# Emperor of the Seas: Kublai Khan and the Making of China - Hardcover

by **Jack Weatherford** (Author)

**"Astonishing...Brings to life a thriving - and rather civilized - empire" - The Telegraph**

**"sparkles with energy, insight and passion... difficult to put down." Nicholas Morton, BBC History Magazine**

Control the sea, and you control everything...a **gripping tale of dynastic rivalry and innovation, from** **the author of the classic work _Genghis Khan_ _and the Making of the Modern World_.**

Genghis Khan built a formidable land empire, but he never crossed the sea. Yet by the time his grandson Kublai Khan had defeated the last vestiges of the Song empire and established the Yuan dynasty in 1279, the Mongols controlled the most powerful navy in the world. How did a nomad come to conquer China and master the sea? Based on ten years of research and a lifetime of immersion in Mongol culture and tradition, _Emperor of the Seas_ brings this little-known story vibrantly to life.

Kublai Khan is one of history's most fascinating characters. He brought Islamic mathematicians to his court, where they invented modern cartography and celestial measurement. He transformed the world's largest land mass into a unified, diverse and economically progressive empire, introducing paper money. And, after bitter early setbacks, he transformed China into an outward looking sea-faring empire.

By the end of his reign, the Chinese were building and supplying remarkable ships to transport men, grain, and weapons over vast distances, of a size and dexterity that would be inconceivable in Europe for hundreds of years. Khan had come to a brilliant realization: control the sea, and you control everything.

A master storyteller with an unparalleled grasp of Mongol sources, Jack Weatherford shows how Chinese naval hegemony changed the world forever - revolutionizing world commerce and transforming tastes as far away as England and France.

### Author Biography

Jack Weatherford is an anthropologist and author of New York Times bestselling _Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World_. He has spent over 25 years exploring Mongolia and its history, and his writing on the Mongol Empire has transformed our understanding of its long legacy. Jack Weatherford is the retired DeWitt Wallace Chair of Anthropology at Macalester College in Minnesota, and he is the only foreigner ever inducted into the Order of Chinggis Khaan, Mongolia's highest national honour. His other books include _The Secret History of the Mongol Queens, Genghis Khan and the Quest for God, Indian Givers: How Native Americans Transformed the World,_ and _The History of Money_

**Number of Pages:** 368

**Dimensions:** 1.34 x 9.32 x 6.38 IN

**Publication Date:** October 29, 2024

## Details

- **Price:** 35.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 35.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Emperor of the Seas: Kublai Khan and the Making of China - Hardcover

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