 | |
| Author | Jawaharlal Nehru |
|---|---|
| Genre | History |
| Publisher | Penguin Books |
Publication date | 1934 |
| Pages | 1192 |
| ISBN | 978-0-19-562360-4 |
| OCLC | 21227307 |
Glimpses of World History is a book published by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1934. The book is subtitled Being further letters to his daughter, written in prison, and containing a rambling account of history for young people.
It is a collection of 196 letters on world history written between 1930 and 1933 in various prisons in British India: Naini and Bareilly prisons as well as at Dehradun; two letters were written aboard an Italian steamer in the Arabian sea.
The letters were addressed to his young daughter Indira and were meant to introduce her to world history. [1] They were a continuation of the letters he sent to her in 1928, which were published as Letters from a Father to His Daughter .
The letters start off with one he sends to his daughter on her birthday. He says he is sad about not being able to send her any "material" gift from prison, so he would try to give her something he can "afford", a series of letters from his heart.
As it was written in different prisons, he had little recourse to reference books or a library but his personal notes.
The letters were not actually sent to his daughter and he kept them until his release from prison in 1933.
The letters on history are sprinkled with contemporary and personal events, things that happened to himself or his friends, colleagues or family members. At times the style is that of an intimate conversation with his daughter, who is at Anand Bhavan, in which he also anticipates her reactions and the feelings she might have when reading it. At other times he "provided a profoundly philosophical interpretation of world history". [2]
Some letters are written on a daily basis and some have gaps in between of weeks and even months. Nehru stated in his preface that The Outline of History by English writer H. G. Wells was a major influence on the work. The book contains important aspects of the history of humankind from Ancient Greece (letter 6) to the time of writing the book, when Nehru anticipated a new major conflict arising (letter 195). In later editions, Nehru added notes at the end of some letters on 20th century events, with updates made in November 1938, as well as a postscript. According to an article by Arun Sharma for the National Herald , "Nehru’s books reveal the thinker, philosopher and a historian in him", with Glimpses of World History advocating for "a composite world view of history." Sharma writes that Nehru believed "history should be taught and understood as the story of human civilization as it developed in various parts of the world." [3]
It could be considered as one of the first attempts at historiography from a non-Eurocentric angle, or as an "Oriental interpretation of man's progress." [4] In particular, his letters on Genghis Khan and Mongol conquests ran counter to predominant European conceptions of the period. Prefacing his introduction to the Mongol empire, which Nehru notes was larger than the British Empire and lasted as long, he wrote that "It would be foolish not to recognize the greatness of Europe. But it would be equally foolish to forget the greatness of Asia." And he goes on to state: "Genghis is, without doubt, the greatest military genius and leader in history.... Alexander and Caesar seem petty before him." According to American historian Jack Weatherford, this was possibly the first re-evaluation of the Mongol empire since the 18th century. [5] Editions from 1939 onwards included 50 maps designed by British cartoonist J. F. Horrabin.[ citation needed ]
The New York Times described it as: "[...] one of the most remarkable books ever written [...]. Nehru makes even H.G. Wells seem singularly insular [...]. One is awed by the breadth of Nehru's culture." [6]
A review by International Affairs describes it as "pleasant chatty", including "reflections on philosophy and politics" that make it an "extraordinarily agreeable book". [7] In 1960, Saul K. Padover created an abridged version of the book, called Nehru on World History, which was published by John Day Company. [8]
Also written during Nehru's imprisonments:
Jawaharlal Nehru was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, statesman, secular humanist, social democrat, and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. Nehru was a principal leader of the Indian nationalist movement in the 1930s and 1940s. Upon India's independence in 1947, he served as the country's first prime minister for 16 years. Nehru promoted parliamentary democracy, secularism, and science and technology during the 1950s, powerfully influencing India's arc as a modern nation. In international affairs, he steered India clear of the two blocs of the Cold War. A well-regarded author, his books written in prison, such as Letters from a Father to His Daughter (1929), An Autobiography (1936) and The Discovery of India (1946), have been read around the world.
Hulegu Khan, also known as Hülegü or Hulagu, was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of Western Asia. Son of Tolui and the Keraite princess Sorghaghtani Beki, he was a grandson of Genghis Khan and brother of Ariq Böke, Möngke Khan, and Kublai Khan.
The Discovery of India was written by the Indian freedom fighter Jawaharlal Nehru during his incarceration in 1942–1945 at Ahmednagar Fort in present-day Indian state of Maharashtra by British colonial authorities before the independence of India. The book was written in 1944 but published in 1946.
Sorghaghtani Beki or Bekhi, also written Sorkaktani, Sorkhokhtani, Sorkhogtani, Siyurkuktiti, posthumous name Empress Xianyi Zhuangsheng, was a Keraite princess and daughter-in-law of Genghis Khan. Married to Tolui, Genghis' youngest son, Sorghaghtani Beki became one of the most powerful and competent people in the Mongol Empire. She made policy decisions at a pivotal moment that led to the transition of the Mongol Empire towards a more cosmopolitan and sophisticated style of administration. She raised her sons to be leaders and maneuvered the family politics so that all four of her sons, Möngke Khan, Hulagu Khan, Ariq Böke, and Kublai Khan, went on to inherit the legacy of their grandfather.
