Product Description

Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire, the largest continuous land empire ever. On his death in 1227, this extended from the Near East to the Yellow Sea, and was expanded by his successors to include what is now Iran, Iraq and southern Russia. By 1206, Genghis Khan had completed the unification by conquest of all the tribes of Mongolia, and was acclaimed as universal Khan. He then launched his assault on Northern China. Peking was captured in 1215, and the Chin were finally subjugated by Genghis′s successors in 1234. This is the definitive biography.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #455283 in Books
• Published on: 1993-09-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Review
"This may well be the definitive biography of Genghis Khan" Library Journal

"But for Paul Ratchnevsky this corner of history would remain largely unavailable to the West. The debt to the author is enhanced by Thomas Haining′s splendid and untiring work in rendering the original book into English." Times Higher Education Supplement

"If anyone could bring us close to the mystery of Genghis Khan′s achievements, it was the late Paul Ratchnevsky." London Review of Books

"The translation is excellent. Mr Haining is to be congratulated on his contribution to what is in many respects an improvement even on Ratchnevsky′s splendid work." Royal Asiatic Society

"The most significant post–war study of Genghis Khan. Ratchnevsky had exemplary linguistic and historiographical skills enabling him to draw on a very wide range of original sources. Thomas Nivison Haining, the translator and editor of the English version, has done a fine job in trimming the notes while maintaining their principal import, to produce a work of value both for the informed general reader and for specialists." Asian Affairs

"This is the most exciting book I have read for a long time ... A book that no serious Mongolist should be without. The general reader will find it absorbing and informative." The Anglo Mongolian Society Newsletter

From the Back Cover
Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire, the largest continuous land empire ever. On his death in 1227, this extended from the Near East to the Yellow Sea, and was expanded by his successors to include what is now Iran, Iraq and southern Russia. By 1206, Genghis Khan had completed the unification by conquest of all the tribes of Mongolia, and was acclaimed as universal Khan. He then launched his assault on Northern China. Peking was captured in 1215, and the Chin were finally subjugated by Genghis′s successors in 1234. This is the definitive biography.

About the Author
Paul Ratchnevsky was Emeritus Professor of Sinology at Humboldt University in Berlin, and best known for his three–volume work Un Code des Yuan.

Thomas Nivison Haining CMG served for over 30 years in the diplomatic service, including as Ambassador to Mongolia. He is currently an honorary Research Associate in History at the University of Aberdeen.

Author of the new introduction:
Morris Rossabi is Professor of History at the City University of New York and Adjunct Professor at Columbia University.

Customer Reviews

Very informative but not an easy read.
The book is well written and informative but I found it diffucult to read. I don't think it was written for the layman. Too much technical jargon. I wanted to know more about how the mongols actually lived and fought. Where did they get their weapons, how did they survive the cold winters and what made them so tough. Still looking for this type of book on Genghis Khan and the mongols.

This has no maps at all - not worth buying new
Given the size of the Mongol conquests and the unfamilairity of the territories/place names to most people the first thing that should have been included is MAPS - of towns, rivers, kingdoms as they existed at that time.
Without them you are left having almost no idea where in Central Asia the action is.
This is a major weakness and irritant.