Genghis Khan and the Quest for God: How the World's Greatest Conqueror Gave Us Religious FreedomA landmark biography by the New York Times bestselling author of Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World that reveals how Genghis harnessed the power of religion to rule the largest empire the world has ever known. Throughout history the world's greatest conquerors have made their mark not just on the battlefield, but in the societies they have transformed. Genghis Khan conquered by arms and bravery, but he ruled by commerce and religion. He created the world's greatest trading network and drastically lowered taxes for merchants, but he knew that if his empire was going to last, he would need something stronger and more binding than trade. He needed religion. And so, unlike the Christian, Taoist and Muslim conquerors who came before him, he gave his subjects freedom of religion. Genghis lived in the 13th century, but he struggled with many of the same problems we face today: How should one balance religious freedom with the need to reign in fanatics? Can one compel rival religions - driven by deep seated hatred--to live together in peace? A celebrated anthropologist whose bestselling Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World radically transformed our understanding of the Mongols and their legacy, Jack Weatherford has spent eighteen years exploring areas of Mongolia closed until the fall of the Soviet Union and researching The Secret History of the Mongols, an astonishing document written in code that was only recently discovered. He pored through archives and found groundbreaking evidence of Genghis's influence on the founding fathers and his essential impact on Thomas Jefferson. Genghis Khan and the Quest for God is a masterpiece of erudition and insight, his most personal and resonant work. |
Contents
The Anger of the Gods | 1 |
The Teeth That Eat Men | 17 |
The Golden Whip of Heaven | 34 |
Wisdom of the Steppe | 47 |
Conflicting Selves | 62 |
BECOMING GENGHIS KHAN | 79 |
Jesus of the Steppe | 102 |
The Making of the Mongol Nation | 117 |
Wild Man from the Mountain | 223 |
The Confucian and the Unicorn | 245 |
The Last Campaign | 263 |
War Inside and Out | 278 |
Burning the Books | 300 |
Life After Death | 325 |
The Unfulfilled Law | 331 |
The Thunderbolt of God | 350 |
Guardians of the Flame | 133 |
BECOMING THE WORLD CONQUEROR | 149 |
Gods Omnipotence | 173 |
The Thumb of Fate | 207 |
A Note on Sources and Further Reading | 357 |
Notes | 363 |
Bibliography | 393 |
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Genghis Khan and the Quest for God: How the World's Greatest Conqueror Gave ... Jack Weatherford No preview available - 2017 |
Common terms and phrases
Baghdad became believed Borte brother Buddhist Burkhan Khaldun caliph camp campaign Central Asia century China Chinese Chinggis Chinggis Khan Christian chronicler claimed clan Confucian conquered conquest culture death defeated Despite dynasty Earth emperor enemies faith father fighting foreign Genghis Khan ghis Khan heaven Hoelun honor horse Ibid Igor de Rachewiltz Islam Jalal ad-Din Jamuka Jarchigudai Juvaini Kara Khitai Kereyid Keshig Khan's Khasar Khitai Khubilai Khwarizm killed king Lama land language leader lived Manichaean Merkid Mongke Khan Mongol court Mongol Empire Mongol nation Mongolian monks mountain Muslim Nizari nomads offered officials Ogodei Ong Khan Persian priests Qiu Chuji Rashid al-Din religion religious rituals River rule ruler sage scholars Secret History shah shamans Shigi-Khutukhu Sogdians spiritual steppe stones Sufi Tangut Taoist Tatars Teb Tengeri Temujin Tibet Tibetan Tolui tradition trans tribes Turkic Turks Uighur warriors words worship wrote Yelu Chucai Yesugei Zhichang