The Nature Of Friendship In Saint Augustine Confessions...

How is friendship portrayed in Saint Augustine Confessions and Njal’s Saga? To answer this question, we must refer to the nature of friendship in both texts. The depiction of friendship in both texts seem to show recognizable differences. Saint Augustine’s Confessions and Njal’s Saga both have distinct ways in portraying the nature of friendship such that in Saint Augustine’s Confessions, friendships is viewed in a negative light, compelling one to stray away from good, specifically God, whereas in Njal’s Saga, friendship is viewed as a positive tool, seeking to build one another up and improving each other’s lives. In Saint Augustine’s Confessions, Augustine’s perspective on friendship is that it is a mean to stray or turn away from good,†¦show more content†¦Basically, according to Augustine, friendships is not pure if God isnt a part of it. Alypius was a friend of Augustine’s who â€Å"had been seized by an incredible obsession for gladiatorial spectacles† (Confessions, 6:12). Alypius and Augustine were friends that were from the same town. Alypius considered him â€Å"good and cultured while Augustine was â€Å"attached to him because of solid virtue of his character† (Confessions, 6:11). However the friendship between Alypius and Augustine isn’t true friendship because God doesn’t have a part in it. At that time Alypius and Augustine aren’t Christians, they both got involved in Manichee superstition (Confessions, 6:12).Their friendship led them astray because of their belief in manichaeism. Alypius had an addiction to gladiat or games whereas Augustine’s addiction was his sexual desires. â€Å" I was not a lover of marriage but a slave to lust, I procured another woman not of course as a wife† (Confessions, 6:25). Both their sins and their disbelief in Christianity led them away from good making their friendship inadequate. The friendship of Alypius and Augustine is debatable. Someone may argue that the friendship between Augustine and Alypius was true because both men converted to Christianity. Although God wasn’t a part of their friendship at first, their conversion ultimately led them to God. â€Å"When the time came for me to give in my name for baptism, we left the country and

Masculinity in The Wife of Baths Prologue and Tale Essay

Masculinity in The Wife of Baths Prologue and Tale The Wife of Bath, with the energy of her vernacular and the voraciousness of her sexual appetite, is one of the most vividly developed characters of The Canterbury Tales. At 856 lines her prologue, or preambulacioun as the Summoner calls it, is the longest of any of the pilgrims, and matches the General Prologue but for a few lines. Evidently Chaucer is infatuated with Alisoun, as he plays satirically with both gender and class issues through the Wifes robust rhetoric. Scholars and students alike have continued this obsession with her, and as a consequence Chaucers larger than life widow has been subject to centuries of scrutiny. Indeed, she is in the vast†¦show more content†¦Importantly, Alisoun refers to ancient patriarchs - not only is she prepared to acknowledge the male monopoly on politics, but also the deep rooted nature of their hegemony, a recognition reinforced by the setting of her tale in  ³tholde dayes of the King Arthour ². Chaucer has created a woman who in spite of her fierce social ambitions, remains acutely aware of the civil order of her time. Masculinity also manifests itself clearly in the scholasticism to which the Wife continually refers: St. Paul, St. Jerome and Theophrastus. Once again these are historical figures, and though she aims to castrate their learned authority with her own experience, the very fact they are mentioned is an assertion of their erudite dominance. Ironically the bombast theology of such figures is applauded as much as it is assaulted: Ovids Midas is cited for her own purposes in the tale, while Ptolemy is exalted in the prologue: Of alle men yblessed moot he be, The wise astrologien, Daun Ptholome... (323-324) Her reference to the wise astrologien echoes her description of Solomon as the wise king; clearly in both cases she holds their intellect in the highest regard. Perhaps most surprising in the Wifes tone is the humility which arises from her near religious adoration of the man, and as these lines illustrate, there remains a degree of subservience on Alisouns part. Beneath herShow MoreRelatedThe Wife Of Bath, By Geoffrey Chaucer Essay1487 Words   |  6 Pagesas they were subverted into a secondary class position that deprived them of agency and sexual satisfaction. Throughout Geoffrey Chaucer’s â€Å"Canterbury Tales,† the Wife of Bath provides didactic social commentary on the discrepancies between marriage and virginity and expounds the idea of giving sovereignty to women in relationships. Although the Wife of Bath is portrayed and characterized to some antifeminist stereotypes, her fervent and unorthodox commands enrich the