Conqueror

Name: Conqueror
Rating: 4.6 (4103 reviews)

by Conn Iggulden Book 5 in the Conqueror series.

First published 2011

Amazon

4.6(4,103)

Kublai grows from a scholarly prince into a commander during the Mongol assault on the Song dynasty. Serving under his brother Möngke, he learns to govern conquered territory as well as win battles, while Hulagu campaigns farther west. Möngke’s death divides the imperial family and forces Kublai into civil war with Ariq Böke, a contest that will determine both the future of the Mongol Empire and the creation of a new dynasty in China.

Kublai’s challenge is not merely to defeat rivals but to rule populations whose political traditions differ from those of the steppe. His growing interest in Chinese administration creates tension with Mongol relatives who equate legitimacy with older nomadic practice. The civil war with Ariq Böke therefore becomes a contest over what the empire will become as much as over which brother will hold supreme authority.