#john man

The Mongol Empire - John Man

Read: Feb - Mar 2024

This was an interesting read. The Mongols are such an interesting topic. The way they spread all over Eurasia is still very impressive. So I was intrigued to learn more. I should have paid more attention to the tag line however, because I was mildly disappointed when Man kept his focus on China. Truly in terms of scale the Mongolian Empire was so vast and disparate that it would be hard to cram it into one book. But I definitely thought I was getting a more overview of it all situation. Instead we got the humble beginnings, which are always relevant, and actually it's kind of wild how little we do know about said beginnings. Man's discussion on sources made it abundantly clear that there are things we just will not know, despite the Mongols importance to history.

Some surprise amount of mystery around Genghis's life and death. More than I would have thought, especially considering Kublai was Emperor of China and China had the tools, resources, and learning to have an history written. Which to be fair, one was, but it's just surprising that it's the state propaganda one. Like I'm lowkey annoyed that there's not more material written about it. Sorry, annoyed that more wasn't found/survived. I'm sure there was reams written about the new invaders, alas, most seems to be gone. Historians are really piecing it together from all the weird pieces left and making a narrative of found facts and educated guess work. Still no amount of guessing will produce the grave of Genghis, unfortunately. Gods, could you imagine someone finds it by accident? That would be so funny, but also so juicy, and I'm sure politically fraught.

Anyways back to the book, after Genghis we spend time with his heirs and especially Kublai, who founded the Yuan Dynasty. As an aside: my personal folk etymology for dynasty, is because royals often die nasty. Anyways Man takes us through Kublai's life and then, the book is wrapped up at warp speed. Only whispers of the rest of the dynasty and then a brief account of its fall. Barely a word about what happened to the more western parts. I wanted more. Which of course I can presumably find elsewhere, I'm just being silly expecting Man to do it all. In any case I learned a lot reading this and it was totally worth it and so interesting. Man definitely is not a dry history writer, so it was easy to be brought along.

John Man, Kublai Khan: from Xanadu to Superpower

14.01.2022

13.01.2022