Horde: How the Mongols Changed the World

Marie Favereau's "The Mongols" is a comprehensive history of the Horde, the western portion of the Mongol empire that arose after the death of Chinggis Khan. It reveals that the Mongols were a force in global development for three hundred years, leaving behind a profound legacy in Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The Horde was the central node in the Eurasian commercial boom and a conduit for exchanges across thousands of miles. Its unique political regime rewarded skillful administrators and diplomats and fostered an economic order that was mobile, organized, and innovative. Favereau challenges conceptions of nomads as peripheral to history and makes clear that we live in a world inherited from the Mongol moment.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 30 April 2021
Publisher: Harvard University Press

The Mongols, renowned for their conquests, have a less recognized legacy that extends far beyond warfare. In her groundbreaking work, "The Mongols: A History," Marie Favereau delves into the western portion of the Mongol empire, which emerged after the death of Chinggis Khan. Favereau reveals that the Mongols were not just conquerors but also influential players in global development, comparable to the Roman Empire. Spanning three centuries, the Horde left a lasting impact on Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, which can still be observed today.

Favereau takes us on a journey into the heart of one of the most powerful sources of cross-border integration in world history. The Horde, as the central node in the thirteenth and fourteenth-century Eurasian commercial boom, facilitated exchanges across vast distances. Its unique political regime, characterized by power-sharing among the khan and the nobility, rewarded skilled administrators and diplomats and fostered an economic order that was mobile, organized, and innovative.

From its capital at Sarai on the lower Volga River, the Horde served as a governance model for Russia, influencing social practices and state structures across Islamic cultures. It disseminated sophisticated theories about the natural world and introduced novel ideas of religious tolerance.

"The Mongols: A History" is an outstanding, original, and revolutionary work that challenges conventional conceptions of the Mongol empire. It provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of this complex and often misunderstood empire, shedding light on its profound impact on world history. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history, culture, and politics of the Middle Ages.

Weight: 734g
Dimension: 166 x 246 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780674244214