The Rise and Fall of the Mongol Empire

The Mongol Empire started in modern-day Mongolia, under the leadership of Temüjin. At age 9 he lost access to his father's crown and vowed to regain his family's position within the Mongol People.
When Temüjin was 40 years old he got his revenge and was crown The Great Khan, or Genghis Khan.
From there he expanded his empire into Central Asia, Siberia, and China. He created a system where people were promoted based on competence, instead of personal connections. This made his Mongol Government far more effective than those of other countries at the time. At the same tie his armies were on horseback and could outrun almost any enemy.
His son Ögedei Khan succeeded him and continued the Mongol's conquests into Eastern Europe, Iran, the Middle East, and China.
After his death Güyük Khan began consolidating the empire and his successor Mongke began the centralisation of Mongol power.
The Mongol ruler focussed on conquering China. And those Mongols living in China slowly integrated into the Chinese population and remained itself the Yuan Dynasty. With the focus on China the other Mongols declared independence and in 1266 the Mongol Empire became 4 countries: Mongol Ulus, The Golden Horde, The Chagatai, and the Ilkhanate.
The Yuan Dynasty was eventually defeated because they were seen as foreign invaders who took more from the people than they were offering them. And were faced with a large uprising. And the Yuan Dynasty retreated back to Mongolia.
The Golden Horde conquered most of Eastern Europe, from Poland and Hungary all the way to modern-day Russia. Europe wasn't a prize worth taking for them and as a result the Mongols were stuck in Eastern Europe fighting amongst each other, until the Russians defeated them.
The Ilkhanate did not have enough grassland in Iran and the Middle East, which limited their power. As a result the Arabs, Persian, and Byzantines were able to defeat this Mongol Horde.
And the Ilkhanate slowly integrated into Central Asian societies as guns made their bows obsolete. They were eventually conquered by the Chinese Empire.
Credits
- Research: Mrs Scope
- Animation: rbbrduck.nl
- Audio: Seb. Soto
- Writing and Voice Over: Avery from History Scope
Social Media
- Discord: / discord
- Twitter: / scopehistory
- Instagram: / officialhistoryscope
- Facebook: / averythingchannel
Sources
M. Favereau, The Horde, The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambirdge (2021)
D. Morgan - The Decline and Fall of the Mongol Empire. JRAS, Series 3, 19, 4 (2009), pp. 427-437
J. W. Dardess (1972) From Mongol Empire to Yüan Dynasty: Changing Forms of Imperial Rule in Mongolia and Central Asia, Monumenta Serica, 30:1, 117-165
S. G. Shaw - The Mongol Empire - the First ‘gunpowder empire’? Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society / Volume 23 / Issue 03 / July 2013, pp 441 - 469
www.britannica.com/place/Mong...

[@JunkPhubeta]

Except, wait for it, The Mongols...

[@u12nnas]

Where is this quote from? It's like an itch that I can't seem to get rid off?

[@JunkPhubeta]

@@u12nnas "Hi, I'm John Green and welcome to Crash Course History."

[@abdelra7man87]

Never get tired of Mongol history, and yes to all the sequels

[@gaeagaea8018]

Im pretty sure Ogedai Khan never conquered the Song Dynasty entirely. In fact, Möngke Khan believed to have died during the siege of Diaoyucheng, fighting a southern Song army. Kublai Khan was believed to be the first Khan to conquer southern China.

[@linshitaolst4936]

Chinese literati and officials, although not skilled in warfare, are skilled in brainwashing and surround Kublai Khan every day, explaining to him why the Jin and Song dynasties lost to the Mongols because the emperor was corrupt and incompetent, and did not respect Confucianism. Therefore, Your Majesty Khan, you must value us scholars

[@randomguy1642]

So basically the Mongols greatest enemy was itself.

[@mcheng30]

Pretty much every empire that ever rose and fell were their own greatest enemies.

[@TehGalvanator]

History scope videos rule

[@rc7625]

Damn right.

[@RodolfoGaming]

You bet

[@raiisleep]

like mongols?

[@Norr42]

A-fuggin-gree

[@commodusmeridius4718]

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

[@Slifer29]

That was an awesome use of The Borg Reference.

[@supernova7069]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1107">18:27</a> hold on a minute, feel like ive heard that somewhere pretty recently🤔

[@user-rx6sv2ey4p]

too far broooo tooo farrrr hhe

[@naturalhometreatments724]

lol 😂 👍

[@nicbahtin4774]

really ? i heard it pretty much everywhere in history from at least the roman empire

[@PhilRable]

What about doing an analysis of the rise and fall of Charlemagne?

[@zurielsss]

Russians are also mongol descendants 😅

[@Temuulen.J]

I am so glad that you pronounced Chinggis khaan the Mongol way. Also your video is relatively unbiased compared to others.

