NCERT Solutions For Class 11 History Chapter 3 Nomadic Empires - 2025-26

1. Why was trade so significant to the Mongols?

Answer:
The Mongols lived in the steppe region of Central Asia, which had a harsh climate and very limited natural resources. Farming was difficult in this environment, so the Mongols depended heavily on trade to meet their needs. By exchanging goods with neighboring regions, they were able to secure food and other essentials. Trade not only supported their survival but also benefited the regions they interacted with.

2. Why did Genghis Khan feel the need to fragment the Mongol tribes into new social and military groupings?

Answer:
Genghis Khan reorganized the Mongol tribes into new social and military units for several reasons:

• The tribes of the steppe had strong individual identities, and he wanted to unite them under one structure.

• The Mongols were naturally brave and skilled fighters, so he grouped them into military units to build a powerful and disciplined army.

• A well-organized army also made trade routes safer and more profitable.

• His own difficult childhood experiences taught him the value of unity and discipline, which influenced his decision to restructure the tribes.
  
  

3. How do later Mongol reflections on the Yasa bring out the uneasy relationship they had with the memory of Genghis Khan?

Answer: The Yasa was a set of laws and regulations approved during Genghis Khan’s rule by the Quriltai (assembly). These rules dealt with matters such as the military, hunting practices, postal systems, and social hierarchy. Since they were based on older Mongol customs, later generations sometimes had conflicting views about them. This shows the complex and sometimes uneasy way the Mongols remembered Genghis Khan’s legacy.

4. “If history relies upon written records produced by city-based literati, nomadic societies will always receive a hostile representation.” Would you agree with this statement? Does it explain the reason why Persian chronicles produced such inflated figures of casualties resulting from Mongol campaigns? (HOTS)

Answer:
Yes, I agree with this statement. The main reasons are:

• Accounts like The Secret History of the Mongols and Marco Polo’s travel writings present events very differently, showing how perspectives varied.

• Since the Mongol Empire was vast, records were written in multiple languages and styles, often influenced by the writer’s background.

• Persian historians often exaggerated the number of casualties during Mongol campaigns to highlight their brutality and present them as ruthless invaders.
  
  

Thus, the bias of city-based writers shaped the hostile image of the Mongols in history.

5. Keeping the nomadic element of the Mongol and Bedouin societies in mind, how, in your opinion, did their respective historical experiences differ? What explanations would you suggest account for these differences?

Answer:
The Mongols were nomadic tribes of Central Asia, linked through language with groups like the Tatars, Khitan, Manchus, and Turkic peoples. Some were pastoralists, while others hunted and gathered food. In contrast, the Bedouins were Arab nomads who moved through deserts in search of pasture.

They combined pastoralism with agriculture and trade, as they lived in Islamic lands surrounded by seas.

Unlike the Bedouins, the Mongols produced very little written literature, so much of what we know about them comes from outsiders such as Marco Polo, whose accounts varied in Italian and Latin versions. These differences in lifestyle, geography, and available sources explain why their historical experiences and depictions differ so much.

6. How does the following account enlarge upon the character of the Pax Mongolica created by the Mongols by the middle of the thirteenth century?

Answer:
This account highlights the nature of Pax Mongolica—the peace and stability under Mongol rule in the mid-13th century:

• The fact that the French king Louis IX sent William of Rubruck to Karakorum in 1254 shows that the Mongols had established strong diplomatic and cultural ties with other regions.

• Skilled individuals like Guillaume Boucher, a French goldsmith, were employed at the Mongol court, reflecting the empire’s wealth and its ability to attract talent from faraway lands.

• The Mongols welcomed people of different faiths—Nestorian Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Taoists—into their ceremonies, showing a spirit of religious tolerance.

• Their administration included people from many ethnicities and religions, creating a truly pluralistic system.
  
  

Overall, this reveals that the Mongols created a secure and inclusive empire where trade, travel, and cultural exchange flourished—an era described as the Pax Mongolica.

Understanding Nomadic Empires and Mongol Power

The chapter on Nomadic Empires in Class 11 History highlights how Mongol leadership, especially under Genghis Khan, transformed scattered tribes into a powerful and united force that changed the history of Eurasia.

By focusing on the social structure and political strategies of the steppe societies, students learn how unity, discipline, and military innovations enabled the Mongols to conquer vast territories swiftly and maintain their rule.

For a strong preparation in your Class 11 History exams, review the factual points and practice mapping Mongol expansion. Grasping these concepts will help you score higher and retain knowledge for future competitive exams.

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