U368 Mongol Conquest Lecture

Week 5, Wednesday:  Jin/Chin Rule and Early Mongol Rule

Map Quiz!

1. The Jin/Chin dynasty administration--brief survey
   1. Local government
      1. Administrative hierarchy
         1. Lower positions usually Chinese (some Kitan)
         2. Upper level, "route" (lu) heads always Jurchen
      2. Local rule:  appointed, limited term & duties, civil only
      3. Jurchens (14%) in mokun and minggan, directly under lu; military caste
      4. Chiefs of Jurchen units mostly hereditary, wide duties
   2. Taxes, Census, Currency
      1. Direct taxes: based on regular census
         1. Grain taxation based on both acreage and male adults
         2. Various cloths (mostly silk) based on households
      2. Imperial Monopolies on salt, tea, metals, other goods
      3. Commercial taxes--internal tolls, taxes on producers and retailers
      4. Mostly fiat currency--copper coins, paper money
         1. Copper coins imported from Sung dynasty, paper inflating
         2. Silver ingots also used to store value
2. Chinggis Qan's policy in Northern China
   1. At first tribute, not direct rule, preferred:  Jin obstinacy >> direct rule
   2. Early system:  what's left of North China incorporated into Mongolia
      1. Muqali appointed Prince of State (gui ong), Grand Preceptor (taishi)
         1. Given permanent garrison army (tammachi) of clans, defectors   
      2. Pre-1211 "foreign experts" >> darughachi, oversees native officials
         1. Qara-Khïtai's shahna (Pers.)/basqaq (Turk.)=darughachi
      3. Chinggis brought Kitan, Chinese generals into his core group
         1. Encouraged Kitan grievance against Jurchens
         2. Defeated Chinese generals, local vigilantes >> Mongol's loyal lieutenants
   3. Chinggis gave his Chinese supporters Mongol-type rule over their people
      1. Local rule:  hereditary (sons, wives), unlimited, civil & military merged
   4. People/areas granted as personal possession of Mongol princes, generals
      1. Mongol rulers, troops settle in China, Chinese >> subject families
   5. Catastrophic depopulation and chaos
      1. Jin's 1207 survey found 45.8 mil, 7.68 mil households
      2. Ögedei's 1236 survey found c. 9.96 mil, 1.83 mil households
      3. Over 950,000 households (52%) in appanage system
3. The Secret History's view of policy in Northern China
   1. Foreign experts, defectors (Kitans, Chinese) completely ignored
   2. Muqali's role ignored, Shigi Qutuqu's and Qasar's played up
   3. Highlights submission of Jin's "Golden King" and Xia's "Buddha"
   4. Represents view of "old guard" around Chinggis Qan