Secret History of the Mongols

Christopher P. Atwood teaches Mongolian history and civilization at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his doctorate from Indiana University. He has traveled extensively in independent Mongolia and Inner Mongolia. Atwood's previous books include The Rise of the Mongols: Five Chinese Sources and the Encyclopedia of Mongolia and the Mongol Empire.

The Secret History of the Mongols describes in vivid detail the life and times of Chinggis Khan, not as an enemy, but as the Mongols saw themselves … This translation is a monumental event, a publishing landmark … Christopher Atwood has given the reader a translation for contemporary times. It is like a caravanserai, providing the materials needed for both scholar and general reader, organized for one's private trek through the empire.

• Acknowledgements Introduction1. The Influence of the Secret History and its Preservation 2. The World of the Secret History 3. Date and Authorship 4. Title, Genre, Composition 5. Mongolian Terms and their Translation Note on Spellings and Pronunciation Note on Chapter, Sub-chapter and Section Divisions Figures Maps THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE MONGOLS1: The Origin of Chinggis Khan 2: The Youth of Chinggis Khan 3: The Early Battles of Chinggis Khan 4: Chinggis Khan and Ong Khan 5: Completing the Unification of Mongolia 6: The New Regime 7: The Foreign Conquests 8: The Reign of Ökodei KhannColophon Afterword: The Transmission and Translation ofthe Secret History Appendix A: Alternative Mouse Year Theories and the Question of the Secret History’s Unity Appendix B: Socio-political Organization of the Pre-Chinggisid Mongols Appendix C: The New Aristocracy under Chinggis Khan Appendix D: Chronologies of the Foreign Conquests Bibliography Notes Glossary of Names