In this novel perspective on a much-maligned figure, Michal Biran explains the monumental impact Chinggis Khan has had upon the Islamic World, both positive and negative. Often criticised as a mass-slaughterer, pillager, and arch-enemy of the faith, Biran shows that his constructive influence upon Islam was also considerable - his legacy apparent in Central Asia even today. Covering Chinggis Khan's early career, his conquests, the enduring power of his descendants, and the numerous ways he is presented in different Muslim contexts, this accessible book provides a fascinating insight into one of the most notorious men in history.

Michal Biran is Associate Professor at the Institute of Asian and African Studies at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is the author of Qaidu and the Rise of the Independent Mongol State in Central Asia (1997).

List of Maps, Figures and Illustrations

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Why Chinggis?

1: Asia, the Steppe and the Islamic World on the Eve of the Mongols

2: Temüjin's Mongolia

3: World Conquest: How Did He Do It?

4: The Chinggisid Legacy in the Muslim World

5: From the Accursed to the Revered Father and Back: Changing Images of Chinggis Khan in the Muslim World

6: Appropriating Chinggis: A Comparative Approach



Selected Bibliography

Index