World History 1200-1450

Silk Road

1200

The Silk Road began as the Han Dynasty was seeking allies to help fight against the Xiongnu way before 1200. It then developed into a network of trade alliances. The road was a connection of trade routes and carried technologies, religions, goods, and diseases

World History 1200-1450

Period: 1200 to 1450

Genghis Khan Rules

1206

At a meeting called a Kuriltai where he was elected khan of the Mongol Empire. He launched the Mongol invasions that conquered most of Eurasia.

Magna Carta Signed

1215

Guaranteed citizens right to a fair trial, the right to justice, and the rights of individuals.

Mongols conquer Abbasid Caliphate and begin improving the Silk Road

1258

Marco Polo travels

1271

Marco Polo was a merchant who travelled from Europe to Asia in 1271-95, staying in China for 17 of those years. Kublai Khan employed Polo as an envoy and sent him to areas of Asia.

Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty

1279

These dynasties in China emphasized trade and industry and crossed ties with the Silk Roads. The Song rulers created an imperial navy to control piracy on the Eastern route.

Peak of Mongol rule and Pax Mongolica on the Silk Roads

1279

During Pax Mongolica. Mongols revitalized intrregional trade between Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The Mongols built a system of roads and continued to maintain and guard the trade routes. Mongols rules successfully due to their understanding of centralized power. Khan's soldiers took charge of protecting the Silk Roads, making them safe for trade.

Mansa Musa

1324

Musa's arrival in Cairo with metal caused the gold market to crash. Musa's caraven consisted of 60,000 people carrying supplies, 500 slaves carrying a gold staff, and 80 to 100 camels carrying 300 pounds of gold dust.

Travels of Ibn Battuta

1325

Ibn Battua was a Moroccan Muslim Scholar. His travels lasted around 30 years throughout the known Islamic world. He travelled alone to the holy city of Mecca, but also studied Islamic law on the journey. He later joined a caraven and toured Persia and Iraq. He never kept journals during his travels, but when he returned to Morocco in 1354 he was ordered to complete a travelouge.

Black Plague

1347

The Black Death begins to ravage Europe. The plauge spread by via fleas on black rats on merchant ships. It very soon spread through the Mediterranean and Europe.

Maritime Trade

1400

The Chinese empires and others were based largely on Maritime trade. Luxury goods were traded like silk, spices, porcelain, etc.

Foreign Traders

1405

The transfer of knowldge, culture, technolgy, commerce, and religion intensified as a result of thriving trade in the Indian Ocean. Zheng He had seven grand voyages from China to southeast Asia, India, Arabia, the Persian Gulf, and the east coast of Africa. Zheng He took porcelain, silver, gold, and silk to offer as gifts to foreign rulers and exchange.