Seminar: The Mongols---Women, Islam, and China

OPENING QUESTION: Is power primarily good or evil?

CORE QUESTIONS:

1.What was the role of women in the Mongol empire?

a.Throughout world history, women belonging to nomadic groups have experienced a greater sense of freedom than women living in permanent dwellings, therefore having a larger impact on the political and economic courses of their societies---and such was the case with the Mongols. Average peasant women worked at home and were in charge of domestic matters; although their husbands had the ultimate say, they still had a large role in deciding what was best for their families. Noble women had even more authority. During the interregnum between a ruler' death and the selection of a new ruler, the wives and mothers of Mongol rulers usually took charge of state affairs---rather than close male relatives of the deceased ruler. These matriarchs were treated with the same respect as was paid toward male rulers. But the Mongol empire was still patriarchal and, since Mongol women were not allowed to ascend the throne, most of a female regent' efforts were set on finding a male heir to assume the throne. In The History of the World-Conqueror, which was written by the Iranian historian ‘Ata-Malik Juvaini in the 1250' and includes descriptions of the Mongols, there is a story of Geghis Khan' son and successor, Qaan, and his wife Toregne Khatun. Gehis Khan, the most famous (and infamous) of the Mongol rulers and one of the most renowned political leaders of all time, was succeeded by a male, but his son was briefly succeeded by his wife. ‘Ata-Malik Juvaini' account states that: