
The History of Central Asia: The Age of Decline and Revival (Hardback)
Christoph Baumer (author)
£40.00
Hardback
352 Pages /
Published: 30/05/2018
- In stock
- Free UK delivery
For more than a hundred years, Central Asia was the heartland of the mightiest military power on the planet. But after the fragmentation of the all-conquering Mongol polity, the region began a steep decline which rendered this former domain of horse lords peripheral to world affairs. The process of deterioration reached its nadir in the second half of the nineteenth century, when the former territories and sweeping steppes of the great khans were overrun by Tsarist Russia. In the concluding volume of his acclaimed Central Asia quartet, Christoph Baumer shows how China in the east, and Russia in the northwest, succeeded in throwing off the Mongol yoke to become the masters of their own previous rulers. He suggests that, as traditional transcontinental trade routes declined in importance, it was the `Great Game' - or cold war between Imperial Russia and Great Britain - which finally brought Central Asia back into play as a region of strategic importance. This epic history concludes with an assessment of the transition to modern independence of the Central Asian states and their struggle to contain radical Islamism.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN: 9781788310499
Number of pages: 352
Weight: 2374 g
Dimensions: 289 x 237 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
`Christoph Baumer's highly anticipated "The Age of Decline and Revival" completes his four-volume The History of Central Asia and takes the story of this important region up to the present-day. The text is beautifully produced and illustrated, featuring excellent maps, and is informed by a high level of scholarship that comprehensively and uniquely integrates history and archaeology with artistic, cultural and economic developments. Another remarkable aspect of Baumer's work is its inclusiveness, drawing on an extensive range of materials from the Caucasus to China. The series is a must-have for anyone interested in this vast area lying at the very centre of world history.' - John E Woods, Professor of Iranian and Central Asian History, University of Chicago
You may also be interested in...
Please sign in to write a review
Sign In / Register
Not registered? CREATE AN ACCOUNTCREATE A plus ACCOUNT
Sign In
Download the Waterstones App
Would you like to proceed to the App store to download the Waterstones App?
Click & Collect
Reserve online, pay on collection
Alternatively, for multiple items you may find it easier to add to basket, then pay online and collect in as little as 2 hours, subject to availability.
Alternatively, for multiple items you may find it easier to add to basket, then pay online and collect in as little as 2 hours, subject to availability.
Thank you for your reservation
Your order is now being processed and we have sent a confirmation email to you at
When will my order be ready to collect?
Following the initial email, you will be contacted by the shop to confirm that your item is available for collection.
Call us on or send us an email at
Unfortunately there has been a problem with your order
Please try again or alternatively you can contact your chosen shop on or send us an email at