Continuing our fascinating conversation about the International Baccalaureate (IB) Extended Essay research projects; this week we are highlighting Ella Turner’s (Upper Sixth) research about the role of women during the Mongolian Empire. She is specifically the role of Börte and Alaqa, Ghengis Khan’s main wife and daughter, respectively. 

Ella reflected: “Women in general were imperative in the looking after of the Mongolian camps, and one of the reasons the Mongolian’s gained the biggest land empire, nine million square miles, was because the men could focus on only military endeavours. Women took on many of the other positions, including politics, Alaqa was particularly important as she married into the Öngüts who were powerful in Northern China, therefore in the Jin Campaign 1211, Alaqa in her position of power was able to help her father’s troops.

“In addition, her husband’s troops contributed to the Mongolian army. The other interesting factors I’ve looked at are the tactics of Ghengis Khan as well as the atomized army, which meant that groups of conquered people were separated so that they could not rise up and resist Ghengis Khan. It’s been difficult trying to find sources for such a niche topic, but fun exploring something so unknown to me!”

Next week, we will be highlighting Laia Garnham’s (Upper Sixth) research about the reign of Mary Tudor and whether or not it was a success.

Follow live Sixth Form updates @BGSSixth_Form here.