About me

So you scrolled this far. Impressive. Perhaps you also watched some of the videos above. Maybe even bought the book.

Then, it might be time to introduce myself to you. While I’d much rather have the projects speak for myself, there is some information you can only gather through text.

Hi, I am Emre! Founder and producer of KHAN’s DEN, the YouTube channel. Having been a student of History, I decided a while ago to explain the History of the early ancient and medieval Turkic peoples. This project started as a private hobby for my friends and family, whom I always loved to talk to about History. The first step had been a short, innocent blog post. Then came a 12-minute-long amateurish documentary on YouTube. Over time, I gained more and more experience in “film-making”, and quite recently, the audiovisual quality of my documentaries blew up – and so did the viewer count! Thus, I shifted into second gear. As you read these sentences, more people stumble across my videos than ever before. Some of them even bought my book about the Göktürks, the topic that had been the main focus of KHAN’s DEN for more than two years. So you are joining the rocket as it launches straight-forward into the stratosphere!

In 2023, three years after KHAN’s DEN foundation, I decided to take on all the other states of Turkic History, from the Xiongnu of Modu Chanyu to the Huns of Attila, from the Uyghurs and Kyrgyz in Eastern to the Oghuz and Khazars in Western Asia. Though primarily focused on Turkic states, the narratives often explore non-Turkic civilizations such as the Roman Empire, Germanic Kingdoms, and various epochs of Indian and Chinese dynasties.

While keen on technology, I had no idea how to edit videos properly. How to make effects. How to use transitions and animations. But I did have a good sense of the ideal mix of images, videos, and music. This approach distinguishes my videos from those of numerous other online history portals. I want to bring the people of History to life. It would be best if you didn’t stare at a static map for half an hour. How are you supposed to know the difference between the Rouran in Mongolia and the Franks in Europe, for example, if the only differences on the map are their states’ colors?

Over time, I learned how to create more sophisticated videos. Producing them was a sort of training. Now, I can even create maps from scratch without any help. I do get help, though, in the form of AI software, which helps me bring the people who are the videos' topic to life. These historical reconstructions aim to be as realistic as possible, and I hope you’ll enjoy them.

What is my goal, then? Simply put: to narrate the captivating sagas, pivotal moments, and the enduring legacy of the Turks – among others – from antiquity and the Middle Ages in an engaging, impartial manner. I find it essential to fill the void left by many narratives that either cast a shadow on or altogether bypass significant Eurasian cultures, including the Turkic ones, often ignoring recent linguistic and archaeological revelations. – because they would not fit certain narratives. That is not how an academic is supposed to act in light of news. Too often have the Göktürks, for example, been marked as “unimportant” in historical atlases, with their territory being greyed out while all other states in their neighborhood were colored. Too often have the Huns been dehumanized as invading monsters from the “East”, while at the same time being claimed as being the kin of those who slandered them in the first place.

This behavior motivated me to become a storyteller in the first place. I wanted to reach as many people as possible, all over the world, but explain the other side of History so that everybody can follow the narration. Ideally, I’d like to go further and publish works in the form of a Manga, a novel, and even a video game. But we don’t want to go overboard. So, for now, let’s stick to YouTube videos and the few books I wrote.

If you are a content creator, an academic, or simply someone interested in History and would like to help – perhaps even become part of KHAN’s DEN, which is a one-man show – feel free to contact me. I’m on Instagram, and you can also send an e-mail to info@TheKhansDen.com. I also appreciate support via Patreon and by purchasing YouTube memberships.

Wherever you may be while reading this text, I thank you for taking your time. Stay safe, take care, and see you around.