[@okdude503]

Thanks for making these videos, I love them, good job. 👍

[@lawrenceamevor339]

Excellent output, as always 👌🏿

[@kevinfleming]

Babe wake up, a new history scope video just dropped 🔥

[@CalCalCal6996]

Yayyyy! Thanks for the great videos!

[@h2otote]

You deserve a million subs dude! Your videos are great, keep it up!

[@aarondemiri486]

Please do one on the Timurids.

[@HistoryScope]

We probably will

[@Norr42]

This is the first time I've caught a new video at release...it's exciting lol. I found your stuff and have been going through your catalog. These should be announced with trumpets

[@DocuAddict666]

Love your videos man. You seem like on of the most down to earth guys in current day. Never change.

[@mikegoossens359]

Amazing as always

[@user-fy8nr5ik3i]

You are so good at explaining things I learned so much history I did not know before

[@flavius2884]

You are one of the few history youtubers that is informative and unbiased. A rare sort.

[@fliped2]

He is biased, you don't see it because you're biased like him or you don't know enough to see it. In this video he show it twice.

[@flavius2884]

@@fliped2 Care to give me an example? Also, this is a ~30 min video. He can't say everything about the mongol empire. Just because he left some details out, that does not mean he is biased. He preaty much told us the good and the bad.

[@AbhyudayaSinh]

Very informative ❤❤

[@hansspiegl8684]

Great!!! Thank you for your work and time!

[@Gamer-is6ew]

Amazing video! ❤️‍🔥

[@BruceWayne-gm4sc]

Thankyou, History Scope . Great Topic !

[@villesson2275]

Please do a sequal! I love all your videos they´re fantastic and this topic is truly facinating!

[@nlgaming9760]

Great intro or refresher for one of the most influential groups, cultures, and systems in history.

[@Karbonn-14]

Its a great day when History Scope uploads ❤

[@Andy-dh2sv]

Kublai’s letter turned gamer rage at the end there

[@colinhannah3515]

incredible content!

[@fatelfeaper]

Great video!

[@Godzillaminusone70]

Awesome video new sub

[@vinniepeterss]

impressive as always!

[@Alberto-hr1cf]

these are the best videos ever. full respect.

[@moonlightboiii]

Amazing work! I hope the video gets enough likes to justify producing another in the series. I’m interested in the rise and fall of Russia (I’m assuming this goes until the death of the last Russian monarch).

[@brad7073]

Thanks for releasing this right after ghost of Tsushima got released on PC it’s really insightful and makes the games story even more meaningful

[@westcoastwilly6261]

These are soooo good. I loved Conn Iggulden's Conqueror series and this shines so much light on the reality.

[@MCPhatman]

History Scope drops a new vid that means its time to work out again... Geweldig werk weer 😂

[@HistoryScope]

Je luisterd naar mijn videos terwijl je sport? :D

[@MCPhatman]

@@HistoryScope Ja, meestal op de loopband of tijdens het hiken ben je hele library al door dus wanneer je upload weet ik meteen dat ik weer aan de slag kan. Helaas (eigenlijk gelukkig maar 🤣) is het vaak ook visueel interessant dus moet ik ook kijken wat er gebeurd 🤣

[@Czar_B]

Lol the typhoon went from north to south, should have been the other way around. AND GREAT VIDEO! IT WAS GREAT

[@thomasjohnson2862]

Babe, wake up! I've been looking forward to this video for a while!

[@sarala9794]

Please, please, please create some videos on the sequel showing "what happened when the Mongols were gone". I just finished this video and you did such a masterful job explaining the names, origins, and territories of these four Khanates!

[@Victini0510]

Wow I love this Asian focus lately!

[@HistoryScope]

Next video is about Russia, then a non-Asian video, and then one on Saudi Arabia. After that we have a bit of a break from Asia

[@Victini0510]

I do hope you have a plan for another China video. The last one about the Qin dynasty was awesome! ​@@HistoryScope

[@robbrown4621]

@@HistoryScope An episode about the various native American tribes might be interesting.

[@cormacmcmahon5456]

Could you do a vid on the Irish famine pls ❤ love the vids awell man keep them up 🎉

[@lemons-zt6mi]

This man is the only man who’ll get me tripping over myself for some history content

[@sleepingtom9337]

Commenting just to boost the algorithm.

[@beyondborderfilms4352]

Do i my eyes deceive me? Or did history scope videos got better 🤩😍

[@normanhamilton7533]

I see history scope, I press like!

