the Khitans: Founders of Liao Empire

In The Khitans: Founders of the Liao Empire, Elliot Rowan uncovers the story of one of medieval Asia's most remarkable yet overlooked civilizations. Rising from the grasslands of Manchuria and eastern Mongolia, the Khitans transformed from a federation of steppe tribes into the founders of the Liao dynasty, an empire that ruled across northern China, controlled vital frontier regions, and reshaped the balance of power between the nomadic world and the great civilizations of East Asia. Drawing on Chinese chronicles, archaeological discoveries, Khitan inscriptions, and surviving monuments, Rowan reconstructs the rise of a people who built a sophisticated imperial system without abandoning their steppe heritage. He explores the leadership of Yelü Abaoji, the creation of the Liao state, the conquest of Bohai, the empire's unique approach to governing nomadic and settled populations, its diplomatic struggles with the Song dynasty, and the cultural achievements that defined Khitan civilization. More than the story of a forgotten dynasty, this book reveals how the Khitans pioneered new forms of government, diplomacy, and cultural adaptation across medieval Eurasia. Through their cities, writing systems, trade networks, religious traditions, and artistic achievements, the Khitans created an empire that connected China, Mongolia, Korea, and Central Asia. Their dynasty eventually fell, but the institutions they developed and the influence they left behind continued to shape the history of East Asia and the wider medieval world.