Title: Effects of the Mongol Empire on Europe
Headings: Effects of the Mongol Empire on Europe
Effects of the Mongol Empire on Europe
Key Takeaways: Genghis Khan's Impact on Europe
The Mongol Invasion of Europe
Positive Effects of the Mongols
Spread of Technology
Effects of the Mongol Conquest
Transfer of Scientific Knowledge
Unification of Russia
The Beginnings of Modern Fighting Tactics
Additional References
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Content: The plague also affected northern African and large parts of Asia. 2 ﻿﻿ 3 ﻿
Positive Effects of the Mongols
Although the Mongol invasion of Europe sparked terror and disease, in the long run, it had enormous positive impacts. The foremost was what historians call the Pax Mongolica, a century of peace (circa 1280–1360) among neighboring peoples who were all under Mongol rule. This peace allowed for the reopening of the Silk Road trading routes between China and Europe, increasing cultural exchange and wealth all along the trade paths. Central Asia was a region that had always been important to overland trade between China and the West. As the region became stable under the Pax Mongolica, trade became less risky under the various empires, and as cross-cultural interactions became more and more intensive and extensive, more and more goods were traded. Spread of Technology
Within the Pax Mongolica, the sharing of knowledge, information, and cultural identity was encouraged. Citizens could legally become followers of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, or anything else—as long as their practice didn't interfere with the political ambitions of the Khan. The Pax Mongolica also allowed monks, missionaries, traders, and explorers to travel along the trade routes. One famous example is the Venetian trader and explorer Marco Polo, who traveled to the court of Genghis Khan's grandson Kublai Khan (Quibilai) at Xanadu in China.