reasoning behind her sexual voraciousne ss:Read MoreSir Gawain And The Green Knight1826 Words   |  8 PagesSir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale present dynamic views of the â€Å"art of love† in medieval times. In Sir Gawain, the â€Å"love† between Sir Gawain and Lady Bertilak at first appears to be genuine; however, we learn that both characters were using each other guided by ulterior motives. Lady Bertilak jabs at Gawain’s masculinity in order to achieve her goal. The Wife of Bath’s Prologue questions the meaning of love while the narrator discusses her own experience to portrayRead MoreChaucer, Shakespeare, and Eunuchs4253 Words   |  18 Pageswholeness, just as the reader of a text strives to correctly interpret a story, but neither can be fully satisfied. I find it arguable that most of the characters in The Canterbury Tales and Shakespeare’s works mirror the eunuch pardoner in their partialness. For Chaucer I will primarily focus on â €Å"The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale† and how her inner animus creates conflict within herself and the characters around her ultimately placing her in an in-between state between male and female characteristicsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Wife Of Bath Essay2305 Words   |  10 Pagesof matrimony in the Wife of Bath’s Prologue as well as in the Miller’s Tale does not fit in with traditional fourteenth-century culture. The characters in these two texts turn what is suppose to be a sacred unity into a promiscuous and taboo fantasy for pilgrims. The characters narrating these two tales promote the idea of what fourteenth-century canon law would define as adultery—to have had a third lover while married is the new societal trend for the characters in these tales. And so, marriage becomesRead MoreWife Of Bath Feminist Analysis1934 Words   |  8 PagesWhile it may not be completely obvious as to exactly why or how Chaucer was a feminist thro ugh his Canterbury Tales, he had a way of showing his disapproval for the general and widespread anti-feminist mindset of the times, especially through The Wife of Bath’s prologue and tale, without shoving it in the faces of the people he was trying to prove wrong. Through this method of not making it completely obvious that he was a full-fledged feminist, he allowed for his average male readers to not beRead MorePerceptions Remain Unchanged By Marie De France Essay1918 Words   |  8 Pagesescape the stereotypical characterizations that plague women in her era. She portrays Queen Guenevere as a villainous and vengeful woman whom is conniving and unfaithful, which is how strong women are perceived during this time period. Chaucer uses the Wife of Bath character to show how outspoken women can claim that they want sovereignty; however, through their contradictive behavior and ridiculous reasoning’s they are not capable of true independence or governance. The Pearl Poe t confirms that women

Communication and management skills Free Essays

Introduction: An individual, a family, and the society are engulfed in the cobweb of management skills and     pubic relations in every step of life. One is not actively aware of it. In this materialistic era of industrialization and internet civilization, public relations have not left any part of one’s life untouched. We will write a custom essay sample on Communication and management skills or any similar topic only for you Order Now It creates better or worse effects. Public Relations is good in parts. It takes away one from the truth. Profiteering and Public Relations are alternative beats of the same heart. From the topics covered in James E. Grunig’s book, â€Å"Managing Public Relations,† one gets an idea of the domain of Management of Public Relations. The Public Relations Manager in any Organization is the key man; he has to present the best of the Organization, in all aspects to the individuals and Institutions he is called upon to deal. Theme: The theme of any public relations exercise is ‘how to bell the cat.’ How to win over the other party to your view point! How to sell your product to the customer! How to face the competition! These challenges form the syllabus for public relations managers. The topics covered in the book are extensive and intensive. The book has enough resources for both the students and the professionals. It does the job of a knowledgeable teacher. Both the theoretical and the practical aspects are well taken care of. The Four Public Relations models defined by Grunig, deal with the core issues related to this topic. Main ideas/ techniques: The listing of the topics covered and enumerated is fairly long, but if one keeps out its printout, in the form of a pocket-guide, it will prove useful. The topics are, the concept of pubic relations, origin and contemporary structures of public relations, public relations and public responsibility, professionalism in public relations, elements of public relations management, defining