Women and the Making of the Mongol Empire

Retelling the well-known story of Chinggis Khan (commonly known as Genghis Khan) and his conquests and empire, this book illuminates the pivotal roles that women played in politics, empire, and succession. As such, this is a key read for scholars of Mongol history, world history, and medieval women and gender, as well as for a general audience.

How did women contribute to the rise of the Mongol Empire while Mongol men were conquering Eurasia? This book positions women in their rightful place in the otherwise well-known story of Chinggis Khan (commonly known as Genghis Khan) and his conquests and empire. Examining the best known women of Mongol society, such as Chinggis Khan''s mother, Hö''elün, and senior wife, Börte, as well as those who were less famous but equally influential, including his daughters and his conquered wives, we see the systematic and essential participation of women in empire, politics and war. Anne F. Broadbridge also proposes a new vision of Chinggis Khan''s well-known atomized army by situating his daughters and their husbands at the heart of his army reforms, looks at women''s key roles in Mongol politics and succession, and charts the ways the descendants of Chinggis Khan''s daughters dominated the Khanates that emerged after the breakup of the Empire in the 1260s.