U368 Mongol Conquest
Week 10, Monday:  Tribute in the Forest and Steppe zone

 

  1. Tribute and rule in the Forest Zone
    1. Areas
      1. Oyirads:  Autonomous block, affines (SH §239; Juvaini, 505-6)
      2. Qirghiz, Kem-Kemchik:  Autonomous under Mongol (SH §207)
      3. Ruthenia:  autonomous under local dukes/princes (kniaz)
    2. Furs and falcons:  primary tribute
      1. Peoples of the Forest:  white gerfalcons, white geldings, sables (SH §239)
      2. Ruthenians:  skins of polar bear, beaver, sable, fox, marmot (Carpini, p. 39)
      3. Squirrels and ermine skins money of Ruthenians (Rubruck, p. 172)
    3. Labor service
      1. Deportations:  Qirghiz (Rubruck, p. 170-171), Ruthenians (Carpini, p. 38-9)
    4. Precious metals
      1. Gold, silver paid by Ruthenians (Carpini, 40, Rubruck, 112-3, 208)
  2. Tribute and rule on the Steppe
    1. Poor taxes (one out of hundred), and tribute (sheep and mare's milk)
      1. Ögedei rationalizes traditional practices (SH §279; History of Yuan, year 1)
    2. Turco-Mongol coexistence
    3. Economic institutions in the Golden Horde
      1. Salt monopolies (Rubruck, p. 93; cf. Peng and Xu on Gailibo)
      2. Clothing, as money (Rubruck, p. 110, 93)
  3. Deportations
    1. Craftsmen:  Chinese architects, potters, blacksmiths; Muslim weavers, gold- and silversmiths
      1. Tax exempt
      2. Deported to appanages--Carpini, pp. 42-3; Rubruck, p. 157, 185-6
        1. Some in separate households
        2. Others are ger-ün kö'üd/houseboys, counted as Mongols
        3. Baldachin (nasij) weaver colonies in N. China
      3. Miners-Rubruck, p. 135-6--Germans to Buri, then to Batu
    2. Post-road regulations:  yam/jam
      1. Ögedei separated out those with jam duty, otherwise exempt (SH §279)
      2. Stations created in the steppe (town of Kinchac, Rubruck, p. 134)
      3. Ruthenians, Muslims at fords (Rubruck, p. 114, 126)
    3. Cities
      1. Chinqai/Zhenhai starts cities under Chinggis Qan (Li Chih-ch'ang, 72)
      2. Qara-Qorum
    4. Historical past and future
      1. Previous cities, mining industries, under other nomadic empires
      2. Dangers of escaped slaves, (Carpini, p. 52?; Rubruck, p. 124)
      3. Eventual assimilation into the Mongol population