and choosing goals and objectives, identifying organizational linkages and publics, budgeting and decision making, evaluation research, legal constraints, media relations, employee and member relations, community relations, public affairs and government relations, relations with active publics; consumers, environmentalists and minorities, financial public relations, promotion, fund raising and public communication campaigns, public relations writing, press releases, catering to the press, using radio, television and videotape, preparing to speak, brochures, fact sheets and   direct mail, newsletters, newspapers and magazines, photographs and illustrations, slides and multimedia representations, films, exhibits and special events, annual reports and financial writing, public relations advertising, lobbying and toward a mature profession.  So, that is public relations. Interesting and many times, annoying, because it is to deal with the public of various types of emotions, tempers and opinions. Evaluation: It is not possible to evaluate the issues involved in public relations within the perimeters of this small article. An effort has been made to discuss the most important aspect of it, in the prevailing conditions today– the management of media. Media is broadly categorized into print media and electronic media. In first flush of enthusiasm, all like media attention. But handling the media attention is not that easy. Mostly if anything adverse is reported, the readers and viewers believe it immediately. Contradicting the adverse reports is not an easy job; it is both expensive, and at times it invites further media wrath. News papers are published everyday. TV channels give the reporting 24 hours of the day. From where one can bring the enormous resources to meet the adverse challenge? The section of the viewers who have seen the adverse reports may not see your clarifications. They say, a lie reported from a platform a thousand times, becomes the truth. That is the position one would face while dealing with the media. It is necessary for you to evaluate whether the money that you are spending on image building exercise is hitting the right spot. A good press release is no guarantee for bettering the image. It may lead to both positive and negative results. People want to read what they want, not what you want. Every press release, every advertisement must have the sense of timing. You can’t advertise refrigerators for the Eskimos. You don’t advertise for woolen garments during summer, unless it is a heavy discount sale, and the people get attracted to the discount aspect. Pubic Relations, in the developing countries, is yet to take off. In the context of globalization, no business establishment can survive in isolation. The consumer is the king now, with so many brands of identical products available in the market. Fresh products arrive to provide stiff competition as for quality and cost both. It is not enough, what you produce is the best product. People need to know that it is the best product, and why it is the best product, in comparative terms. â€Å"Once you start promoting your business, don’t stop. A sustainable public relations strategy is a long-term endeavor. It can take months to capture the attention of targeted media venues. Plus, it’s important to remind the press about your business on a regular basis, so they don’t forget about you.†(Public†¦.) In Western countries, public relations are part of the top management function. It is the part of the agenda of the Board meetings. Management formulates its public relations policy. Continuous efforts are made by the public relations men to keep the organization on the high pedestal from the point of view of the public. Maintaining popularity is equally important as achieving the popularity. â€Å"We even shadow our own communications tactics trying to monitor their impact on audience perception — tactics such as face-to-face meetings, Internet and email, hand-placed newspaper and magazine feature articles and broadcast appearances, special consumer briefings, news releases, announcement luncheons, onsite media interviews, facility tours, brochures and even special events like promotional contests, financial road shows, awards ceremonies, trade conventions, celebrity appearances and open houses — each designed to impact individual perception and behavior.†(The Fundamental†¦) Conclusion: â€Å"Now this soap has the juice of lemon, which nourishes your skin!† says an advertisement. Well, did you not know that lemon juice is good for your skin and in that case why don’t you squeeze a lemon get some juice and put it in the bucket of water and use it directly? Why buy the costly soap, just for the sake of lemon juice? And yet you buy! Why?-because the model engaged by the Company in the television advertisement has told you so. You pay for the soap and for their advertisement costs!   Yes, this is managing public relations! References Cited: Grunig, James E. Book: Managing Public Relations Hardcover: 565 pages Publisher: Harcourt Brace College Publishers (January 1984) Language: English ISBN-10: 0030583373 ISBN-13: 978-0030583377 Article: Public Relations Strategy on a Tight Budget www.startupnation.com/articles/1241/1/public-relations-strategy.Retrieved on December 9, 2007. Article: The Fundamental Premise-Public Relations- ezinearticles.com/? Public-Relations:-The-Fundamental-Premiseid=17377 – Retrieved on December 9, 2007. How to cite Communication and management skills, Essay examples