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World (2004) is a history book written by Jack Weatherford, Dewitt Wallace Professor of Anthropology at Macalester College. It is a narrative of the rise and influence of Mongol leader Genghis Khan and his successors, and their influence on European civilization. Weatherford provides a different slant on Genghis Khan than has been typical in most Western accounts, attributing positive cultural effects to his rule.
Khulan was an empress consort of Genghis Khan and head of the second Court of Genghis Khan. Her status in the Mongol Empire was second only to Grand Empress Börte.
Mandukhai Khatun, also known as Mandukhai Setsen Khatun was a Khatun (queen) of the Northern Yuan. With her second husband Batmunkh Dayan Khan, she helped reunite the warring Mongols.
Jack McIver Weatherford is the former DeWitt Wallace Professor of anthropology at Macalester College in Minnesota. He is best known for his 2004 book, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. In 2006, he was awarded the Order of the Polar Star, and the Order of Genghis Khan in 2022, Mongolia’s two highest national honors. Moreover, he was honoured with the Order of the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho by the Government of Bolivia in 2014.
An Autobiography, also known as Toward Freedom (1936), is an autobiographical book written by Jawaharlal Nehru while he was in prison between June 1934 and February 1935, and before he became the first Prime Minister of India.
In modern times the Mongols are primarily Tibetan Buddhists, but in previous eras, especially during the time of the Mongol empire, they were primarily shamanist, and had a substantial minority of Christians, many of whom were in positions of considerable power. Overall, Mongols were highly tolerant of most religions, and typically sponsored several at the same time. Many Mongols had been proselytized by the Church of the East since about the seventh century, and some tribes' primary religion was Christian. In the time of Genghis Khan, his sons took Christian wives of the Keraites, and under the rule of Genghis Khan's grandson, Möngke Khan, the primary religious influence was Christian.
Manduul, (1438–1479) was a khagan of the Northern Yuan dynasty, reigning from 1475 to 1479. He was the younger half-brother of Taisun Khan.
Letters from a Father to His Daughter is a collection of letters written by Jawaharlal Nehru to his daughter Indira Nehru, originally published in 1929 by Allahabad Law Journal Press at Nehru's request and consisting of only the 30 letters sent in the summer of 1928 when Indira was 10 years old. He arranged a second edition in 1931 and subsequently, further reprints and editions have been published.
The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire is a 2010 book by Jack Weatherford, about the impact and legacy of Genghis Khan's daughters and Mongol queens such as Mandukhai the Wise and Khutulun. The book references Mongolian, Central Asian, Persian, European and Chinese sources such as Altan Tobchi, Erdeni Tobchi, Erdenyin Tunamal Sudar, Tarikh-i-Rashidi, Tarikh-i Jahangushay-i Juvaini, and Ming shi in addition to various secondary sources in English, Mongolian, and German.
Il-Alti or Il-Altun was a daughter of Genghis Khan by an unknown concubine of lowly status.
Checheikhen was a daughter of Genghis Khan and his first wife Börte.
Krishna Prasad Dar (1893-1977) was an Indian printer, publisher and writer, known for his book, Kashmiri Cooking, a book detailing Kashmiri cuisine. Born in Kolkata, in the Indian state of West Bengal on 30 January 1893 to Har Prasad Dar and Pranpati as one of their five children, he completed his college studies at the St. Xavier's College, Calcutta. Later, he set up a printing press, Allahabad Law Journal Press, which grew to become one of the leading printers and publishers of the region. It was at this press that some of the books of Jawaharlal Nehru such as Letters from a Father to His Daughter and Glimpses of World History were published.
Before Freedom: Nehru's Letters to His Sister 1909–1947 is a collection of letters written by Jawaharlal Nehru between 1909 and 1947, to his sister Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, affectionately referred to as Nan. The collection was edited and compiled by his niece, Nayantara Sahgal, and was first published in 2000 by HarperCollins. A later edition with an additional letter by Nehru to his sister following the death of her husband Ranjit Sitaram Pandit, was published in 2004 by Roli Books.
Saul Kussiel Padover was a historian and political scientist at the New School for Social Research in New York City who wrote biographies of philosophers and politicians such as Karl Marx and Thomas Jefferson.
Ranjit Sitaram Pandit was an Indian barrister, politician, author and scholar from Rajkot in the Kathiawar region of British India. He is known for his role in the Indian non-cooperation movement, and for translating the Sanskrit texts Mudrarakshasa, Ṛtusaṃhāra and Kalhana's Rajatarangini into English.
There were many wives and concubines of Genghis Khan. Wives and concubines were frequently acquired from conquered territory, and, in the case of Genghis Khan, sometimes whole empires, and the women enrolled as either his wives or concubines were often princesses or queens that were either taken captive or gifted to him.
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