Genghis Khan and Mongol Rule

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The legacy of the Mongols has often been associated with their contributions to warfare and horror. A more realistic association would be their contribution to international trade and cultural exchange. Founding an empire ranging from Persia to China, Genghis Khan united a nomadic warrior. It was a society whose leaders waged successful war and increased their tribes' prosperity. But the Mongols also understood it would serve their purposes to maintain commerce and agriculture, and to cultivate the arts in order that the luxuries they coveted would be all the more readily available. Thematic chapters provide an accessible overview of the Steppe people from which Genghis Khan emerged, and chronicle his ascent as the Great Khan, as he subdued enemies and conquered lands to the east and west. This is followed by excellent overviews of the founding and cementing of Mongol rule in China - the Yuan Dynasty - and Persia. A concluding chapter provides a fresh perspective of the Mongol empire and demonstrates the relevance of this vast and influential period to the contemporary world. The book ends with useful materials for students and researchers, including sixteen biographical sketches of figures ranging from Qubilai Khan to famed Italian merchant and traveller Marco Polo. A score of annotated primary documents provide immediate access to the issues of the period through the eyes of the people living through them. Five maps, an annotated timeline, a glossary and annotated bibliography and several illustrations round out this engaging and valuable resource.

Reviews

"Lane argues convincingly that the Mongols were not necessarily the destructive barbarians of popular history, but rather an empire that encouraged cultural achievement, international trade, and even religious tolerance. Particularly intriguing is the chapter in which the author draws parallels between the U.S. response to 9/11 and the response of Mongol ruler Hulegu Khan to the Assassins (properly known as Isma'ilis) and his subsequent overthrow of the Caliph of Baghdad....[w]ould be most suitable for students doing advanced-placement history classes. The appended biographies and glossary are well done, but even more useful are the relevant primary documents conveniently included."-School Library Journal
[E]xamines the war legacy of the Mongols to history and their contributions to international trade and cultural exchange a less stated facet of their history.-MBR Internet Bookwatch
Lane argues convincingly that the Mongols were not necessarily the destructive barbarians of popular history, but rather an empire that encouraged cultural achievement, international trade, and even religious tolerance. Particularly intriguing is the chapter in which the author draws parallels between the U.S. response to 9/11 and the response of Mongol ruler Hulegu Khan to the Assassins (properly known as Isma'ilis) and his subsequent overthrow of the Caliph of Baghdad....[w]ould be most suitable for students doing advanced-placement history classes. The appended biographies and glossary are well done, but even more useful are the relevant primary documents conveniently included.-School Library Journal
Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and graduate students.-Choice
"Examines the war legacy of the Mongols to history and their contributions to international trade and cultural exchange a less stated facet of their history."-MBR Internet Bookwatch
"[E]xamines the war legacy of the Mongols to history and their contributions to international trade and cultural exchange a less stated facet of their history."-MBR Internet Bookwatch
"Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and graduate students."-Choice

Author Bio

George Lane is a lecturer in the Department of History at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He specialises in Islamic history, particularly that of Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia.