The result is an enthralling account of the man himself and of the passions that surround him today. He ordered and inspired more massacres than any other tyrant before Hitler and Stalin. He is the first writer to explore the hidden valley where Genghis may have died, and one of the few westerners to climb to sacred mountain where he was probably buried. Genghis Khan conquered more people than Napoleon or Alexander. John Man uses first-hand experiences to reveal the khan´s enduring influence. This book is more than just a gripping account of Genghis´ rise and conquests. Yet in his homeland, Mongols revere him as the nation´s father Chinese honour him as dynastic founder and in both countries, worshippers seek his blessing. To Muslims, Russians and Europeans, he is a mass-murderer. Today, Genghis is by turns scourge, hero and demi-god. His undiscovered grave, with its imagined treasures, remains the subject of intrigue and speculation. His mysterious death in 1227 placed all at risk, so it was kept a secret until his heirs had secured his conquests. Today in Mongolia, he is celebrated as the father of his people, and there are pop groups. Genghis Khan is one of history´s immortals: a leader of genius and the founder of the world´s greatest land empire – twice the size of Rome´s. Genghis himself died suddenly in 1227, probably from dysentery, and his elevation to divine status began.
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