Emperor of the Seas : Kublai Khan and the Making of China
Weatherford, Jack2024
Books, Manuscripts
A gripping tale of naval warfare, dynastic rivalry, and technical innovation, by the author of <i>Ghenghis Khan</i> <i>and the Making of the Modern World</i>. "Astonishing...Brings to life a thriving - and rather civilized - empire" - The Telegraph"sparkles with energy, insight and passion... difficult to put down." Nicholas Morton, BBC History MagazineControl the sea, and you control everything...a gripping tale of dynastic rivalry and innovation, from the author of the classic work Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World.Genghis Khan built a formidable land empire, but he never crossed the sea. Yet by the time his grandson Kublai Khan had defeated the last vestiges of the Song empire and established the Yuan dynasty in 1279, the Mongols controlled the most powerful navy in the world. How did a nomad come to conquer China and master the sea? Based on ten years of research and a lifetime of immersion in Mongol culture and tradition, Emperor of the Seas brings this little-known story vibrantly to life. Kublai Khan is one of history's most fascinating characters. He brought Islamic mathematicians to his court, where they invented modern cartography and celestial measurement. He transformed the world's largest land mass into a unified, diverse and economically progressive empire, introducing paper money. And, after bitter early setbacks, he transformed China into an outward looking sea-faring empire. By the end of his reign, the Chinese were building and supplying remarkable ships to transport men, grain, and weapons over vast distances, of a size and dexterity that would be inconceivable in Europe for hundreds of years. Khan had come to a brilliant realization: control the sea, and you control everything. A master storyteller with an unparalleled grasp of Mongol sources, Jack Weatherford shows how Chinese naval hegemony changed the world forever - revolutionizing world commerce and transforming tastes as far away as England and France.
Main title:
Emperor of the Seas : Kublai Khan and the Making of China / Jack Weatherford.
Author:
Weatherford, Jack, author
Imprint:
London : Bloomsbury Continuum, 2024.
Collation:
368 pages : 5 mono maps and a plate section ; 24 cm
Contents:
CONTENTSPreface: China's Golden Age on the SeaIntroduction: The Travels of Marco PoloI: KUBLAI: A PRINCE WITHOUT QUALITIES1. The Mongols Descend on China2. Left Standing in the Dust 3. Brothers on Two Continents4. Mngke Becomes Great Khan and Restarts the Mongol Wars5. War from the Pacific to the Mediterranean6. Kublai AwakensII: KUBLAI TURNS TO THE SEA7. China's Great Water Wall8. An Arms Race Begins with Financing 9. Kublai Builds an Offensive Navy10. Da Yuan, the Great Beginning11. Chaos on the Sea of Japan12. Decadence Before the Deluge13. Grand Finale of the Great Song14. Navy Without a Country III: THE SILK ROAD OF THE SEA15. Black Wind Over Japan16. Markets, Money and Murder17. Mongols Lost in the Jungle, Adrift at Sea18. If Vietnam Fails, Attack Egypt 19. The Mongol Princess and her Tiger20. Kublai Completes his AgeIV: THE CALM AFTER KUBLAI AND THE DECLINE21. Iron Man and the Lotus22. From Conquest to Commerce23. Ports of Profit and Pleasure, Poetry and Pretence 24. Rotting Ships, Sinking Currency25. China Retreats from the Sea26. Wolves Come During Rain27. The Empress of China Sets SailEpilogue: History Allows No FavouritesResearch and SourcesNotesIndex
ISBN:
9781399417730
Dewey class:
950.22
Language:
English
Subject:
BRN:
3948619