Introduction
‘The Secret History of the Mongol Queens’ is a 2010 politically sensitive book by Jack Weatherford. This book provides an up-close perspective of the private life of a dynastic family. The author also analyzes the primary responsibility of Mongolian women in the empire and their influence on the contemporary world, modern Mongolia, and the Mongol nation. One of the most prominent personalities in the book is Genghis Khan, who founded the Mongol Empire. Although the ‘Secret History of the Mongol Queens’ is among the few remaining books regarding the existence of Mongolians, it provides genealogy and lifetimes of Genghis Khan and Mongol Khan.
Summary of Argument
In summary, this book is about an up-close and candid perspective of the private and family life of Genghis Khan. Society knew the Genghis Khan family as a dynasty in the Mongol Empire. The book’s author Weatherford talks about the legacy and influence of Mongol queens and Genghis’ daughters (Weatherford 29). The non-fiction book illuminates a history section not known to most people. Weatherford used various sources to give the story of the women who played pivotal roles such as economic and family in the Mongolian Empire between the 12th and 15th centuries.
About the Authors
This book is written by Jack Weatherford, a professor of anthropology and ethnography at Macalester College in the United States. Weatherford was known to be a leading anthropologist and ethnographer, making him one of the leading scholars in the field. Other than the book on the Mongol queens, he wrote other works such as the ‘Modern World and Genghis Khan. In 2006, Weatherford was awarded the Polar Star, which was known to be the most prestigious honor for foreigners at the time (Weatherford 16). The author’s books published in the late 20th century regarding the impact of the cultures of Native Americans have been translated into many languages. This work is essential in literature, history, anthropology, and ethnography studies. As a leading anthropological scholar, Weatherford has published numerous articles, books, and journals in the media to popularize his anthropologic and historical coverage.
Summary of Contents
In the book, the research methods used is secondary data analysis to provide information regarding early Mongolia. The book is quite fascinating in that it talks about the feminine perspective of the Khan clan. In addition, the anthropologist asserts that the pioneer of the Mongol Kingdom learned the hard way not to trust males, particularly during times of war. The leader of the Kingdom left his enormous empire in the hands of his daughters, whom he viewed as capable (Weatherford 1). However, their in-laws and husbands denied the women some elemental powers for critical decision-making. The book has a lot of significance in history because of providing relevant details regarding how the Mongolians existed in ancient times.
Strength
The book’s strength is that it provides an account of one of the most secretive governments in the history of the world. It also narrates the essence of religion, education, and trade in the development of a country. According to Weatherford, such parameters created an economic system that stretched from the Mediterranean and the Pacific (Weatherford 41). The book narrates how the female gender has been disadvantaged for years because of economic, social, and political issues.
Weakness
The book by Weatherford also has a weakness that makes people lack the motivation to read it. Although the book provides significance for women in society, it also demonstrates how women have suffered at the hands of the male gender. Weatherford fails to denounce the attack on women because it is an abuse of their human rights and those of others who feel that all gender are equal (Weatherford 11). The book demonstrates if condoning violence against women is acceptable. The author should have used the considerable time to criticize the inequality between men and women.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the book titled ‘The Secret History of the Mongol Queens’ is insightful because it illuminates how the Mongolian Empire conducted its affairs. The Mongol Empire had prominent women who played an immense role in the running of the Kingdom. However, it was widespread to find men subjecting such women to inequality. Some audiences to benefit from this book include history and anthropology students and scholars keen to learn more about ancient Mongolia. This book restores the significance of prominent figures in early Mongolian history, such as Genghis Khan. In my opinion, the book is rich with information regarding the ancient people of Mongolia that is useful to contemporary history and anthropology.
Work Cited
Weatherford, Jack. The Secret History of the Mongol Queens. Crown, 2010.