The Mongol Way

     The focus of the reading from Cooper and Burbank's chapter, is outlined at the bottom of page 93:
     "In this chapter, we will look at the origins of Mongol might, the astonishing career of Chinggis Khan, Mongol repertoires of power, the trajectories of Mongol khanates, and the impact of Mongol empires on world politics and culture."
Essentially, this chapter looked at the Mongolian Empires during their lifetime and then examined their legacies.
     The chapter began with a question. "What kind of society could master the challenge of long-distance war and transform Eurasia with its scattered peoples into a web of material and cultural exchange?" In short, Cooper and Burbank pose the question: how on earth, could a group of nomads rule an empire? They then flesh out this answer with multiple sub-points.
1. The Mongols developed an organized mobility because of their geography and climate conditions; they had to be adaptable.
2. Their management of people, in terms of families and marriages, led to large associations and allies.
3. Since the choosing of an emperor (khan) included competition, their military and soldier base expanded and charisma was essential.
     In their "Making Empire" section, the first Chinggis Khan is introduced. His life was all about overcoming hardship and defeating his rivals and enemies. Clearly, this translates into 'The Mongol Way'. In this section, Cooper and Burbank explain the beginnings of empire expansion: the target of China and the Silk Road, then moving west towards the Muslims, and later, the failed diplomatic relations with Iran. After Temujim's (Chinggis Khan's) death, came a time of 'peace'. But really, this peace meant a time of succession and war.
     In defining The Mongol Way, the chapter discusses Mongolian law, trade routes, medical systems, and their map-making, astronomy, and carpet-making skills.
     Finally, the Mongolian Empires broke down just as quickly as they had risen. The allies made through connections became fraught with war, and each empire died—one by one. But what remained, was the Mongolian legacy. "The Mongols' protection of religious institutions, their governing practices based on recognized difference, with no fixed center or core population; the cultivation of personalized loyalty as the sovereign's means of control; the fluid politics of contingent allegiance, pragmatic subordination, and treaty making—this repertoire remained in play long after Chinggis's empire disintegrated."

     My question is about their religious toleration. Most of the discussion is on pages 108-109. It mentions that many Mongols converted to different religions (which, considering their nomadic nature, makes some sense). But why were they so tolerant? How did "Buddhists, Christians of several varieties, Jews, and Muslims all flourish" simultaneously?