Chinese Dynasties Essay Example For Students

Chinese Dynasties Essay Chinese Dynasties: 1. Shang: Also called Yin, dynasty that was Chinas earliest historically verifiable state 1766 B.C. to 1122 B.C. A. Reasons for Rise: Unlike the early accounts of history by the Chinese, there is archaeological evidence of the Shang, who built their cities in northern China around the eastern parts of the Yellow River. For this reason they are called the Yellow River civilization. They were a bronze age people; bronze-working seems to have entered China around 2000 BC (about one thousand years after its invention in Mesopotamia). B. Territorial Location size at height of power (map): The Shang ruled the area from the North China Plain northward into present-day Shantung Province and westward to the tip of Honan Province. C. System of government rule names of noted rulers and their accomplishments: A city-state confederation with a three-fold structure of king, officials, commoners. D. Major Religious beliefs practices: The Shang worshiped the earth and other na ture deities to whom they offered human sacrifices. They communicated with the supernatural by writing messages on oracle bones. E. *Major Accomplishments, Achievements, and contributions: The Shang society was many agricultural. They had a large army. Bronze casting was highly developed and a writing system had evolved. There commerce was highly developed and they used cowrie shells was used as currency. Shang art consisted of Bronze, pottery, and jade ornaments. Writing: The singular aspect of Shang civilization is their invention of writing. Almost all the written records of the Shang have disappeared, for the court records were kept on strips of bamboo. However, inscriptions on bronze and on the oracle bones still survive so we have specimens of the very first Chinese writings. The writing system was originally pictographic, that is, words were represented by pictures that fairly closely resembled the meaning of the word. The picture for sun, for instance, looked much like the s un. This pictographic writing eventually developed into the more complex ideographic writing that we are more familiar with. Chinese writing is one of the only contemporary writing systems that still prominently bears traces of its pictographic origins. Religion: The Shang worshipped a figure they called Shang Ti, or Lord on High. This supreme god ruled over lesser gods of the sun, the moon, the wind, the rain, and other natural forces and places. Shang-Ti also regulated human affairs as well as ruling over the material universe. This dual function would, in the Chou dynasty, be attributed to a more abstract figure, tien, or Heaven. The Shang also believed that their ancestors dwelled in heaven after their death and continued to show an interest in their familiy and descendants. The obligations within the family included, therefore, the ancestors. Failing in ones duties to the ancestors could bring all sorts of disaster on a family. All of these divine and semi-divine figures, from Shang-Ti to a familys ancestors, were sacrificed to. However, we know little of the nature or the frequency of these sacrifices. We do know, however, that in the Chou dynasty only the king could sacrifice to Shang-Ti; it is highly likely that Shang-Ti was the local god of the Shang kings who was subsequently elevated in order to elevate the Shang themselves. The one disturbing fact of Shang sacrifice is that it certainly involved humans; slaves and prisoners of war were often sacrificed by the hundreds when a king died. Lesser numbers were sacrificed at the founding of a palace or temple. F. Major reasons for decline and fall: 2. Chou: dynasty (1122-221 B.C.) that ruled ancient china from almost a thousand years establishing a distinctive political and cultural characteristics which would be identified with China for the next 2,000 years. A. Reasons for Rise: B. Territorial Location size at height of power (map): The Chou people seemed to have been a group of semi-nomadic barbarian s living on the western fringe of the north China plain. C. System of government rule names of noted rulers and their accomplishments: A series of feudal states: Primitive communications made it impossible to institute central rule over the territory. They partitioned it off among the members of the ruling family and the loyal generals. The Chou kings never exercised any real military or political power over