Along the Silk Roads in Mongol Eurasia

Viac o knihe

During the 13th and 14th centuries, Chinggis Khan and his heirs established the largest contiguous empire in history, stretching from Korea to Hungary and Iraq to Tibet. The Mongol Empire, covering about two-thirds of the Old World, facilitated the movement of people, ideas, and goods across vast geographical and cultural boundaries. This work highlights the stories of three key groups—military commanders, merchants, and intellectuals—drawing from a diverse array of historical sources in multiple languages. These annotated biographies create a vivid picture of the Mongol Empire, offering insights into a transformative period marked by rapid change. Whether read together or individually, they serve as an excellent introduction to discussions about the empire's influence on China, the Muslim world, and the West, as well as the scale and creativity of cross-cultural exchanges along the Silk Roads. The text synthesizes information from Chinese, Arabic, Persian, and Latin sources, making it accessible to English-speaking audiences. It presents individual life stories that spark discussions on themes such as military expansion, migration, gender, and trans-regional trade networks. Each chapter includes a bibliography for further exploration, complemented by informative maps, images, and tables that enhance each biography.