The Rise and Rule of Tamerlane (Canto original series)

Rating:
Summary: Rise and Rule of Tamerlane
Review: An excellent scholarly study of the society from which Timur sprang and the empire he created.

Rating:
Summary: Painful Reading
Review: It is clear thet Munz did her research, it is her writing style that i found painful.

There is almost nothing in the book on Timurs actual battles and campiaigns. Just a couple of sentances. Instead the book becomes a never ending list of Turcoman Mongolian names and tribes. It becomes very tedious.

Concentrating on Timurs realtionship with the many internal Turcoman Mongolian tribes, it becomes extremely frustrating, as you begin to long for some intersting story or narrative of a great battle or exploit. Anything of any interest is skipped over in lines!

One point that i felt was not adressed in Manz's obsession with Turco/Mongolian internal tribal politics was the factor of how differing percentages of Turco or Mogloinan heritage within the tribes affected tribal relationships.

Summing up..... a great deal of deatiled information on Timur is included in this book, but not all the exciting information you want to know about!!

Rating:
Summary: interesting introduction to Temur's society
Review: This book served as an introduction for me to Temur's society and government. I am therefore unable to assess its scholarly merits. As an introduction for those wishing to learn more about this figure, however, Beatrice Forbes Manz's work provides a colorful and balanced picture.