266 COBEA. the southern border, right opposite a similar number of Corean cities. After the Ein Nujun had fattened on the rich soil of China, ihey became subject to repeated attacks and plundering raids from the north; for Genghis Eokhan had collected into one whole the various hordes of restless cavalry on the north of Shamo, and the west of Hinganling. Of the numerous defeated tribes he formed a conquering army, crossed the wild desert of Shamo, spread the terror of his arms and the sphere of his reign in all directiona His sons were able successors of the father; and in addition to their other numerous conquests, they drove the Kin ofif the throne of northern China, and put an end to the weak empire of the Sung in the south. He called his kingdom by the name of Mongol, — Munggoo as it is written by the Chinese; and Mv/nggoo or Monggoo in eastern Mongol language means
- silver "* — which title he may have assumed, as he was preceded
in China by Kin or the " Golden " dynasty, which had displaced "Liao"' or the "Iron dynasty, — all three being Turanian people, though each very different fh>m the other. The Mongols spread everywhere ; and long before they established themselves on the Yellow River, all Liaotung and all Manchuria were compelled to acknowledge their sway. Corea did so, as usual^ without fighting. That branch of the Mongols which settled in China assumed the dynastic title of Yuen. The Mongols seem to have meditated the conquest of the world. At all events, in 1299, they ordered Corea, as their vassal, to bring Japan under their rule. But the Yuen emperor had miscalculated both parties. Corea had been sent on a similar expedition some years before, but had to return imsuccessful. This second expedition was much more powerful than the first ; and Chwunjiantaha, the Corean king, found himself master of 500 ships, built on the south of the Yangtsu. But it was easier to procure vessels fitted for such an expedition than men ; for the Japanese have always
- Howorth, in his " Mongols," translates the name "brave** ; but on whatever
grounds he prefers that translation I prefer the above.
