Genghis Khan Conqueror of the World

241 Pages·2004·10.63 MB·English

Leo de Hartog is a Dutch specialist in Mongol history and has
taught the subject extensively.

GENGHIS KHAN
of
Conperor the World
LEO DE HARTOG
PAPERBACKS
Published In 2004 by Tauris Parke Paperbacks
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Copyright 0 Leo de Hartog, 1989, 2004
The r~ghto f Leo de Hartog to be ~dentltieda s the author of this work has been asserted
by the author In accordance wlth the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All r~ghtsr eserved Except for brief quotations In a revlew, th~sb ook, or any part
thereot; may not be reproduced, stored In or introduced into a retr~evals ystem, or
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ISBN 1 86064 972 6
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Printed and bound in Great Britain by MPG Books Ltd, Bodmin, Cornwall
Contents
Preface
Mongolia on the eve of the birth of Asia's
greatest son
Geography and climate
The tribes
Mongol society
The rise of a young chief of the Bo jigins
The emergence of an obscure tribe
The beginning of the elimination process
Ruler of all tribes living in felt tents
The final overthrow of the Ong-Khan
West Mongolia yields to the new master
Power and suspicion
The Yasa: Genghis Khan's code of laws
The Mongol army
Organization
The Mongol cavalryman and the method of
warfare
The strength of the Mongol army
The rapacious barbarians at China's
northern frontier
The art-loving Sung buy peace
A careful beginning: the attack on Hsi-Hsia
vi Contents
The war without an end
Victor and vanquished
The prelude
The rise of the Khwarazm shahs
Contacts between the ruler of the west and
the ruler of the east
The 'liberation' of east Turkestan
0g6dei, the successor to the throne
The hurricane from the east
A giant with feet of clay
Transoxiana overrun
The pursuit of Sultan Muhammad I1
The destruction of the work of centuries
The great raid
The cavalcade of terror
The first Mongol invasion of Russia
After the storm
The world conqueror and the mountain savage
A broken world left behind
The last campaign
The world conqueror and his empire
The world conqueror
The empire
In the footsteps of the father
The inheritance
The new ruler
The reconquest of Persia and Caucasia
The war in China continues
The martyrdom of the Korean people
The Mongol invader in Europe
The end of the old Russia
Central Europe on the edge of the abyss
Contents vii
The return to Mongolia
15 The last phase of unity
'Toregene was a very shrewd and capable woman'
The apostolic nuncio
Twilight of the Ogodeids
Maps
Central Asia at the end of the twelfth century
(Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, 11)
North China (1205-40)
(Chapters 6, 11 , 13)
The Qara Khitai kingdom (1 135-12 18)
(Chapter 7)
South-west Asia (12 1-5)
(Chapters 7,8, 10, 13)
The pursuit of Muhammad I1 and the great raid
( 1220-3)
(Chapters 8, 9)
The Mongol Empire (1227)
(Chapters 12, 13)
The Middle East and Caucasia (1230-45)
(Chapter 13)
Eastern Europe ( 1236-42)
(Chapter 14)
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Preface
The study which forms the basis of this book began in 1941
when I was a prisoner of war in Colditz. That I was able to
work in those years on the subject of Genghis Khan and the
foundation of the Mongol Empire I attribute with gratitude for
the most part to the co-operation I received from the French
Red Cross. When I asked if they could send L'Empire des Steppes,
by Rent Grousset I received this book with the note: 'L'Empire
des Steppes de Grousset, actuellement introuvable, il vous est
sptcialement adresst par l'auteur, par notre entremise.' In 1944
Professor Grousset also sent me his book Conquhant du Monde.
After the war there was little opportunity for serious
historical study. From 1972, however, I applied myself to
acquiring knowledge about Genghis Khan and the Mongol
Empire. In the early period of my work I gained much useful
information from Professor K. E. 0.Ja hn and Dr Th. Raff. In
1976 I came into contact with Professor J. A. Boyle. During my
correspondence with this scholar he regularly supplied me with
invaluable advice when I was confronted with problems. It was
a great disappointment to me when I heard in 1978 the sad
news that he had suddenly died.
Later I communicated with two prominent experts on the
subject of the Mongol Empire: Professor Denis Sinor and
Professor Bertold Spuler. From them I was informed of books
and articles that had escaped my attention
Finally I am grateful to Dr R. H. Poelmeijer who was
prepared to read the translated typescript and offer comments
on it.
As the book is primarily addressed to the general reader, the
common spelling Genghis has been used, instead of the more
scholarly 'Chinggis'.
March 1989