The Golden Horde
The name of the Russian territory conquered by the Mongols. This was a very violent conquest. After the conquest Russian people became the Mongols tax collectors, making Moscow bigger and richer. The Mongols did not settle here after conquest, likely because it was too stark a cultural change or too cold.
Temujin/Chinggis Khan
A Mongol son of a smaller tribal chief whose father was murdered when he was ten. He survived because he was too young to kill by Mongol rule. He trusted friends over tribal connections, made alliances across tribes, and became known for being generous to friends and ruthless to enemies. He was labeled the great leader of the Tribal nation in 1206 and started conquests in 1209 that led to the Mongol Empire.
Yuan Dynasty
The dynasty established in China when the Mongols took it over under Qubilai Khan. They did this to make their rule more official.
Ilkhanate of Persia
The name for when the Mongols ruled over the Persia area. A Khanate is a territory that they controlled.
Hulegu Khan
Leader of the Ilkhanate after the Mongols took it over. He adopted many Persian customs to help his rule, including Persian-influenced dress, language, and writing. Historians note the Mongols learned more from Persia than they taught them.
Qubilai Khan
The Khan who took over China, known for being a good strategist, leader, and very powerful. He ruled the Mongol empire for the longest amount of time.
Ogedei Khan
3rd son of Chinggis Khan who inherited the Empire from his father and ruled from China (1229-1241). He died unexpectedly, possibly due to heavy drinking. Because his son died before him, there was no clear successor, causing a succession crisis. The conquests stopped as everyone returned home and never resumed, so Ogedei’s death is seen as stopping the spread of the Mongol Empire.
Great Pestilence
A sickness nicknamed the Black Death. In a 1346 battle for Caffa, the Mongols allegedly launched sick corpses onto ships leaving into the Mediterranean. Modern historians believe rats actually spread the disease, not dead bodies.
Yersinia Pestis
The technical term for the Black Death. A bacteria that traveled on fleas and rats. Fleas would bite infected rats, then the bacteria prevented the flea from eating, causing it to seek larger hosts. By biting humans repeatedly, it would infect them.
Bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic plague
The three types of plague. Bubonic caused inflammation in lymph nodes with bumps and tender skin. Pneumonic affected the lungs, filling them with liquid until death. Septicemic was a blood infection, often the most deadly and quickest killer. All three were present during this time.
Flagellants
People who believed the plague was God’s punishment for human wickedness. They whipped themselves daily thinking they might be spared if they punished themselves before God did. They traveled town to town telling people to repent, ironically helping spread the plague. The pope eventually told them to stop.
Danse Macabra (Dance of Death)
Specific to Europe, where people became obsessed with Death. A play with the message that Death was a kind guide, but you needed to be ready before dying—essentially don’t procrastinate repentance. Death was shown in many artistic forms, with the play being a major one.
The Triumph of Death
The concept that no matter how well you live, death will conquer you. When death triumphs, you should be prepared for the next part of life. A theological standpoint on living righteously now so you can enjoy the afterlife for eternity once death takes you.
The Three Living and Three Dead
A story that predates the Black Death but became very popular afterward. Three princes go hunting in the forest and meet three corpses who tell them they were once alive and the princes will eventually become what they are. The story was a reminder that everyone dies, so what are you doing with your life?
