Mongol Trial Progress 12/31/13

Today I watched "Mongol Hordes: World Conquerors" to get additional information on the mongols for the trial. I have also obtained a general overview of the backgrounds of Pope Innocent IV, the abbasid Caliph al-Mustasim, and did some general research on how common pesants were potentially affected under the Mongol rule. All these people will serve as witnesses for the prosecution side of the upcoming trial.

Mongol Trial Progress 12/29/13

Today I read chapter 18 in the Traditions & Encounters textbook to better understand the events that surrounded the life of Ganges Khan and the Mongol Empire he had founded. I believe the information I have obtained will better help be understand the type of background I must have to serve as a pestant witness for the prosecution team in the upcoming Mongol Trial.

Genghis Khan: Genius or Crazy?

I beleiive that Genghis Khan was not a clever ruler, but rather a man with deep physiological issues tht revolved around his disturbed past. Basically, Khan grew up in a very poor environment that only influenced violence. In the biography it was mentioned that it was common tradition in his nomadic tribe to raid and steal the women of me abhorring tribes. In addition to this a similar nomadic time kills his father, which leads to his mother being abandoned with Khans half brothers, by his tribe. Through such harsh events take place when khan was still a young boy, and I beleve this plays a factor in his development of a violent, psychotic maniac. The biography mentions how he kills one of his half brothers over some fish. Acts of violence like this was clearly not ristricted for Genghis since nobody seemed to care that he killed his half brother. Furthermore, he decided to spare Jamuca, who was once his friend, but chooses not to watch his death when Jamuca refuses Khan's mercy. This to me makes no sense because Khan has killed in the most painfully crule ways, several captives from battle. So it dosnt make sense that he is suddenly a pacifist, and even if it is argued that it was out of the affection that once existed for Jamuca, there is another piece of evidence. In the biography it was said that he personally saved children and women from the wrath of his own men, sometimes, but in another instance where he captured Jamuca, he had slaughtered the women and even the children from his tribe. So these strange acts of violence and then sudden turnarounds make be feel that Genghis Khan had some psychological problems that reflected the brute environment he had to face as a child.

 

Life on an Early Medieval Manor (Response)

On the basis of the "Capitulary de Villis", I would characterize the conditions of material life in the Carolingian country side as good. I believe in this because, the "Capitulary de Villis" basically talks about all the stuff there is in the Carolingian country, and based on the quantity of stuff that is being accounted for, one can say that life was content. Though, I feel that not everything would be perfect because, just because there is a lot of stuff to be taken account for doesn't mean those 'stuff' will always be there. Resources of grain could disappear form a bad harvest, meat could become fewer if hunters from other territory take game from the forests of the Carolingian country side. For the most part, the "Capitulary de Villis" shows the abundance of material possessions in the Carolingian country side, and the fact that portions of these stuff is being taken by the lords show how they want an abundant supply of stuff that together establish a variety. Although this may be the case, the people also get benefits like having a established district in which there are a variety of resources available, from the different types of people that provide them.

Europe/India Map