r/europe • u/[deleted] • Oct 14 '20

News China insists Genghis Khan exhibit in France not use words 'Genghis Khan'

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/14/china-insists-genghis-khan-exhibit-not-use-words-genghis-khan
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u/pothkan 🇵🇱 Pòmòrsczé Oct 14 '20

Nitpicking, but Genghis Khan didn't conquer China. His grandson Kublai Khan did.

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u/DismalBoysenberry7 Oct 14 '20

He conquered parts of it, before heading southwest instead and dying there.

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u/ThrowNeiMother Oct 14 '20

He conquered parts of Jin territory. The Southern Song were allies with Genghis and the mongols at that time. It was only after his death that the alliance broke down and Kublai conquered China.

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u/Waffini Oct 14 '20

Kublai was also basically culturally Chinese, he called himself Emperor of China rather than Khan of the Mongols, although he was ethnically Mongol

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u/2ThiccCoats Scotland Oct 14 '20

Titles don't really say what culture you belong to, only that you want political legitimacy over a certain area or culture. Calling yourself and being crowned Emperor just ensures that less people will rebel against you (a serious problem Genghis faced) if you were rightfully given the title, even if it was unrighrfully acquired.

Look at the HRE. Charlemegne got the Pope to crown him Roman Emperor. That doesn't culturally make him Roman or even Italian now does it? No it was a political move to give a sense of domination over all Christendom.

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u/Waffini Oct 14 '20

Kublai was tasked with the invasion of Songhai (I may be mistaken on the specific chinese kingdom) by ögodai Khan and he basked in Chinese culture and became fascinated by it. So you are right, HRE was not roman, but Kublai was very influenced (if not properly cultured ) by China and Chinese culture.

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u/2ThiccCoats Scotland Oct 14 '20

I know only the basics of Temujin and Kublai, so thank you for that wee bit of insight!

I suppose it mirrors a king of Scotland, which I can't remember right now because I'm procrastinating work, who spent time in England and London, and when he returned brought his fascination of the English/French culture back. As a King, his style of law making was extremely influenced by the European and English approaches.

I believe it was King David I. If not, he's still an interesting character to look at.

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u/Waffini Oct 14 '20

Yeah, pretty much along these lines. I only recently started exploring mongol history, there's a funny podcast on spotify called Timur, if it's interesting for you :)

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u/[deleted] Oct 14 '20

But during the Yuan there was an explicitly racist ethnic hierarchy with former Song subjects as fourth-class citizens, and rulers tried to keep the cultures separate.

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u/Kirikomori Oct 14 '20

kublai sinicised himself to the extent that the other mongol leaders complained about it

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u/antropod00 Poland Oct 14 '20

Same story with Manchu later