the entire country. D. Major Religious beliefs practices: E. *Major Accomplishments, Achievements, and contributions: China changed from one of the most backward parts of the world to one of the most advanced. Iron, Ox-drawn plow, crossbow, and horses were all introduced. Large scale irrigation and water control projects increased crop yield greatly. Communication system was improved due to the increase of new roads. Coinage was developed and chopsticks came into use. Chinese writing system was developed. The great schools of Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism developed in th is period. F. Major reasons for decline and fall: 3. Chin: dynasty, (221-206 B.C.) That established the first great Chinese Empire. The Chin, is the origin of the word china, established the approximate boundaries and basic administrative system that all Chinese dynasties were to follow. A. Reasons for Rise: B. Territorial Location size at height of power (map): Was originated by the state of chin one of the many small feudal states into which china had been divided. It occupied the Wei river valley in the extreme north west of the country. C. System of government rule names of noted rulers and their accomplishments: It was the most martial states. The rulers of Chin began to centralize state power creating a rigid system of law that were applicable through out the country. The state was divided into a series of provinces ruled by officials appointed by the central government. D. Major Religious beliefs practices: E. *Major Accomplishments, Achievements, and contributions: To ru le his vast territory Shih Huang Ti, instituted a ridgid government and standardized the writing system. They built the Great Wall of china F. Major reasons for decline and fall: The harsh methods of ruling combined with large taxes caused a rebellion after Shih Huang Ti death in 210 B.C. The dynasty was replaced by the Han dynasty. 4. Han: dynasty, (206 B.C. -228 A.D.), the second great Chinese imperial dynasty A. Reasons for Rise: The dynasty was founded by Liu Pang a man of humble birth that lead the revolt against the repressive policies of the Chin dynasty. B. Territorial Location size at height of power (map): Fought against the Huns in the north and advanced into western Turkestan where they opened up communication to the subcontinent of India. They conquered western Korea and took over trade with Japan. They conquered northern Vietnam. C. System of government rule names of noted rulers and their accomplishments: The Han copied the highly centralized structure of the chin dynasty. The county was divided into a series of areas appointed by the central government. They adopted a Confucian ideology that emphasized moderation and virtue. This was so successful that the Han dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty. D. Major Religious beliefs practices: Confucianism, the emperor was the intermediary between his subjects and heaven. Confucian historians saw history not as progressive but as cyclical. E. *Major Accomplishments, Achievements, and contributions: Dramatic increase of trade with the outside world. This was a major time of peace and prosperity. They achieved breakthroughs in medicine and astronomy. Zhang Heng developed a instrument to measure earth quakes. Greatly improved farming methods that lead to better crops. Improved the plow, and methods of grinding grain. Irrigation was improved. Clothes where elaborate, and the people eat well. Entertainment was common. They invented paper which was cheaper than previous writing materials. They imp roved iron working, which lead to better weapons and tools. F. Major reasons for decline and fall: Eventually war on the frontier and the Emperors building projects put a large stain on society. The peasants were drafted into the army and agricultural production fell. Many farms were lost to rich people and the peasants wound up being hired workers or even bandits. The peasants revolted and the Generals used this opportunity to establish land for them self and the empire collapsed in confusion. China was broken up into 3 kingdoms, the kingdom of Wei in the north, Shu in the upper Yangtze river, and the Wu kingdom in the lower Yangtze river. 5. Sui: ( A.D. 581-618), dynasty that reunified China after the long-standing divisions of the Six Dynasties period (A.D. 220-589). A. Reasons for Rise: Began on a Grand Canal, a system of waterways designed to unite North and South China both economically and politically. B. Territorial Location size at height of power (map): C. System of gover nment rule names of noted rulers and their accomplishments: D. Major Religious beliefs practices: E. *Major Accomplishments, Achievements, and contributions: They undertook massive construction projects at their two capitals, Lo-yang and Chang-an, and they reasserted Chinese sovereignty over Central Asia. F. Major reasons for decline and fall: These efforts put some much strain on the populace that it finally led to the overthrow of this dynasty. 