The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan's Mongols Almost Conquered the World

by Thomas J. Craughwell

Overview

How Genghis Khan and the Mongols conquered nearly one-sixth of the planet: “The fascinating story of history’s most misunderstood empire builders.” —Alan Axelrod, bestselling author of Miracle at Belleau Wood

Emerging out of the vast steppes of Central Asia in the early 1200s, the Mongols, under their ferocious leader, Genghis Khan, quickly carved out an empire that by the late thirteenth century covered almost one-sixth of the Earth’s landmass—from Eastern Europe to the eastern shore of Asia—and encompassed 110 million people. Far larger than the much more famous domains of Alexander the Great and ancient Rome, it has since been surpassed in overall size and reach only by the British Empire.

The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in the World recounts the spectacularly rapid expansion and dramatic decline of the Mongol realm, while examining its real, widespread, and enduring influence on countless communities from the Danube River to the Pacific Ocean.

“Great sweeping history from a superb writer.” —Joseph Cummins, author of The War Chronicles

“A skillful and imaginative storyteller and conscientious historian.” —David Willis McCullough, author of Wars of the Irish Kings

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781616738518
Publisher:	Quarto Publishing Group USA
Publication date:	12/20/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	329
Sales rank:	504,685
File size:	25 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Thomas J. Craughwell has written about saints for the Wall Street Journal, Inside the Vatican, and Catholic Digest, among other national publications.

Thomas J. Craughwell has written about saints for the Wall Street Journal, Inside the Vatican, and Catholic Digest, among other national publications.

Editorial Reviews

Thomas J. Craughwell shows us how Genghis Khan and his grandson Kublai created a ‘Pax Mongolia,’ which endured nearly a century and brought to some 9 million square miles of our planet stability and a level of civilization previously unknown. Were the Mongols cruel? Often. Fierce? Always. Mindless? Never. Here is the fascinating story of history’s most misunderstood empire builders.”

  —Alan Axelrod, author of Little-Known Wars of Great and Lasting Impact and Patton’s Drive

“Everything you’ve ever wanted to know—or shuddered at knowing—about the Mongols is here, from the stack of forty million dead bodies they piled up in their wake to the very real peace, the Pax Mongolica, that made all of Asia safe for commerce and opened up known world to new ideas and technologies. In all, great sweeping history from a superb writer.”  —Joseph Cummins, author of The World’s Bloodiest History and The War Chronicles

 

“Thomas Craughwell’s narrative is at once approachable and illuminating, and he has a gift for finding the telling detail. The Mongols ride again in this marvel of erudition.”  —Cormac O’Brien, author of The Forgotten History of America

From the Publisher