The Cambridge History of Inner Asia: The Chinggisid Age

by Nicola Di Cosmo (Editor), Allen J. Frank (Editor), Peter B. Golden (Editor)

This volume centres on the history and legacy of the Mongol World Empire founded by Chinggis Khan and his sons, including its impact upon the modern world. An international team of scholars examines the political and cultural history of the Mongol empire, its Chinggisid successor states, and the non-Chinggisid dynasties that came to dominate Inner Asia in its wake. Geographically, it focuses on the continental region from East Asia to Eastern Europe. Beginning in the twelfth century, the volume moves through to the establishment of Chinese and Russian political hegemony in Inner Asia from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. Contributors use recent research and new approaches that have revitalized Inner Asian studies to highlight the world-historical importance of the regimes and states formed during and after the Mongol conquest. Their conclusions testify to the importance of a region whose modern fate has been overshadowed by Russia and China.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Asia

516 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2009

Reviews

[Tsai Wei-chieh · Rating 4 out of 5]

執筆的學者都是一時之選。像Devin DeWesse撰寫的蒙古帝國的伊斯蘭化部份與Allen J. Frank所撰寫的哈薩克與俄國部份都還不錯。只可惜部份章節所使用的材料略顯陳舊，例如Veronika Veit撰寫的北元部份。另外缺少了準噶爾與衛拉特蒙古的專章，這點算是比較大的缺憾。這部分則可參考宮脇淳子的《最後の遊牧帝国：ジューンガル部の興亡》（有中譯本）、Peter Perdue的China Marches West與Stephen A. Halkovic, Jr.的The Mongols of the West三書。另外由Michal Biran與金浩東（Kim Hodong）編輯的The Cambridge History of the Mongol Empire也正在進行中。

[Tony Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome contributors. It's just about the whole gang of current Inner Eurasian experts. I was lucky enough to be a student under Di Cosmo. He was a huge fountain of knowledge for me.

[Bryn Hammond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd better explain my three stars. They aren't criticism, just a lack of enthusiasm. Clearly I'm spoilt by the Cambridge China for size, after which this (and my Turkey 1, too) look dwarfed. Also, there is DeWeese on Islamization (15 pages) and Thomas Allsen on Mongols as vectors for cultural transmission (20 pages): these are shortened versions of their books. In the chapter list, only these two are cultural in focus, but if you've read their books...

There are 410 pages of text here, that cover 1200-1886. As I say, I'm spoilt by my China volumes -- which are only getting bigger lately (I have the new Sung. Part 1. 907-1279 and swallows two of The Chinggisid Age).

My stars are interim, as I haven't read the later parts. They may be of more value to me exactly because I am less acquainted.