[@hermsterhd9862]

Your content is really amazing and much appreciated. Being able to watch so high quality educational videos is truly a privilege. Still I just want to give some minor criticism: The reason the mongols never exploited their victories in Poland and Hungary is not as clear as it seems. The most common theory is the one you presented here, with the Death of the Khan being the definitive answer yet the historical evidence leaves room for debate and other theories with different things speaking for each one. In the circle of historians the question of why the Mongols didn’t continue their offensive isn’t yet fully answered with a lot of possibilities, maybe a lot of them combined, but I just found it a bit worrying that you presented the theory that the Mongols left because of the death of the Khan as a fact, when in reality there are a lot more nuances to the question. History is often more complex than it seems and even though you oversimplify many things on purpose, for educational purposes, so that more people understand a topic and then can dive deeper themselves, only showing one perspective on a still hotly debated issue can be quite dangerous nonetheless.

[@shzarmai]

also please make a video on the Empires of Early Modern era Africa.

[@me0101001000]

A great follow-up to this video is the Mongols series by Kings and Generals, if you really want to know more about their incredible military prowess.

[@omarmousa787]

Can you do video about ancient Egypt?

[@72hrs_vermithor]

Thank you for the video Mr. History Scope sir on the Mongol Empire! :)) Now, go back and watch the China video again ya goon

[@Emilechen]

we focus too more on Mongol Empire, but too few on Northern Yuan dynasty and Oirat/Dzungar Empire,

[@Temuulen.J]

I think it is because Dzungar and Northern Yuan is late Mongol Empire history. Like fall of rome is not as exciting as the rise of it.

[@Emilechen]

@@Temuulen.J you are right, in fact, Dzungar Empire is also a very powerful empire, it has Xinjiang, Mongolia and even some part of Tibet as territory, if Dzungar Empire has survived, it would be a superpower in Asia, Qing China has spent 3 generations to fight against this giant nomad Empire, i hope more historic channels will cover this subject in the future :)

[@Temuulen.J]

You are right they were the first nomadic khanate to make their own cannons. I am also a descendant of Oirats(Durvud/Bayad specifically).

[@samc3544]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="420">7:00</a> love that reference

[@shzarmai]

please create a video about the Empires and Kingdoms of Early Modern Africa......

[@vinniepeterss]

love it❤

[@krzysztofswierdza4845]

Hey, great video! I’ve been thinking about something regarding the mongol empire lately and this seems like the perfect place to ask😅 I’ve seen a lot of maps that show the mongols controlling Siberia but as far as I know they didn’t really have any power there. Is this some form of a common mistake or is this more a thing of defining what gets painted mongol on the map and what doesn’t despite certain level of control over the region?

[@user-hn3ux4nv5w]

That's a great question. As far as I know whether the mongols ruled around the arctic coast of siberia or not is debatable to this day. However, siberia had an even smaller population than today and and a lot of the tribes were considered as fellow mongols due to having similar languages, cultures and nomadic lifestyle and were often recruited into the mongol army and were mostly controlled by the classic mongol queen strategy where they would have the siberian chiefs and their sons sent off to battle and the mongol queen would essentially work as chieftain most of the time. Although because of being considered somewhat mongol they weren't under as much subjugation is what I was taught. (I'm a Mongolian who went to a russian school)

[@krzysztofswierdza4845]

Thanks, that’s really cool to learn (especially from a native) but wouldn’t that kind of make most the Siberian tribes small vassal states/close allies to the Mongols? I’d love to get a history of Siberia video on this channel, just idk how realistically possible it’d be to make one with the little reliable knowledge there is from before the Russian colonisation and all the propaganda after it, but It would be awesome tho.

[@HistoryScope]

From what we could tell, the north is not fertile enough for a horde to survive. They simply were incapable of controlling that far north.

[@krzysztofswierdza4845]

@@HistoryScope Thanks 😊

[@JamesWon6]

Yes to part two

[@Jegrygerfede]

Do a video about iranian History

[@HistoryScope]

Maybe

[@aarondemiri486]

Peak channel be making peak videos.

[@Nohandleyetf]

Make a video about Timurid empire, thank you.

[@Tortledripreal]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="86">1:26</a> when I saw this I literally yelled in my house “IS THAT THE GUY FROM CLASH OF CLANS?!” And proceeded to be grounded for 1 day

[@oakentree2186]

was this intentionally released at a similar time to the pc port of ghost of tsushima

[@orboakin8074]

That Camel-Horse bit was a nice reference to Cyrus's conquest😂

[@messithegoat6142]

You should collabe with Possible History i think he is from Netherlands too

[@shzarmai]

please make a video about the Inca Empire and another about the empires and kingdoms of Early Modern Africa.

[@AbC-pj2op]

Ok very cool movie. Where season 2

[@alxbran]

never been this early before 😮

[@Elinal23567]

Sequel, please!

