands. They carried their homes, circular tents [gers], on wagons. The Turks had similar homes and called them 'yurts'.
•
Foundation Story. Mongol legends explain that a Gray Doe married a Blue Wolf who gave birth to the first Mongols. The Mongols honored spirits living in the earth, water, fire and animals [animism]. Religious leaders [shamans] asked the ancestors and spirits for blessings. The shamans sometimes burned animal shoulder blades producing cracks and then explained what the cracks signified.
•
Composite bow. The composite bow [1500] was larger and able to shoot arrows with greater force than earlier bows. The composite bow was made of three materials glued together, animal sinew, wood, and animal horns.
Xianbei under Turkic Xiongnu [87 CE]. The Mongol Xianbei, who had lived as subjects of the Turkic Xiongnu, rebelled [87 CE] and then forced the Xiongnu to move west [101]. Xianbei raiders attacked farms in northern China in search of plunder.
Xianbei take North China [265]. As China grew weaker, several Mongol, Turk, and Tibetan groups gained control of regions in north China. These groups fought with each other to expand their territory. Native Chinese fled to the south to escape the wars and the foreign rulers. The Chinese call this period, the 'Sixteen Kingdoms of the Five Barbarians' [265/577].
Xianbei rule North China [386]. A branch of the Xianbei [Toba] formed a state in northern China [338]. They gained control of most of northern China and became known as the Northern Wei. During their 150 year rule the Northern Wei rebuilt the Great Wall, expanded west into the Tarim basin, and adopted China's culture [assimilation].
Juan-Juan form empire [407]. Mongols, called 'Juan-Juan' by the Chinese, controlled a large area north of China [407/551]. Their state is known as the First Mongol Empire to differentiate it from the Mongol empire which developed in the 1200s.
Juan-Juan become Avars [551]. Turkic subjects of the Juan-Juan rebelled [553 and 559]. The Juan-Juan fled to Central Europe [559] where the Byzantines called them 'Avars'.
Avars settle in Dacia [563]. Germanic Franks defeated the Avars [563], stopping their expansion. The Avars helped one Germanic group [Lombards] defeat another [567, Gepids], then took their land [573, Dacia] after both groups moved away. The Avars took several Byzantine forts [583] and asked Persia to help attack Byzantium. Their combined forces might have conquered Byzantium, but the Byzantine navy kept the Persian and Avar armies from joining each other [626].
Avars end [635]. The Avars became a barrier which divided the South, West, and East Slavs. As a result the Slavs developed three different cultures. As the Avars grew weaker Slavs including the Bulgars expanded into Avar territory [650/680]. The Franks attacked the Avars repeatedly [791/805, under Charlemagne]. The Bulgars defeated the Avars [807/808, under Krum], ending their history as a state.
Khitan control Mongolia [808]. The Mongol-speaking Khitan gained strength in eastern Asia.
Khitan rule North China [907]. After the Tang lost control, north China became divided into small kingdoms [907]. The Khitan ruled large areas of north China during a 22-year period of China's history known as the 'Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms' [907-929].
Khitan form Liao Dynasty [947]. The Khitan formed the Liao Dynasty which controlled much of northern China for more than 250 years [947/1225]. China's Song dynasty paid tribute to the Khitan to stop their raids.
Copyright © 2002-2011 Francis E Lodge
All Rights Reserved • atlasofworldhistory.com