"The gorgeousness of Kublai?s court is splendidly evoked?"

The authoritative biography of the great Mongol warlord, by the author of Genghis Khan and Attila.

In Xanadu did Kublai Khan, a stately pleasure dome decree. Kublai Khan lives on in the popular imagination thanks to these two lines of poetry by Coleridge. But the true story behind this legend is even more fantastic than the poem would have us believe. He inherited the second largest land empire in history from his grandfather, Genghis Khan. He promptly set about extending this into the biggest empire the world has ever seen, extending his rule from China to Iraq, from Siberia to Afghanistan. His personal domain covered sixty-percent of all Asia, and one-fifth of the world's land area. The West first learnt of this great Khan through the reports of Marco Polo. Kublai had not been born to rule, but had clawed his way to leadership, achieving power only in his 40s. He had inherited Genghis Khan's great dream of world domination. But unlike his grandfather he saw China and not Mongolia as the key to controlling power and turned Genghis' unwieldy empire into a federation. Using China's great wealth, coupled with his shrewd and subtle government, he created an empire that was the greatest since the fall of Rome, and shaped the modern world as we know it today.

He gave China its modern-day borders and his legacy is that country's resurgence, and the superpower China of tomorrow.

In Xanadu did Kubla KhanA stately pleasure dome decree

Kublai Khan, the thirteenth-century Mongolian prince who became emperor of China, lives on in the popular imagination thanks to Coleridge?s poetic fantasy. But the truth behind the legend is even more fantastic than the poem suggests. Kublai inherited the largest land empire in history from his grandfather, Genghis Khan ? and doubled it. His realm reached from the Pacific to the Urals, from Siberia to Afghanistan ? sixty-per cent of all Asia, one-fifth of the world?s inhabited land area. He was perhaps the most powerful man who ever lived.

Kublai was not born to rule, but was put in line for the throne by his brilliant, scheming mother. Seizing power in his forties, he never questioned Genghis Khan?s belief that Heaven had given his people the world. His first base ? as the West learned from Marco Polo ? was Xanadu, on Mongolia?s grasslands. But with the brilliance, ruthlessness and flexibility of his grandfather, he saw that China rather than Mongolia was the key to empire. Beijing became his capital and after twenty years of war, he became the first ?barbarian? to conquer all China. Using China?s vast wealth and military power, coupled with shrewd government, he redefined the course of history, giving China a new self-image ? the root of the superpower we know today.

This authoritative biography, enriched by John Man's extensive travels through Mongolia and China, brings Kublai Khan and his world vividly to life, and traces their significance for the world today.

Kublai Khan, the thirteenth-century Mongolian prince who became warrior emperor of China, was perhaps the most powerful man who ever lived.

Grandson of the great Genghis Khan, he inherited the largest land empire in history ? and doubled it. Driven to fulfil his grandfather?s destiny and ensure Mongol supremacy, Kublai?s realm would embrace over half of all Asia: a staggering one-fifth of the world?s inhabited land area.

But Kublai Khan was not born to rule. It was his brilliant, scheming mother who placed him in line for the throne. Seizing power when in his forties, he perceived China rather than Mongolia as the key toempire and, after twenty years of war, became the first ?barbarian? to conquer all China. Bringing together vast wealth, military strength and shrewd government, he was to transform his dominion into the prototype of today?s superpower.

Drawing on his own travels through Mongolia and China, bestselling historian John Man brings the remarkable world of Kublai Khan to vibrant life.

?One of the great strengths of this book is to rescue Kublai Khan from myth?Man knows his subject, and his desire to share it is infectious?it is rollicking stuff? Daily Telegraph

?Man has become a recognised authority on the history of Mongolia and its countrymen. Kublai Khan is a worthy successor to his book on Genghis Khan?a remarkable story? Times Literary Supplement

John Man:
John Man is a historian and travel writer with a special interest in Mongolia. After reading German and French at Oxford he did two postgraduate courses, one in the history of science at Oxford , the other in Mongolian at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
John has written acclaimed and highly successful biographies of Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun and Kublai Khan as well as Alpha Beta, on the history of the alphabet, and The Gutenberg Revolution, on the invention of printing. He is fast becoming one of the world's most widely read historians.

2007-07-02 Beautifully crafted, definitely bestseller.

This book really takes you on a journey into 13th century central Asia.
Full of interesting facts about Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan, etc.
The first half of the book is very much like an exciting history lesson. Then things get a bit more interesting... for example the section on siege warfare, trebuchets, chemical and biological warfare and best of all: the human excrement and beetle bomb!!!
Kublai's imperial conquests and administration issues are more in the foreground than his personal life and character. From what the author writes he seemed quite a balanced person, a very good manager, not a butcher (preferably) and really wanting to be a cultured Song-style Chinese... and totally gout-ridden!
Funny: Marco Polo's exaggerated accounts of what happened and how he was involved and yet - he still is the number one source!
Food for thought: Mongol siege on Baghdad vs. U.S. led invasion of Baghdad and also the section on North Vietnam...
Interesting: Religious moves for political advantage...
Highly recommend this book to readers with a genuine interest in history and politics.