Between the 9th and the 15th centuries; Central Asia was a major political; economic and cultural hub on the Eurasian continent. In the first half of the 13th century it was also the pre-eminent centre of power in the largest land-based empire the world has ever seen. This third volume of Christoph Baumer's extensively praised and lavishly illustrated new history of the region is above all a story of invasion; when tumultuous and often brutal conquest profoundly shaped the later history of the globe. The author explores the rise of Islam and the remarkable victories of the Arab armies which―inspired by their vital; austere and egalitarian desert faith―established important new dynasties like the Seljuks; Karakhanids and Ghaznavids. A golden age of artistic; literary and scientific innovation came to a sudden end when; between 1219 and 1260; Genghiz Khan and his successors overran the Chorasmian-Abbasid lands. Dr Baumer shows that the Mongol conquests; while shattering to their enemies; nevertheless resulted in much greater mercantile and cultural contact between Central Asia and Western Europe.
#1406310 in Books 2015-09-08 2015-09-08Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.54 x .95 x 6.31l; 1.25 #File Name: 1781688079256 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy crabbyA revealing account with lots of new information.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy Customerinteresting EXPLAN ATION OF THE INTERESTED PARTIES IN THE SLAVE TRADE5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Provides good analysis of the early American tendency to flaunt laws for profitBy Connie (She who hikes with dogs)This narrative is much more than just the illegal slave trade with Cuba early in the 19th century; but also the story of our earlier unscrupulous merchants; politicians and lawyers who allowed it all to happen. It's not just about the slave trade; either; but how US merchants circumnavigated the embargo by opening up trade with Russia and letting rationed items like coffee and sugar enter the European market in violation of the French request.Sugar; coffee; cotton; indogo and dyewoods were all coveted items; in both the Americas and Europe. The English-French rivalries during the Napoleonic eras made it more difficult for American merchants to do business legally. Stephen Chambers completed extensive research to show that many of our famed Founding Fathers like John Quincy Adams and Thomas Jefferson used their political influence; their Harvard connections and their wealth to earn their part in this country's early foundings as a country quick to deal with smuggling; corruption and bribery to help their businesses thrive.What Chambers also meticulously analyzes is how; due to the US merchant's canniness to stop in neutral ports to smuggle goods across the ocean; the French invaded Russia due to Russia's ignoring any trade embargoes; how the illegal slave trade from Cuba to the US helped bring along the Civil War decades later and how close the ties were between the US and Spanish merchants. Cuba could easily have become an economic powerhouse under American influence. It got American flour while we got their sugar. Both sides were willing to close an eye at any of the smuggling as that meant the merchants were getting wealthy. With the war of 1812 and England heating up; having an ally with Spain was crucial. This is an interesting read because of the new perspective; and should delight American history buffs.
