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In this episode I interview my special guest Dr. Nicholas Morton, author of The Mongol Storm (Basic Books, 2022), about the Mongols and their invasion of and impact upon the thirteenth-century Near East. Our discussion covers who and what the Mongols were; why they were so effective militarily; Mongol religion and religious 'toleration'; their reputation for horrific brutality; why the Mamluks of Egypt were able to defeat them in battle; and the economic and cultural impact of the so-called Pax Mongolica.

Suggested reading:
Abu-Lughod, Janet L. Before European Hegemony: The World System A.D. 1250- 
     1350  (Oxford University Press, 1989)
Favereau, Marie. The Horde: How the Mongols Changed the World (Belknap Press,
     2021)
Jackson, Peter. The Mongols and the Islamic World: From Conquest to Conversion 
     (Yale University Press, 2017)
May, Timothy. The Mongols Empire (Edinburgh University Press, 2018) 
Morton, Nicholas. The Mongol Storm: Making and Breaking Empires in the Medieval
     Near East  (Basic Books, 2022)
Morton, Nicholas. "Life Under the Mongols." BBC History Magazine. Vol. 24 (April
     2023)
Rossabi, Morris. The Mongols and Global History (Norton Documents Reader) (W.W.
     Norton, 2010)

This episode includes a sound clip from the theatrical trailer for the epically terrible 1956 movie "The Conqueror," starring John Wayne as Genghis Khan--yes the John Wayne as Genghis Khan!!!
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHt0Pb8rkXU)

As always, we are grateful to the talented and generous composer Alexander Nakarada for the podcast's intro and exit music.

Listen on Podurama https://podurama.com

Intro and exit music are by Alexander Nakarada

If you have questions, feel free to contact me at [email protected]