Genghis Khan And The Making Of The Modern World Summary

The book I have chosen is called Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. This book describes the Mongol Legacy and how his achievements have impacted the globe since he was first found. This book consists of Jack Weatherford’s take of how the Mongolian empire impacted the world. This book is divided into sections that talk about the stages of the Mongol influence.

Weatherford’s attitude about the Mongols is due to his belief that the world changed or began to change from the medieval to the modern world because e of the influence of the Mongols. He stated “The new technology, knowledge, and commercial wealth created the Renaissance in which Europe rediscovered some of its prior culture, but more importantly, absorbed the technology for printing, firearms, the compass, and the abacus from the East” (xxiv).

Genghis Khan was a military and political leader, a father, and a tyrant or a hero depending on which side of the battle you were on. By the time Genghis Khan died you could fit four Roman Empires within the Mongolian border. He became strong because of the hardships and experiences of his childhood. He transformed the Mongolian tribes into a country much like the Persian wars united the Greek city states into Greece.

The Mongol empire was the world’s largest empire. The Mongol’s practices and beliefs had both positive and negative effects. The large Mongolian empire promoted communication and diversity; however, despite this positive effect, the Mongolian empire housed the deaths of many innocent people. In addition to this, the Mongol empire fostered various religions, but enforced the same practices on everyone, no matter what religion they may follow; this brought order amongst the Mongolian empire.

Jack Weatherford in Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, describes Mongol empire as egalitarian and destroying local hierarchies. He argued against the Western imagination of Mongol empire been horrible and destructive. Mongol empire promoted

“I will rule them by fixed laws so that rest and happiness shall prevail in the world,” Genghis Khan. In the 1200s, the Mongol Empire rose and conquered most of China. The Mongol Empire was one of history’s most brutal forces because their dominance was led by a hostile leader, driven by ruthless aggression, and strengthened by an understanding of a correct civilization. The Mongol Empire was feared by many because of its ruthless leaders. The empire was divided into groups led by different khans, but the empire soon turned and was united by a strong leader, Temijin.

As I stated up above Genghis Khan and the Mongols had a positive impact on the world during their rule of the Asian continent from the years of 1260 and 1368. They influenced the Largest Empire twice as large as Alexander the Great’s, United China for the first time in forever, and trading along the Silk

The Pax Mongolica, also known as the Mongol Peace and Pax Tatarica, was brought up at the end of the time of Mongols’ conquests. Western Scholars designated the fourteenth century as the Pax Mongolica. The Pax Mongolica contributed to the development of a new global culture because the Mongol Khans pursued peaceful trade and diplomacy (220). The bubonic plague epidemic of the 1300s led to the destruction of the Mongol Empire because of the deaths it caused; also, the plague had demoralized the living and deprived the Mongol Golden Family of its primary source of support by cutting off trade and tribute (247).

To begin his conquests, Genghis Khan directed his attention to the Chinese, who had plentiful amounts of food and wealth. However, the Chinese were able to defend themselves, and prevented the Mongolians from attacking. “The initial failure in China forced Chinghis to direct his armies westward against the Turks and Persians.” (Adler and Pouwels, 239-41). In the campaigns against the Persians and Turks, Genghis Khan had his armies attack wealthy Muslim cities, and decimated the populations. If the people weren’t massacred, they were forced into slavery. Mongolians had little care for culture or literature, as they burned libraries, turned mosques into stables, and essentially ruined the cities that they attacked. “Never had such destruction been seen; word of an approaching Mongol army sometimes was enough to inspire wholesale flight.” (Adler and Pouwels, 239-41). Stories of Mongol blood thirst were a phenomenon that Genghis Khan wanted to spread among people, as to prevent the demise of Mongolian soldiers, or people. This also made it quite easy to conquer other places, as any idea of resistance disappeared when the Mongols were in sight.

The 13th century was the time of the Mongols, a nomadic barbaric tribe capable of brutal tasks. They were known to have conquered places in Asia and Europe, successfully making the largest empire in the time. Feared by many and known for their cruel ways of warfare but a question remains, how barbaric were the barbarians? With evidence it can be proven that the barbarians were not as barbaric as people think.

Jack Weatherford’s Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World provides a refreshing and insightful perspective on the Mongol Empire and their impact on history. Weatherford ardently dispels stereotypes often associated with Genghis Khan and the Mongols while highlighting their significant achievements that immensely induced them and the modern world. As Weatherford explained the history of Temujin, I found myself admiring how he overcame various hardships and created a destiny for himself. He not only created an empire, “he built a new and unique system based on individual merit, loyalty, and achievement.” (Weatherford xix)

In the early 13th Century an impressive and terrifying force was spreading over half the known world. Atop the backs of horses the Mongols brought down large empires with their military conquest and innovative conquest. The Mongolians started their empire as a collection of nomadic tribes struggling for supremacy. Little did they know but major kingdoms across the world were about to experience a dark age. Over the course of the Mongolian conquest the innovation in war, commerce, and diplomatic circles would change the world forever. China, Western Europe, Russia, and the Middle East were all targets for the Mongolian Empire during their short time as an almost unstoppable force. Following great leaders ranging from Chinggis, Kublai, and Ogedei the story of the Mongolian empire is one of conquest and supremacy. The Mongolian Empire was an important culture that changed the face of the world.

Genghis Khan, our leader who forged an empire stretching from the east coast of China to the west of the Aral Sea, died in camp during a campaign against the Chinese kingdom of the Xia. The great Khan, who was over 60 years old and in declining health, succumbed to injuries he suffered during a fall from his beloved horse a year before. He died peacefully in 1227 August the 18th. The whole Mongolia mourned the majestic king for weeks. Never before has the nation mourned someone for so long, he was truly an honourable khan, a leader that shall forever be immortal.

The Mongolians had such a strong and powerful empire that made a great impact throughout history. Through the novel Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, which was written by Jack Weatherford we learn many aspects that assisted the Mongol empire into building the largest contiguous empire to ever exist. The Mongolian empire began at around 1200 A.D. and throughout the empires very long and fairly large existence, there were very influential aspects that were created. The most powerful aspect was that the Mongolian empire had a very strong and very powerful line of rulers all coming from the family line of Genghis Kahn, also referred to as the Great Kahn. Under the rule of Genghis, the Mongol society would be changed entirely. Their military is another aspect that assisted the Mongols to became dominant due to their discipline. And they also had very strong tribal unity having faith and loyalty in each other and working hard together to accomplish their set tasks. These aspects would assist the Mongols in building the world’s largest contiguous empire in human history.

The following report will discuss the leadership qualities of Borjigin Temüjin and the organizational culture of his people, the Mongols. Readers might be confused on who Borjigin Temüjin is, he was the man known today as Genghis Khan. This paper will illustrate how Temüjin’s ability to lead developed by exploring his beginnings and how through his exceptional leadership skills he went on to create the largest contiguous empire in history. The first part of the paper will concentrate on Mongol culture in the 12th century, Temüjin’s upbringing in that culture and how he changed it through the consolidation of the many Mongol tribes. The second part will discuss the rise of Borjigin Temüjin to the post of Genghis Khan and