History of the Mongols, based on Eastern and Western accounts of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries

by Bertold Spuler, Helga Drummond (Translator), Stuart Drummond (Translator)

English, German (translation)

Genres: History, Nonfiction

221 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1972

About the author

Bertold Spuler was a German orientalist and author.

He was an expert in the history of the Mongols.

Reviews

[Mohamed Abdelhamid · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s important to know that this book is not written by the author, but rather is a collection of accounts on the mongols by a variety of historical figures. Hence, it doesn’t stand on its own as a history book on the mongols but rather serves better as a companion book. I read it after reading “Genghis Khan” by Jack Weatherford so I still had all the necessary knowledge to follow the contents.

[Abdullah Mirza]

An interesting collection of primary sources.

[Santiago Espinosa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book at all. Very much a bunch of references to other sources over and over again.

[Wes Schierenbeck · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just honestly found it such a slog to get through with all the primary sources. Not enough macrohistory with names and dates for me, just a lot of “here’s a story about how taxes were collected in the ilkhanate”

[Caesar Warrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spuler's book is a dry collection of passages taken from the accounts from Western, Chinese and Muslim sources that were written during the 13th and 14th centuries. Thus, there is a lack of cohesiveness and narrative, which can frustrate the general reader.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book, a lot of info, a little dry

[Udayan Chakma]

This book is need my thesis paper

[Tony Gualtieri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing and illuminating excerpts from contemporary sources, insufficiently annotated. It's interesting how much the "Secret History" outshines much of the rest of this material.