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Marie Favereau: The Horde (Hardcover, 2021, Belknap Press) 5 stars

The Mongols are known for one thing: conquest. But in this first comprehensive history of …

Revelatory

5 stars

This meticulously researched book, brimming with insights, shatters the simplistic image of the Mongols as barbaric conquerors and instead paints a vivid picture of a complex and flexible empire. Favereau sheds light on the ingenious social and political structures that underpinned the Horde's success and reveals a regime that fostered trade, religious tolerance, and a surprisingly sophisticated administration.

The book's greatest strength is its ability to challenge conventional narratives. Far from existing solely for conquest, Favereau argues that the Horde was a central hub for the Eurasian commercial boom. The “Mongol Exchange” facilitated the exchange of goods and ideas across vast distances, leaving an undeniable mark on the world we live in today.

As she concludes ”Nomads drove global history, too, and none more so than the people of the Horde.”