The Horde

Growing up in England and hating history at school, I now realize that I understand almost nothing about the modern world and why things are the way they are. As a result, I found myself reading a lot of history and following on from Peter Frankopan’s seminal “Silk Road,”

I decided that I needed to learn more about the history of Asia and the relationship between Asia and Europe. That quickly led me to the Mongols, which I found more complex and fascinating than I had imagined. This book, in particular, really makes you reflect on why things are the… show more.

During the thirteenth century the Mongols advanced on many frontiers, their forces conquering China, much of the Near East, and even crossing the Indus River. One of their most substantial wars of conquest however was in north-western Eurasia where their armies covered enormous distances, ultimately reaching lands as distant as Poland and Hungary. In time, as the Mongol Empire broke apart, this region became a powerful empire in its own right, often referred to by historians as the “Golden Horde,” or in this case “The Horde”. In this book Marie Favereau provides a compelling history of this empire covering its… show more.