After Tamerlane : the global history of empire since 1405

A Rise and Fall of the Great Powers for the post–Cold War era—a brilliantly written, sweeping new history of how empires have ebbed and flowed over the past six centuries. The death of the great Tatar emperor Tamerlane in 1405, writes historian John Darwin, was a turning point in world history. Never again would a single warlord, raiding across the steppes, be able to unite Eurasia under his rule. After Tamerlane, a series of huge, stable empires were founded and consolidated— Chinese, Mughal, Persian, and Ottoman—realms of such grandeur, sophistication, and dynamism that they outclassed the fragmentary, quarrelsome nations of Europe in every respect. The nineteenth century saw these empires fall vulnerable to European conquest, creating an age of anarchy and exploitation, but this had largely ended by the twenty-first century, with new Chinese and Indian super-states and successful independent states in Turkey and Iran. This elegantly written, magisterial account challenges the conventional narrative of the “Rise of the West,” showing that European ascendancy was neither foreordained nor a linear process. Indeed, it is likely to be a transitory phase. After Tamerlane is a vivid, bold, and innovative history of how empires rise and fall, from one of Britain’s leading scholars. It will take its place beside other provocative works of “large history,” from Paul Kennedy’s The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers to David Landes’s The Wealth and Poverty of Nations or Niall Ferguson’s Empire. Tamerlane was the last of the 'world conquerors': his armies looted and killed from the shores of the Mediterranean to the frontier of China. Nomad horsemen from the Steppes had been the terror of Europe and Asia for centuries, but with Tamerlane's death in 1405, an epoch of history came to an end. The future belonged to the great dynastic empires - Chinese, Mughal, Iranian and Ottoman - where most of Eurasia's culture and wealth was to be found, and to the oceanic voyagers from Eurasia's 'Far West', just beginning to venture across the dark seas. After Tamerlane is an immensely important and stimulating work. It takes a fresh look at our global past. Our idea of world history is still dominated by the view from the West: it is Europe's expansion that takes centre-stage. But for much of the six-hundred year span of this book. Asia's great empires seemed much more than a match for the intruders from Europe. It took a revolution in Eurasia to change this balance of power, although never completely. The Chinese empire, against all the odds, has survived to this day. The British empire came and went. The Nazi empire was crushed almost at one. The rise, fall and endurance of empires - and the causes behind them - remain one of the most fascinating puzzles in world history. After Tamerlane Takes A Fresh Look At Our Global Past. Our Idea Of World History Is Still Dominated By The View From The West: It Is Europe's Expansion That Takes Centre-stage. But For Much Of The 600-year Span Of This Book, Asia's Great Empires Seemed More Than A Match For The Intruders From Europe. It Took A Revolution In Eurasia To Change This Balance Of Power, Although It Never Did So Completely. The Chinese Empire, Against All The Odds, Has Survived To This Day. The British Empire Came And Went. The Nazi Empire Was Crushed Almost At Once. The Rise, Fall And Endurance Of Empires - And The Causes Behind Them - Remain One Of The Most Fascinating Puzzles In World History.--book Jacket. 1. Orientations -- 2. Eurasia And The Age Of Discovery -- 3. The Early Modern Equilibrium -- 4. The Eurasian Revolution -- 5. The Race Against Time -- 6. The Limits Of Empire -- 7. Towards The Crisis Of The World, 1914-1942 -- 8. Empire Denied -- 9. Tamerlane's Shadow. John Darwin. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 507-567) And Index. Describing how empires have risen and fallen over some six centuries, 'After Tamerlane' gets to grip with the factors that have created success or failure. Tamerlane, the Ottomans, the Mughals, the Manchus, the British, the Soviets, the Japanese and the Nazis. All built empires they hoped would last forever: all were destined to fail. But, as John Darwin shows in his magnificent book, their empire building created the world we know today. From the death of Tamerlane in 1405, last of the world conquerors, to the rise and fall of European empires, and from Americas growing colonial presence to the resurgence of India and China as global economic powers, After Tamerlane provides a wonderfully intriguing perspective on the past, present and future of empires Tamerlane was the last of the "world conquerors". His armies marauded from the shores of the Mediterranean to the frontier of China. Nomad horsemen from the steppes had been the terror of Europe and Asia for centuries, but with Tamerlane's death in 1405 an epoch of history came to an end. After Tamerlane takes a sweeping new look at our global past. John Darwin's account shows that the ascent of the West was neither foreordained nor a linear process. Indeed, it is likely to be a transitory phase, as we witness the great resurgence of Asia, the central feature of our modern "globalized" world. If we are to make sense of our future, we need also to make sense of our Eurasian past. - Jacket. Tamerlane was the last of the 'world conquerors': his armies looted and killed from the shores of the Mediterranean to the frontier of China. The rise, fall and endurance of empires - and the causes behind them - remain one of the most fascinating puzzles in world history. This work takes a fresh look at our global past.