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Welcome back to our lectures on Mongolian history. My apologies for the loss of last week's lecture, but I got stuck at the airport in Paris on my way back from a guest lecture.
We have to make up for time lost, so I'm going to be brief. You should all have read about the Mongolian prophecy and its consequences. The Mongols believed some form of evil lurked in the land waiting to seize power. It has never been discovered exactly what this was supposed to be, one can only assume that it was a matter of some political rivalry and the losing party was then demonized, exiled and erased from Mongol stories so it would be as if he had never existed. Then in order to cement the power structures of the tribal leaders a foreign noble would be needed as a unifying symbol since they apparently lacked legitimacy to rule directly themselves.
Oddly enough this situation arose some hundred years before the Incan prince Viktorgrip was born. his birth must have come at a critical time for the Mongol tribal leaders as their lands grew larger and more unmanageable, for they demanded the Incas that the boy be exchanged for a Mongolian philosopher. When the Incas tarried, the Mongols became impatient and demanded the boy be handed over without any compensation. The Inca logically refused, which resulted in a situation that was only hours away from a fullscale Mongol invasion of Inca lands. At the last minute, Inca elders agreed to surrender the young boy and the horde assembled to invade returned home instead.
It is uncertain as to the political constellations and desires of the Mongol leaders, but they were apparently unprepared for the Incan prince's ability to adapt to and manipulate the political situation. Within few years of his arrival in the Mongolian heartland he had arranged for a system that divided power between the tribal leaders in a fashion of such brilliance that it's likeness has not been seen until modern times with the advent of written constitutions. It is truly a tribute to the Mongolian oral culture and its capabilities that they were able to implement such an advanced system without the aid of a Code of Laws! Instead, a highly elaborate system of honorifics and oaths of loyalty became its basis. A prelude to the Feudal ideals that arose shortly after.
The arrival of the Incan prince seems to have coincided with the construction of the Obsidian Pyramid. An amazing feat of Engineering rising like a black mountain out of the everflat riverplains with four Obelisks placed around it. This as well as the establihsment of the new ruling system resulted in a Mongolian golden age. Amazing wealth was amassed, Mongolias armies grew and great developments were made. Among other things the invention of the Stirrup. Which would have major consequences for the military development of the eastern lands.
We have to make up for time lost, so I'm going to be brief. You should all have read about the Mongolian prophecy and its consequences. The Mongols believed some form of evil lurked in the land waiting to seize power. It has never been discovered exactly what this was supposed to be, one can only assume that it was a matter of some political rivalry and the losing party was then demonized, exiled and erased from Mongol stories so it would be as if he had never existed. Then in order to cement the power structures of the tribal leaders a foreign noble would be needed as a unifying symbol since they apparently lacked legitimacy to rule directly themselves.
Oddly enough this situation arose some hundred years before the Incan prince Viktorgrip was born. his birth must have come at a critical time for the Mongol tribal leaders as their lands grew larger and more unmanageable, for they demanded the Incas that the boy be exchanged for a Mongolian philosopher. When the Incas tarried, the Mongols became impatient and demanded the boy be handed over without any compensation. The Inca logically refused, which resulted in a situation that was only hours away from a fullscale Mongol invasion of Inca lands. At the last minute, Inca elders agreed to surrender the young boy and the horde assembled to invade returned home instead.
It is uncertain as to the political constellations and desires of the Mongol leaders, but they were apparently unprepared for the Incan prince's ability to adapt to and manipulate the political situation. Within few years of his arrival in the Mongolian heartland he had arranged for a system that divided power between the tribal leaders in a fashion of such brilliance that it's likeness has not been seen until modern times with the advent of written constitutions. It is truly a tribute to the Mongolian oral culture and its capabilities that they were able to implement such an advanced system without the aid of a Code of Laws! Instead, a highly elaborate system of honorifics and oaths of loyalty became its basis. A prelude to the Feudal ideals that arose shortly after.
The arrival of the Incan prince seems to have coincided with the construction of the Obsidian Pyramid. An amazing feat of Engineering rising like a black mountain out of the everflat riverplains with four Obelisks placed around it. This as well as the establihsment of the new ruling system resulted in a Mongolian golden age. Amazing wealth was amassed, Mongolias armies grew and great developments were made. Among other things the invention of the Stirrup. Which would have major consequences for the military development of the eastern lands.
General Benedict Arnold gathered further support for his cause in the city of New York, he had never returned to Richmond after the embarassment he was given by Christopher; namely the fact that he stood ready to defend America when Christopher knew the Dutch had backed down from settlement on the American side of the bay. Christopher never told him what happened, and further didn't invite him to a feast in honor of the event. Arnold further detested Christopher over his wife Abigail, who Arnold wished to marry years before. All of this combined with a general idea that he could do a better job than Christopher and many others agreed. But Christopher had done much to create a loyal Senate, and Arnold realized he needed to gain control from the localized tribes. Philadelphia was too far, and he was a New Yorker after all.
Everyone at the party stopped speaking and imitated their Commander. "Here is to a safe trip for Mr. Jonathan Jefferson and Captain William Manning, may they encounter no enemies on the way to France."
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