Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan was by far the greatest conqueror the world has ever known, whose empire stretched from the Pacific Ocean to central Europe, including all of China, the Middle East and Russia. So how did an illiterate nomad rise to such colossal power, eclipsing Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar and Napoleon? Credited by some with paving the way for the Renaissance, condemned by others for being the most heinous murderer in history, who was Genghis Khan? His actual name was Temujin, and the story of his success is that of the Mongol people: a loose collection of fractious tribes who tended livestock, considered bathing taboo and possessed an unparallelled genius for horseback warfare. United under Genghis, a strategist of astonishing cunning and versatility, they could dominate any sedentary society they chose. Combining fast-paced accounts of battles with rich cultural background and the latest scholarship, Frank McLynn brings vividly to life the strange world of the Mongols, describes Temujin's rise from boyhood outcast to become Genghis Khan, and provides the most accurate and absorbing account yet of one of the most powerful men ever to have lived. "A formidable study of the world's greatest conqueror. With this compelling history of a brilliant, complex leader and ruthless master of warfare, McLynn has done his man proud" -- Justin Marozzi Sunday Times "McLynn has carefully synthesised the work of hundreds of scholars to create a sensitive and immensely detailed portrait of an extraordinary leader" The Times "A vivid, page-turning biography" Spectator "Fuses classic biography with a colourful study of medieval Mongolian culture ... recounts in detailed, elegant prose the life and legacy of one of history's greatest monsters" Sunday Telegraph "Immensely readable" -- Gerard DeGroot The Times