6. Tiang: (618 A.D. 907 B.C.) founded by a former high official of the Sui Dynasty A. Reasons for Rise: B. Territorial Location size at height of power (map): Re-extended Chinese control over much of central Asia and Korea. C. System of government rule names of noted rulers and their accomplishments: The civil service system grew into a mature form and most government officials had to take exams in order to get into the civil service. This lead to a decline in power of the landed aristocracy. D. Major Religious beliefs practices: Co nfucianism was revived and became the official state religion. Buddhism continued to flourish. E. *Major Accomplishments, Achievements, and contributions: Long period of peace and growth and one of the most cosmopolitan periods. F. Major reasons for decline and fall: A revolt in 755 almost overthrew the dynasty but was suppressed. However the government never recovered and the generals took over. 7. Sung: Marked one of Chinas most brilliant ages. (960 A.D. 1279 A.D.) Due to their weakness, the Sung made an alliance with a Chin dynasty(1122-1234) of northern Manchuria. After all their mutual enemies were defeated, the Chin turned on the Sung. This forced them to retreat and form a new capital in the South in 1135. This new Sung dynasty far surpassed that of the old one. The economic and intellectual achievements increased while the former Sung dynasty to the north slowly decayed. The dynasty showed no internal sign of collapse, but its downfall was many years of bitter fighting agai nst a superior force. A. Reasons for Rise: B. Territorial Location size at height of power (map): The Sung capital was relocated to Lin An in southern China. After the original capital was lost to nomadic tribes. The Sung agreed to the permanent loss of the territory between china and the great wall. C. System of government rule names of noted rulers and their accomplishments: They developed a welfare system which made this a very humane period in Chinese history. To avoid the problems the Tang government faced, the Northern Sung made the military subordinate to the civil government. Every aspect of government and society was dominated by the civil government. The civil service test was expanded so that the government would have a constant flow of young talent. The Sung re-organized the imperial government, centralizing the control of the dynasty at the capital. The local government was left pretty much the same. Education flourished and the economy also continued to expand. The literature that was being created in the late Tang dynasty continued to flourish as well. However, even with such improvements, there was one major flaw, a weak military. The Sungs military was not very powerful, and they frequently signed treaties to end fighting. Usually included in the treaties were stipulations requiring the Sung to pay tributes to the enemies they were fighting. With the population growth came greater economic growth. The military was a large portion of the annual income due to border defenses. The Northern Sung fell apart due to differences in opinions by the civil bureaucrats. In 1069, a young Sung emperor appointed Wang An-shih as his chief counselor. Wang brought about great change in the government. He proposed plans to increase government income, decrease spending, and strengthen military forces. Wang An-Shih realized that the governments wealth came from the peasants, and that the wealthier the peasants were, the wealthier the government would be. So, Wa ng implemented land reforms to give equal allotments of land to farmers, loans to cultivators to assist planting and harvesting, and a graduated tax on wealth. Parts of Wangs plan were adopted, but some were not used due to bureaucratic opposition. D. Major Religious beliefs practices: They merged the Buddhist and Taoist religions together and also increased the influence of Confucius. E. *Major Accomplishments, Achievements, and contributions: Commerce developed to an unprecedented extent. Paper currency came into use and several large cities with a population of more than existed along the southern coast. They developed the printing press. Sculpture and landscape painting flourished. Confucian philosophy was systematized into a doctrine. The Sung dynasty was a age of major accomplishments. Sculpture in lacquer and wood were very artistic. F. Major reasons for decline and fall: The dynasty fell to the Mongol army of Kublai Khan. 8. Mongols: A brave warrior named Temujin became lea der of a federation of Mongol tribes in 1206. The tribes renamed him greatest of all rulers, or Genghis Khan. For the next 21 years Genghis Khan undertook military campaigns that extended Mongol rule well into Russia and into the Middle East. His warriors also took over northern China, capturing the city of Peking (modern-day Beijing) in 1215 and eventually establishing a Mongol dynasty. Upon Genghis Khans death in 1227, four of his