The Secret History of the Mongols is the oldest surviving Mongolian-language literary work and the most important primary source for the history of the early Mongol Empire. The Secret History was written in the mid-thirteenth century, possibly around 1240, and it covers the history of the Mongol people from the legendary origins of the Borjigin clan to the death of Genghis Khan in 1227. The text is a major source for the history of the Mongol Empire, and it is also a major work of Mongolian literature, full of heroic songs, genealogical poetry, and dramatic dialogue.
The Secret History is one of the most important sources for the early history of the Mongol Empire, and it is the only major source written by Mongols. The text was traditionally attributed to the Mongol scribe Shigi Qutuqu, who was a member of the Uyghur administration of the Mongol court, but modern scholarship has questioned this attribution. The text is now generally considered to be the work of a Mongol author or authors working at the court of the Ögedeid prince Ögedei or possibly the Toluid prince Möngke.
The Discovery of the Text
The Secret History of the Mongols was “rediscovered” by European scholars in the nineteenth century, but the text was known to the Mongols themselves for centuries. The text was traditionally part of the cultural heritage of the Mongol people, and it was transmitted orally and in written form among the Mongols of Central Asia.
The European discovery of the text was the result of the work of several scholars, including the German scholar Karl Friedrich Neumann, who published a German translation of part of the text in 1840, and the Russian scholar Vasily Vladimirtsov, who published a Russian translation in 1926. The most important of the early editions of the text was the one published by the Mongolian scholar Ts. Damdinsüren in 1947, which established the modern critical text.
The Contents of the Text
The Secret History is divided into twelve chapters, each of which covers a major period in the early history of the Mongol people. The first chapter covers the legendary origins of the Borjigin clan, including the story of Bodonchar and the heroic deeds of the early Mongol rulers. The second chapter covers the early life of Genghis Khan, including the death of his father Yesugei and the years of exile. The third chapter covers the rise of Temüjin to power, including the wars against the various Mongol tribes and the consolidation of his power. The fourth chapter covers the unification of the Mongol tribes and the kurultai of 1206. The fifth through twelfth chapters cover the campaigns of Genghis Khan against the various neighboring states, including the Jin Dynasty, the Khwarezmian Empire, and the Western Xia.
The text is written in a mixture of prose and verse, and it is full of songs, speeches, and dramatic dialogue. The text is also rich in detail about the customs, practices, and values of the early Mongol people, and it is a major source for the study of the Mongol language and the Mongol religion.
The Historical Value of the Text
The Secret History is a major source for the history of the early Mongol Empire, and it is the only major source written by Mongols. The text provides a unique perspective on the early history of the Mongol people, and it is particularly valuable for what it tells us about the customs, practices, and values of the early Mongol world. The text is also a major source for the study of the Mongol language, and it is a key text for the reconstruction of the Middle Mongol language.
The historical value of the text is, however, not without limits. The text is, in many ways, a literary work, and it is not always a reliable guide to historical events. The text is also partial in its perspective, and it does not always give a balanced view of the early history of the Mongol people. The text is also partial in its sources, and it is heavily dependent on the oral tradition of the Mongol people.
The Legacy of the Text
The Secret History of the Mongols is one of the most important texts in the history of the Mongol people, and it is a major work of world literature. The text has been translated into many languages, including Chinese, Russian, English, French, German, and Japanese, and it is a major source for the study of the Mongol Empire. The text is also a major work of Mongolian literature, and it is a central part of the cultural heritage of the Mongol people.
The legacy of the Secret History is also visible in the modern world. The text is a major source for the modern Mongolian national identity, and it is taught in schools and universities throughout Mongolia. The text is also a major source for the cultural heritage of the Inner Mongols, and it is a central part of the cultural life of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. The text is, in this sense, a major work of world heritage, and it is one of the most important texts in the history of the medieval world.
Sources
- John Man, Genghis Khan: Life, Death and Legacy (London, 2004).
- Igor de Rachewiltz, ed., The Secret History of the Mongols (2 vols., Brill, 2004–2013).
- Paul Ratchnevsky, Genghis Khan: His Life and Legacy (Oxford, 1991).