If you’ve really thought about the lives of Mongolian women under Genghis Khan, you’d probably think that their lives were terrible.
When most cultures that existed in the past had a reputation for treating women with disrespect and fairness, why would you think that under a brutal dictator like Genghis Si Khan, will the woman’s fate be different?
The Mongol women under Genghis Khan had great freedom. (photo: Grunge).
The following things you are about to read may surprise you. The truth is, the majority of Mongols were quite progressive about women’s rights , at least compared to many other cultures that existed at the time, including Western cultures.
Some Mongolian women were skilled warriors under Genghis Khan, though, for the most part they still had to fulfill certain roles and expectations from men. However, Mongolian women still enjoy a lot of freedom compared to women in other countries around the world.
According to historical documents, women are highly respected in Mongolian society , and the men in the family are often very good at taking advice from their wives. Undeniably, the Mongols were brutal warriors on the battlefield, but they were not barbarians, at least in real life. Mongolian women are highly respected, often holding important roles and highly regarded members of society.
Mongolian women often play an important role in family and society. (photo: Grunge).
In fact, according to Amonbe (a non-profit organization dedicated to researching and protecting ancient knowledge in beauty care and women’s advancement), the Mongols believe that men should marry a woman. older woman. Because, an older woman will have a higher intellect than her husband and thus, will be able to help her husband make informed decisions.
In fact, in Mongolian society, no one will respect a man who does not listen to his wife, because it shows immaturity and lack of credibility. To think that fierce Mongol warriors would also have to be a brute to their wives, you would be wrong.
According to Amonbe, Mongolian women also have a lot of decision-making power in the family and even in bed. If the husband fails to fulfill his duties in the bedroom, his wife can report this to the local mandarin to punish her husband.
Meanwhile in China, south of the Mongol empire, Confucianism outlined strict rules for women’s behavior. Chinese women are educated that they must submit to their husbands, when the husband dies, their existence is only to continue serving the husband’s family and not to remarry.
In addition, in China, upper-class women will have to follow the custom of foot binding from the age of six, because small feet (about 3 inches) will make them flexible, gentle and attractive. than in the eyes of men. In Mongolia, women don’t have to do any of the above.
Mongolian women rode horses from a very young age, carriages being the prerogative of women. (photo: Grunge).
According to Amonbe, Mongolian women are very strong, they love riding and racing, they fight in battle and every year there is an archery competition only for women to participate in. Mongolian women are not a husband’s item, in life, they are strong, fierce and hard-working.
The Mongols mainly traveled by horse, however, under Genghis Khan, the carriages were only for women, and men were absolutely not allowed to ride in the carriage, unless they were sick. This regulation was probably intended to help Mongolian men become proficient in horseback riding from a young age and in adulthood they would become excellent horsemen. But in any case, the carriage was still the “domain” of women and no man was allowed to use it.
According to studies by Victoria University (UK), Mongolian women not only shoulder many responsibilities in the family, they also have to do many heavy jobs commonly found in men. For example: Lower the tent and set up the tent, herd the huge herds of the tribe… Therefore, it is not surprising that Mongolian men have great respect for women.
There was no monogamy in Mongolia under Genghis Khan. Men can have many wives, but each wife will have her own tent, where they live with their children.
The first wife of a Mongolian man is also considered the first wife as in China. Children of the first wife will receive more property than other children when their father dies.
Genghis Khan had a hobby of making his enemies’ wives serve him. (photo: Grunge).
Speaking of Genghis Khan, his mother had to raise her son in the forest. She was abandoned by her tribe after the death of her husband. Her mother’s upbringing may have greatly influenced Genghis Khan’s progressive ideas about women.
Genghis Khan had four sons, most of his children were girls. In the vast majority of historical documents shown, Genghis Khan took his daughters very seriously. He even executed a man who dared to refuse his daughter’s marriage.
It is remarkable that women in Mongolian society have the right to refuse to marry , if it is a man they do not like, which is a very progressive point for a society that existed 800 years ago. However, for the daughters of Genghis Khan, they did not have the right to choose their fiance.
Genghis Khan often chose a husband who was the king or prince of neighboring countries, for his daughters. But unfortunately, Genghis Khan will send his daughter’s new husband to war, where he will almost certainly die. Then the daughters of Genghis will take over the kingdom and expand their father’s already vast empire.
Mongolian women are highly respected. However, with women in Mongol conquests, Genghis Khan treated them as spoils for his soldiers, along with gold, horses, and other possessions.
Genghis Khan had quite progressive ideas about women’s rights. (photo: Grunge).
The most beautiful girls in the conquered area will be selected and the most beautiful will be offered as one of Genghis Khan’s wives. Genghis Khan is also not a womanizer, after successfully conquering a certain country, he prefers to make his enemies’ wives and daughters serve him.
Genghis Khan famously said: “My greatest joy is defeating my enemies, robbing them of their riches, seeing their loved ones bathe in tears, riding on my horse. them and make their wives and children submit to them.”
Genghis Khan often made many women serve him in one night to show his strength. It is estimated that at present, Genghis Khan may have up to 16 million descendants around the world. Genghis Khan had 500 wives and so many children that he could not even remember their names.
After conquering virtually all of Asia, Genghis Khan banned the abduction and trafficking of women and, in particular, against discrimination on the basis of religion. These are also some notable points, showing the progress in the idea of the rule of Genghis Khan.