Jack Weatherford is a renowned anthropologist and bestselling author, best known for his groundbreaking book on Genghis Khan, hailed by Elon Musk as one of his all-time favorites.

In this episode, we explore the remarkable story of Kublai Khan, Genghis Khan’s grandson, and how he conquered and united China to establish the Yuan Dynasty. Weatherford unpacks the turbulent civil war between Kublai and his brothers, the cultural clash between Mongols and Han Chinese, and how Kublai’s leadership turned conflict into cohesion.

We also dive into the leadership lessons behind his rise, how he managed power, adapted to new cultural norms, and led one of the most diverse empires in history.

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Buy Jack’s book about Kublai Kahn here: https://amzn.to/4jbDCQe

00:00 – Intro

01:21 – What motivated Jack to research Kublai Khan?

04:26 – Childhood of Kublai

09:58 – Using religion to his advantage

17:29 – Rise to the throne

25:22 – Civil war between two brothers

31:22 – Conquering the Song dynasty

1:07:20 – The challenges of a new massive empire

1:19:33 – The death and legacy of Kublai Khan

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