[@markereeni]

Do topics about Thailand pls

[@HistoryScope]

Maybe

[@NSHUTINoble]

Please do a Ming dynasty video!!! There are no good vids 'bout that.

[@HistoryScope]

We probably will at some point

[@envy1372]

Not even one mention of that “delllicccoussss chooochhllattteee” unbelievable.

[@dowenssouverain173]

What’s the sound?

[@qpdb840]

ایلخانه Also there is a ringing sound in the background. Just letting you know.

[@dariakozlova9657]

Did I just miss the conquest of Rus? or it was not mentioned?

[@Asdayasman]

>We're ALWAYS looking for new video ideas. The complete history of sea warfare.

[@dirremoire]

"Speaking of invading China.." The greatest transition in KZbin history. 😂

[@Tyron-fc8wv]

W video

[@thebestcentaur]

“But in order to get enough, they had to move around a lot.” So in other words, they…didn’t stop til they got enough?🤠✌🏾

[@bhami]

Next I'd like you to explain to us where the Ottoman Empire came from. Thanks!

[@HistoryScope]

We already have that video.

[@babakush9772]

Wasnt he imprisoned or smth before he was crowned king? Kinda remember it from the movie "mongols" which is pretty good

[@ROPON69420]

this channel keeps teaching me that nepotism sucks

[@Temuulen.J]

One thing is incorrect in the video. The Dzungars are Oirat Mongols (Western Mongols). The spoke the same language with a western accent. So it was not Dzungars taking revenge on Chagatai khanate in the 1700’s chagatai khanate was assimilated to the degree that was unrecognizable as mongols. They did not practice mongol culture and did not speak the language as well as heavily converted to islam. Dzungars were simply expanding their natural flow of way. Since to their east is Qing (Manchus) who were also nomadic people that conquered China. The descendants of Dzungars live in Mongolia, xinjiang china, and Russia in Kalmykia. They still speak the Mongolian language.

[@aimbotwithouttheaim4520]

Just when I was looking for the perfect video to watch before sleeping!

[@carlsoll]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="917">15:17</a> This Emperor was Unreal :O

[@lukar7270]

If only this was released before May 15 😢

[@mouadouan]

this passage right here : " The Mongols would threaten to invade a country. That country would then assemble their army in defense. Then the Mongols would claim that they were being attacked because of that army in their border and therefore the Mongols should "invade in self-defense". " makes me think about a certain situation that "started" on Oct the 7th.

[@LarryEze-lt7kq]

I could've gone through life and never known that horses are afraid of camels..

[@MrGiygas1]

Can you do the rise and fall of the British Empire?

[@HistoryScope]

Maybe

[@marcomongke3116]

I am not certain, but Khamag Mongol shouldn't be a clan. Because the word "khamag" simply means "all, every" in Mongolian. It's almost similar to the concept of Great Britain.

[@ianporter2446]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1115">18:35</a> that's almost identical to how the Romans would only fight "defensive wars" and ended up conquering the entire Mediterranean

[@user-mi7tj1mk3e]

You pronounced Temuujin good but pronounce the u little bit longer Edit: Khan means king in Mongolian language

[@Razgriz032]

Is China dynasty series discontinued?

[@HistoryScope]

No. We're just not going to focus only on China.

[@onemoreminute0543]

Except for, you guessed it... The Mongols.

[@lostShadowLord]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1423">23:43</a> There a theory that the Mongals withdrew due to combat loses (they won the battles but the victory cost them too much) as they won't of hear about the death of the great Khan until the following year. There were reports of 'thousands' of Mongals died after that battle in Poland (not during but after) . Also supposedly they had trouble with European style fortification. Their also some reports that thet had trouble feeding their horses. There several reasons as wwhy the golden horde went 'nope not doing this now' regarding Europe

[@soccerandtrack10]

This is probbally the insperation for the emporor of man before they wanted to make his backstory.

[@PurpleBroadcast]

The screens with ,,chapters" are annoying

[@worldboxvn8214]

The mongol is one of the two the empire suffering from its own success . The other one is Roman empire,facing exact same problem: too big

[@jacklazzaro9820]

I misread the title, I thought the video was about the Mughal Empire. But this is also important

[@scotandiamapping4549]

The Mongol Empire in ten words: Very very very very very very very very very big

[@nurlan6588]

30 million sq. km. Russia - the biggest country on territory is just 17 mil. sq. km.

[@scotandiamapping4549]

@@nurlan6588 yup, the Mongol Empire was one of the largest polities in history, second only to the British Empire

[@alexandrub8786]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1430">23:50</a> to me is more a Deus Ex Machina than a plot twist.

[@cobeelemonDAWGG]

🏁