MMW 13 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Nepotism, Kublai Khan, Semu
Lecture 3 Continued…
The Making of a "Global" Sovereign
From all of this, we see a defining quality of Khubilai Kahn
A "global" and cosmopolitan sovereign with pragmatic sensibilities
Brought in many people with many different backgrounds
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Focused on the function of diversity, but also aware of the
need of projecting a certain image to his subjects
Chinese were originally averse to be ruled by
foreigners… needed to project the image of being a
traditional Chinese emperor
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§
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Appreciation for not just the symbolism but the function of diversity
E.g. Jamal al-Din, the foremost astronomer from Persia
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The Case of the Polos
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Dual images as the Great khan of the Mongols, but also the Yuan
emperor of China
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Ethnic Distinctions in Yuan Dynasties
Hierarchy of four ethnic classes
Mongols, Semuren, Hanren, Nanren
Mongols: Social and political elite
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Semuren: people with different colored eyes-->
generally classified as the 'second' class of subjects in
this realm
Includes Turks, Persians, Arabs, etc.
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Hanren: referred to northerners; looked similar to the
Mongols
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Nanren: southerners; about 80% of all the Chinese
subjects
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Reliances on Foreign Administrators
At first he had no choice but to rely on them because the
traditional Chinese officials refused to serve the nomads
(ethnocentric view that Chinese had)
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Mongols had to turn to other groups of people to help
administer the vast empire
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The Case of Ahmad
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Lecture 4
Monday, April 9, 2018
10:02 AM
Document Summary
From all of this, we see a defining quality of khubilai kahn. A "global" and cosmopolitan sovereign with pragmatic sensibilities. Brought in many people with many different backgrounds. Focused on the function of diversity, but also aware of the need of projecting a certain image to his subjects. Chinese were originally averse to be ruled by foreigners needed to project the image of being a traditional chinese emperor. Appreciation for not just the symbolism but the function of diversity. Dual images as the great khan of the mongols, but also the yuan emperor of china. Semuren: people with different colored eyes--> generally classified as the "second" class of subjects in this realm. Hanren: referred to northerners; looked similar to the. Nanren: southerners; about 80% of all the chinese subjects. At first he had no choice but to rely on them because the traditional chinese officials refused to serve the nomads (ethnocentric view that chinese had)
