Compare the methods and Motives of the mongol empire and Timurs empire in central Asia. Were the two empires more similar or mo - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages The empire soon split, and this was actually the trend for a large Empire. An example is the case of the Roman Empire after the death of Caesar. The death of Genghis Khan led to the division of the Empire with the descendants of Genghis Khan fighting against other eligible candidates in retaining the throne. The methods of the Mongol empire under his leadership could be explained as having a high level of “flexibility and pragmatism characteristics” (Soucek 105). This was exhibited by the way he went about acquiring kingdoms, which later led to the expansion of the Mongol empire. This is done by peaceful surrendering of the territories to the Mongols to avoid attack and ensuring that the leader of a targeted empire maintains his throne and saving the inhabitants from the trauma of massacre. Resistance to the Mongol in the form of military resistance resulted in severe consequence - either extermination or decimation (Dunnell 45). Genghis Khan and his immediate successors were successful with their conquests because of well-made arrangements and planning by means of an organized administrative system that is not matched across kingdoms (Soucek 103). Perhaps, this is largely what historians claim to be a vision to rule the world that is similar to the quest Caesar to unify and rule the world. The charismatic characters displayed by the three generations after Genghis Khan and their legacies is a unique historical phenomenon as suggested by scholars, and it is believed to justify the traits which descents from the house of Genghis Khan retained for centuries to come. The Mongolian interlude is believed to be a traumatic one in the history of Central Asia; the Timurid period can be viewed as its glorious one. The founder of this dynasty Timur was also ruthless in his quest for territorial expansion. Like Khan, he carried out similar massacres and destruction. However, the places affected were outside Central Asia, for instance Iran and the Golden Horde. Timur showed mastery and endurance comparable to Genghis Khan. The Timurs inherited the throne after the death of Genghis descendant in the late fourteenth century. Unlike Khan who had no role model, Timur had to make use of the charismatic traits in the Genghisid descent, which was achieved by marrying a descendant of Genghis. This was because during his time, no nomad king with the objective of an ultimate rule and prestige of Khan felt legitimate without being attached to the Genghisid line. Nevertheless, unlike Khan, he could claim a right to rule in virtue of being an Islamic monarch and reflecting the will of God (Dunnell 78). Timur's military exploits were spectacular. His campaigns went as far as Eastern Europe, which was claimed to have escaped by coincidence (Soucek 151). Like the Mongolians, the Timurs also were conquerors. Places like India, Syria, and Anatolia were attacked. Regions such as Delhi, Istahan, Baghdad, Damascus, Saray, and Izmir revealed the extent of their conquest (Soucek 125). Nevertheless, it is believed that the empire founded by Timur was in no way comparable to that of Genghis Khan either in size or in structure. Even his successors lacked the acquisitive instinct of the successor of Genghis Khan. The similarities between the Mongolian and the Timur empires could be attributed to their ...Download file to see next pagesRead More