The Mongol Question....an Insight

[Steppe Merc]

Can you recommend a good book or books that might also deal with some of the other peoples of the steppes that I've taken an interest in, such as the Pechenegs and the Cuman and more? My knowledge of the Cumans comes almost solely from the story of Prince Igor.

Well, this book doesn't really touch much on the Pechnegs, but it does throughout discuss a bit about the Qipchaqs (Cumans). It's Erik Hildinger's Warriors of the Steppe: A Military History of Central Asia, 500 B.C. to A.D. 1700. Unfortanently, it only really discusses the major players (Scythians, Huns, Mongols), and not enough on the many Turkish nomads (too much on the Seljuqs). I liked it though because of the info on the later nomads and those they influenced, like the Mamluks (many who were Qipchaqs), Timur-i-Lenk (Tamerlane), the Crimean Khanate, and the Manchurians. It's an overall good book, though a few of the stuff isn't gone into enough or at all, and some of the claims I didn't agree with (his discussion about the Sarmatian lancers in particular).

The Jochid legitamacy has been over played by most authors I feel, it adds a little spice. No doubt there was a fair amount of gossip and there may have been some resentment but the only evidence of this is Chagadai's outburst, the rest is assumption. Most sources suggest that Batu refused the Qa'anate due to his questionable legitamacy, I think he was happy enough with his new domain and his position as virtual co-ruler with his good friend and nominee, Mangku. Unfortunately, Mangku died too soon; the purges were still fresh in the mind

You're probably right, though I can't imagine it helped things. Batu probably was content with the West, since I doubt that rumors of illegimintacy would really have stopped any one determined to become Khan.