Seeking Systematic Symmetry in the History of Various Chinggisid Khanates
Seeking Systematic Symmetry in the History of Various Chinggisid Khanates

Summary/Abstract: No matter the extent that researchers grounded in nationalist perspectives have over the past several centuries successfully characterized the period of the Mongol Empire and subsequent Chinggisid regimes as “abnormal” phases in their respective national histories—labeled as a “yoke,” a “dark age,” or a period of decline—the study of the Mongol Empire today must contend with a new wave of self-reflection prompted by paradigm shifts. The new approaches place greater emphasis on constructing historical narratives from within the ruling circle of the empire itself, rather than from the perspective of their sedentary subjects, despite the fact that most of the documented records we rely on come from the latter. Additionally, since the late 1990s, the “Imperial Turn,” which views the empire as a global network for exchanging materials and resources, has further encouraged scholars to reassess the history of the Mongol Empire from new perspectives and evaluative frameworks. Under these circumstances, Marie Favereau’s book, published during the pandemic, stands out as a phenomenal contribution to the field. The author goes beyond the entanglements of Russian nationalist historiography to offer a vivid panorama of the history of the Golden Horde. Organized in five chapters, the content of The Horde spans from the first Mongol westward campaigns to the post-Toqtamish era. Due to the scarcity of indigenous records, the history of the Golden Horde, particularly during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, has often been portrayed as a vague chronicle of major events, occasionally interspersed with legendary episodes. However, Favereau seeks to uncover the underlying dynamic driving the historical processes and highlights the transformations within the governing apparatus itself.

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