10.10.1 A failing leadership The Mongol Empire, once the largest land empire in history, started to fall apart due to corruption and internal fighting. After Kublai Khan died in 1294, his grandson Temur became emperor and tried to create a fair society by including Chinese leaders in the government and punishing corrupt officials. However, after Temur’s death in 1307, the Yuan leadership became unstable, with seven emperors in just 25 years. These new rulers were seen as too Chinese by the Mongols; as a result, they passed strict laws against the Chinese, making them unpopular. The government became weak and corrupt over time. Mongol women, previously known for their independence, lost influence by the fourteenth century. Although they did not adopt the Chinese practice of foot binding, their lives became more restricted, similar to Chinese traditions. In Persia, Mongol women also adopted the chador , a sign of religious devotion. 10.10.2 Rebellion With their leadership weakening, the powerful Mongol clans began fighting with each other and disobeying the emperor. During the fourteenth century, there were numerous Mongolian rebellions against the Yuan and China was hit by a series of natural disasters. The Yellow River broke its banks, thousands drowned and China starved in the terrible famine that followed the flood. The Yuan government increased the suffering of the Chinese people when it forced armies of Chinese peasants to work on the rebuilding of the Yellow River’s dykes and waterways. As conditions worsened, rebellion spread. In addition to this, it is believed that the bubonic plague started somewhere in China during the fourteenth century and had a significant negative impact on the population of Yuan China.
SOURCE2 In the first century BCE, the historian Yuan Káng explained the Chinese belief in the mandate of heaven and the principles of good government. Yuan rulers were far from these ideals.
The king Tsu Chia [from the Shang dynasty] had been one of the ordinary people. When he came to the throne he knew what the people needed and so was kind and protective towards them. He didn’t dare treat with contempt those who needed him. He remained on the throne for 33 years ... The kings of the later Shang dynasty did not know anything of the hardships of the peasants and so did not know their people. They didn’t know anything except the pursuit of pleasure; and so not one of them had a long life. They only ruled for three or four years.
SkillBuilder discussion Continuity and change Read SOURCE2 . What significant change is historian Yuan Káng referring to? With this in mind, how did the kings of the later Shang dynasty contribute to the decline of the Yuan dynasty? Zhu Yuanzhang Chinese hatred of Mongol rule led to the growth of Chinese secret societies and rebellions against the Yuan dynasty. The most successful rebel leader was a peasant named Zhu Yuanzhang. After his family died in the famine, he became a bandit and rebel leader. In 1356, Zhu Yuanzhang led an army of rebels to capture the strategically important city of Nanjing. Over the next decade, from his stronghold in Nanjing, Zhu Yuanzhang used his knowledge of military strategy and government policy to extend his control over all of southern China.
Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator