Mongol Peace: The Origin Story of Geregè
Many years ago, there existed an empire that stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Black Seas, and from the Siberian forests to the Sahara Desert. This was the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous land empire ever known in human history.
The empire was so extensive that the entire Silk Road was included within the borders of the Mongols. This marked a period of stability in Eurasia under the Mongol Empire during the 13th and 14th centuries, an event named “The Pax Mongolica,” Latin for “Mongol Peace.”
After the death of the first Mongol emperor, Chinggis Khan, the empire extended from China’s Pacific coast to Eastern Europe. This meant that the Silk Road network, which had previously been dangerous to travel due to the warring kingdoms along its route, fell completely under Mongol control.
The stability brought by Mongol rule opened these ancient trade routes to a largely undisturbed exchange of goods between peoples from Europe to East Asia. Along the Silk Road, people traded goods such as horses, porcelain, jewels, silk, paper, and gunpowder. European travelers, like the Venetian merchant Marco Polo, ventured all the way to China and back, chronicling his experiences in distant lands and captivating European audiences with his accounts.
Aside from facilitating trade, the Mongol influence also improved communication along the Silk Road by establishing a postal relay system. The Mongols culturally enhanced the Silk Road by allowing people of different religions to coexist. This mingling of peoples and cultures from conquered territories brought about religious freedom throughout the empire. Across the vast steppes of Asia, a traveler might encounter Muslims and Christians living and working alongside Mongols, who continued to practice their traditional religion.
But some of the things that made the Pax Mongolica so efficient are what caused its decline and fall in the mid-1300s. The efficient trade routes led to the rapid and unchecked spread of the bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death. The plague originated in central Asia, making its way westward to Europe where it spread further. In addition to disease, the fragmented empire endured increasing turmoil from within. This prevented further expansion and hastened its inevitable decline.
In Mongolia, we have a saying: “The person who doesn’t learn history is doomed to repeat their ancestors’ mistakes.” With this wisdom, I welcome you to embark on the Journey with Geregè.
Stay tuned for the next reading: The Geregè.
