Title: Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World
Author: Jack Weatherford
First published: 2004
First published in 2004, this book examines the rise and influence of Mongol leader Genghis Khan and his successors, and their influence on European civilisation. It is notable because it provides a different slant to previous histories on the titular Temüjin, and posits that his reputation as the savage ruler of a rampaging horde was actually the result of European accounts during the Age of Enlightenment.
What’s fascinating here is that typical Western folklore surrounding the Mongol Empire tends to focus in on the ruthless of Genghis Khan, but this book offers a unique look at the positives of how the empire functioned, as well as what it meant for the advancement of civilisation in general.
For the cover, I opted to use a reproduction of a 1278 portrait that supposedly depicts the First Khan of the Empire. But I wanted to really hone in on his eye, making the cover feel uncomfortable in a bid to make it feel like it was challenging many long-held assumptions. I also recoloured parts of the image in red, to show that the book doesn’t skew away completely from acknowledging the use of violence, war and plunder as a means of progress.
To keep it marketable as a piece of non-fiction, I opted to keep the typography fairly straightforward—with different weights and sizes of Gotham ensuring it fits within the category, despite the slightly more artistic approach to the main image.
This is cover is a reimagining and not commercially available, any fonts or images used have been included as part of a personal project only.
