Mongols DBQ / Solo Practice - 10/12/23

Document 1

Our guide went to a Nestorian Christian,* Quyaq, who is one of the most important men at court. We came before Sartaq’s tent and his officials ordered us to chant a Christian blessing for him. Then, Quyaq handed him the Bible that we brought with us, and Sartaq asked if the Gospels were in it. I said that it contained all the sacred writings.
Before we left, Quyaq said to us: “You must not say that Sartaq is a Christian. He is not a Christian, but a Mongol.” The Mongols associate the name “Christian” with an ethnic group. The Mongols are so prideful, that even though they may believe somewhat in Christ, they refuse to be called Christians. They wish to exalt their own name of Mongol above all others.

*a Christian group whose followers live in communities across Central and Eastern Asia

Document 2

As Chinggis Khan demanded, he laid down a law for every matter and a regulation for every affair, while for every crime he fixed a penalty. And since the Mongol peoples had no script of their own, he gave orders that Mongol children should learn writing from the Uighurs* and that his decrees should be written down on rolls in the Mongol language using the Uighur script. The Mongols consult these rolls whenever a khan ascends the throne, an army is mobilized, or leaders discuss affairs of state.
 
*a Turkic ethnic group that the Mongols had conquered in the early thirteenth century

Document 3

Although he was a Buddhist, in 1288 the Ilkhanid ruler Arghun Khan ordered that a church be set up close to the door of his imperial tent. The khan took care that bishops and priests should keep vigil in the church. And when the imperial camp moved, the priests moved the church with it. The khan commanded that we recite prayers for his benefit and that these prayers should never cease.
When Arghun’s son was crowned khan in 1291, he honored the leaders of all religions, whether Christians, Muslims, Jews, or Buddhists.
 
*a Christian group whose followers live in communities across Central and Eastern Asia

Document 4

The Yuan ruler Khubilai Khan summoned every Christian in his realm and ordered them to bring the Gospels. He kissed the Gospels and ordered all the Mongol nobles to do the same. He does the same at the chief festivals of the Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists. When asked why he said, “The Christians say their god is Jesus Christ, the Muslims say their prophet is Muhammad, the Jews say it is Moses, and the Buddhists say it is the Buddha. I worship and respect all four and pray that he among them who is greatest in heaven may aid me.”

Document 6

Ghazan spoke Mongolian and Turkish and he knew Persian but he did not speak it except when with his vizier* and among the close [Persian] associates at his court. He understood most of what was said before him in Arabic, but he did not let it be known that he understood it, out of pride in the law of Chinggis Khan. When he became Khan, he took up leadership in the way of Chinggis Khan and appointed judges to carry out the Mongol tribunals [to enforce those laws].
 
*a Muslim government advisor

Document 7

The Mongol Chagatai prince Tughlugh Temür organized a hunt and ordered everyone to participate in it. But during the hunt, they spotted a Persian Sufi sitting down instead of hunting. He was brought before the khan.
Temür asked, “Why did you disobey?” The Sufi replied, “I came from outside your realm and knew nothing of the hunt or your order.” Temür replied, “You Persians are not men. Are you no better than a dog?” The Sufi replied, “If I have faith in God, I am better. If not, a dog is better.” Temür was impressed and promised he would convert to Islam when he became khan.

And when Temür became khan [in 1347] he became a Muslim and spread Islam throughout his kingdom.