"The empire of the Qara Khitai, which was one of the least known and most fascinating dynasties in the history of Central Asia, existed for nearly a century before it was conquered by the Mongols in 1218. Arriving in Central Asia from China, the Qara Khitai ruled over a mostly Muslim population. Their history affords a unique window onto the extensive cross-cultural contacts between China, Inner Asian nomads and the Muslim world in the period preceding the rise of Chinggis Khan. Using an extensive corpus of Muslim and Chinese sources, Michal Biran comprehensively examines the political, institutional and cultural histories of the Qara Khitai for the first time. The book represents a groundbreaking contribution to the field of Eurasian history for students of the Islamic world, China and Central Asia."--Jacket.

Contents: pt. 1. Political history: From Liao to Western Liao: Yelü Dashi and the establishment of the Qara Khitai empire ; The quiet period--the reign of Yelü Yilie and the empresses ; The fall: between the Khwārazm Shāh and the Mongols -- pt. 2. Aspects of cultural and institutional history: China ; Nomads ; Islam.