19Instrumental in
conquering large swaths
of territory across the
region, Genghis Khan
brought the Silk Road
under collective political
control, which increased
trade between the East
and Westto China and eventually served the
great khan. Kublai attempted seafaring
and jungle warfare, travelling to Japan,
Pagan, Dai Viet, Cham, and Java, albeit
with little success, depleting much of the
Yuan Dynasty’s reserves. The Chagatai
Khanate was constantly at odds with the
Yuan Dynasty, while the Golden Horde
allied with the Mamluk in Egypt against
the Il-khanat, which resulted in the
disintegration of the empire.
Lands From The Mongol Empire
is organised by location according
to the geographic organisation of
the respective khanates, drawing
correlations between the lands and
peoples of old to those of present
day nations.
The ongoing project aims to provide
detailed accounts of the explorers
who traversed Eurasia, their journeys
crisscrossing and intersecting over the
course of history. The project – which
also integrates sound and video –
aims to connect the linkages between
China’s Silk Road economic belt and
the 21st century Maritime Silk Road –
One Belt, One Road.02