Mongols, Huns and Vikings: Nomads at War (History Of Warfare) by Hugh Kennedy (PDF)

Description

They were history’s most famous and ferocious warriors. From the Huns to the Mongols, successive waves of nomadic horsemen swept out of the great steppes of Central Asia and wreaked havoc on the static civilizations of Europe, India, and China. How were they so successful? And, what were the limits of their powers? An esteemed professor–who specializes in Arabic and medieval studies–reveals just how “underdeveloped” societies spawned such great generals, from Attila to Genghis Khan; how nomadic Arabs swarmed from the desert in the 7th century to carve out an empire that stretched from Spain to the Chinese frontier; why the Mongols failed to conquer Europe; and where those unique, seaborne raiders, the Vikings, fit into this story.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: About the Author Hugh Kennedy teaches in the Department of Medieval History at the University of St. Andrews, and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Mongols, Huns and Vikings is another well written, well researched installment in the Cassell’s History of Warfare series. The author, Hugh Kennedy, does a fine job of weaving comprehensible language into a serious, scholarly endeavor that keeps the reader hooked. The illustrations, maps and diagrams are excellent visual aids, particularly those 3-d battle graphics which effectively buttrusses textual decriptions of certain battles mentioned in the book. So, what’s the problem? Well, I won’t call it a problem. Let’s call it a concern. Considering the extent of the Mongols’ domain during the 13th century, and how successful they were at wedding undaunted ferocity on the battlefield to a keen strategic and tactical acumen that would win them 20th century admirers of the likes of Rommel, I am concerned that the author did not choose to focus exclusively on them. Why does he have the Mongols sharing space with groups of lesser military accomplishments? Maybe such a decision was not the author’s perogative, but a desire of the editors of the series. I don’t know. In any event, there is not enough literature, at least that I have been able to ascertain, on the Mongols. And for a formerly disparate bunch of hard scrabbling nomads who later went on to forge the largest contiguous empire in history, the Mongols’ low profile on the historical landscape is questionable. Again, I don’t dispute the book’s style or the accuracy of its content; I just wish there could have been a singular focus on the Mongols.

⭐In this large format book, Kennedy gives us basic overviews of how some nomadic societies dominated neighbors through their proficiency in war. He covers Attila and the Huns, the Arabs during their period of expansion, the Turks, Genghis Khan and the Mongols, and, strangely, the Vikings. Kennedy tells us that all adult male nomads were potential warriors; there were no civilians in these societies. He gives particular attention to the Mongols, devoting two chapters to them but only one each to the other groups. The chapter on the Vikings seems somewhat out of place, as they were not nomadic.Most readers will gain new insights from these surveys. Kennedy’s writing is fluid and readable, though not elegant. The book is well illustrated with color plates, colored maps, and black and white drawings. The maps of key battles are particularly well done.

⭐Horse mounted nomadic tribes interest me as I continue to learn about the development of the modern horse. Eurasian history is fascinating and this is a good comparison which I am glad I purchased. Condition as advertised.

⭐A masterpiece. Book as new. Delivered swiftly. No problems.

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