sons inherited his armies and lands. One of his grandsons, Batu Khan, extended Mongol control of Russia under his Golden Horde, creating a base for raids on Eastern Europe. Mongol expansion into Russia was aided by Alexander Nevski, a Russian prince who collaborated with the Mongols. The empire was at its height under Kublai Khan, who brought all of China under Mongol control. In 1279 Kublai Khan announced the beginning, or Yuan, of a new era, which gave its name to the Mongol Dynasty that would last until 1368. As with all such extended empires, decline set in. The Khans allowed administration to fall into the hands of local bureaucrats, who soon developed their own power bases. In addition, feuding broke out between the various subdivisions of the empire. China was lost to the Ming dynasty in 1368. The khans of Persia were overthrown, and the Russians defeated the Golden Horde in 1480. In 1206 Temujin was elected head of a federation of Mongol tribes. His title within the All the Mongols league was Genghis Khan. Between 1206 and 1227, when Genghis Khan died, the Mongols conquered a dominion that stretched from the China Sea to the Caspian. On the north it bordered the forest belt of Siberia, and on the south it touched the Pamir range, Tibet, and the central plains of China. The first attack was launched against the Hsi-Hsia, who occupied a border state in northwestern China. By 1215 all of northern China, including the capital at Ta-tu (now called Beijing), had been taken. In 1218 the Mongols moved into eastern Turkestan. Betwee n 1219 and 1225 they added western Turkestan. Advance troops penetrated into southern Russia and raided cities in the Crimea. A. Reasons for Rise: n 1206, after 20 years of internal war, Genghis Khan united the roaming Mongol tribes into a new national entity, the Blue Mongols. In 1211, he focused on China, breaking through the Great Wall two years later and conquering Beijing in 1215. Resistance from Chinese rulers, conflict within the Mongolian camp and forays into Russia delayed the conquest of the Song Dynasty for many years. Not until 1279 did his grandson, Kublai Khan, gain control of southern China and establish the Yuan Dynasty. The China ruled by Kublai Khan was the vastest country the world has ever seen. The Mongols established two capitals: a summer capital of Shangdu in Inner Mongolia and a winter capital of Dadu, now known as Beijing. The Yuan grip remained strong until the end, despite internal problems and widespread Chinese disaffection with their Mongol rulers. By the middle of the 14th century, though, the country had become convulsed by rebellion. By 1367, Zhu Yuanzhang, an orphan who became a Buddhist novice, had climbed to the top of the rebel leadership. In 1368, he established the Ming Dynasty and restored Chinese rule. B. Territorial Location size at height of power (map): From Russia down to southern China C. System of government rule names of noted rulers and their accomplishments: The Mongol Empire created by Genghis Khan was not a unified state but a vast collection of territories held together by military force. Because it was controlled by so many military leaders, all theoretically responsible to the great khan, the empire carried within it the seeds of its own breakdown. Central power rested with the khan and his councillors. Although they were well organized militarily, the Mongols had no developed concept for ruling settled populations. The various territories were under the authority of military commanders. New conquests were not administered just economically exploited. In areas that were under subjugation longer, there was some growth of administration. Local bureaucracies, though dominated by Mongols, usually followed administrative patterns that had been locally developed. This was especially true in China, with its ancient and vast bureaucracy. While Genghis Khan was still living, he divided the empire between his four favorite sons. Tului, the youngest, received the original Mongol homelands and parts of northern China. Ogadai received western Mongolia and part of northwestern China. Chagatai was given most of Turkestan in Central Asia. The oldest son, Juchi, received southwestern Siberia, western Turkestan, and Russian lands stretching north of the Black Sea. A fifth section of the empire was later added when Hulagu, a son of Tului, conquered Iran, Iraq, and Syria in the 1250s. D. Major Religious beliefs practices: E. *Major Accomplishments, Achievements, and contributions: The largest empir e ever seen F. Major reasons for decline and fall: Genghis Khan and his eldest son, Juchi, both died in 1227. At a convocation of Mongol leaders, Ogadai was appointed supreme khan. Juchis lands in the west were inherited by his son Batu. Ogadai made his capital at Karakorum in central Mongolia. He immediately set out to add more of China to the Mongol conquests. By 1234 all but the southernmost region of China had been incorporated. Manic Depression Essay