2. The early Mongolians
Mongolia, homeland to Khubilai Khan and his ancestors is a country of striking contrasts. There are high mountains with snow-covered mountain-peaks and rich woodlands with rivers, streams and lakes. It is surrounded by mountains in the east, west and north, which prevents precipitation and in the south lies the Gobi Desert as a formidable obstacle.Most of the Gobi Desert does not offer much for either cattle- or agriculture. Moreover, even if it is not entirely lifeless, its almost unbearable heat during the summer and the icy winds and spots of snow during the winter makes this area a very inhospitable place to live. Only the most hardened people and animals manage to survive in this barren and hostile environment.
Most of the population lives in the central parts of Mongolia, where water and grass, on which the nomadic people depend upon, exists in sufficient amounts. The steppes do not have enough water to support intense farming but it is ideal for pastoral economy. The traditional life of the pastoral people depended upon five different animals - sheep, goats and oxen for food, clothing, protection and fuel; camels for transport, who made it a lot easier to run the trading business in the deserts; and horses for mobility. The horses were used in the cavalry in war; the horses were also the backbone in the famous Mongolian postal services, which made it possible for the Mongolians to send messages and reports throughout their realm.
As many other nomads the people on the steppes had a frail economy, living under a constant threat of drought, harsh winters and diseases among their herds. Therefore, the trade with the agricultural communities, especially with the Chinese, was a necessity. In severe times the steppe inhabitants searched for grain and sometimes they got this from the Chinese. They could also trade for some tools in exchange for animals and various animal products. If the Chinese refused to trade, the nomads organized raids so that they would get to the goods they could not get through peaceful means.
In the latter part of the 11th century and in the early beginning of the 12th century, a new group of people made their appearance in history, the Mongolians. From the beginning, they were organized in clans (in Mongol: obogh), but at this point of time, the clans became tribes (in Mongol: aimagh). Tribal chieftains, who originally could have been religious leaders, were chosen because of their military abilities and the support of the aristocrats (in Mongol: noyad) who controlled the common herdsmen. The loyalty the noblemen acknowledged to their tribal chieftain was built upon an individual and a personal level, because the Mongolians had no sense of loyalty to the chieftain title itself. The chiefs, who were responsible for the tribe’s military training, organized hunts that to some extent were a form of military exercises. The importance that the people gave to military training for all Mongolians gave the chieftains the possibility to enroll almost everyone in the event of war.
During the latter part of the 12th century, the Mongolians began to dominate this land, some tribes had joined peacefully, and others had been forced to submission by the stronger tribal chieftains. However, there existed no central leadership. There were independent tribes like the Uighurs, Naimans, Merkits, Kereits, Jadirat, Dorbet, Katagin, Seljiut and other remaining Tartar tribes. These tribes continued with their lives within the same territory. Sometimes it was war between the tribes, this would eventually lead to something much grander in the future.