Genghis Khan, originally known as Temujin, is known today as the man who established the largest land empire known in history. He had united the various nomadic tribes in Mongolia, and then went on to conquer huge parts of central Asia and China. Even after his death, his descendants expanded the empire to much greater lengths up to places like Poland, Vietnam, Syria and Korea. At their peak, the Mongols controlled around 12 million square miles of land. This is an area around the size of Africa, all controlled by a single empire. In contrast, the Roman empire was only about half the size of the USA. Hence, it is evident that Genghis Khan was a legendary ruler and is remembered well by history, but he is also regarded as the very avatar of savagery and barbarism.
The Rise of Genghis Khan
Temujin, later Genghis Khan, was born around 1162 near the border of Mongolia and Siberia. At that time, many nomadic tribes in the central Asian steppes were constantly fighting and killing each other, and life for Temujin was violent and unpredictable. Before turning even 10 years of age, his father was poisoned to death by an enemy clan and his own clan had deserted him and his family. Following this, Temujin killed his older half-brother and took over the reins as the head of his abandoned and poverty-stricken family. He soon began making alliances, building a reputation as a warrior and attracting a growing number of followers. Most of what we know about Genghis Khan’s childhood comes from “The Secret History of the Mongols,” the oldest known work of Mongolian history and literature. Going against custom, Temujin preferred to put competent allies rather than relatives in important positions in his tribe. He also executed the leaders of enemy tribes, and incorporated the remaining members into his clan. By 1205, Temujin had vanquished all his rivals.
The Establishment of an Empire
Temujin thereby became the leader of a Mongol confederation consisting of all the tribes and territories that he had united. He established a nation similar in size to modern Mongolia, and was also proclaimed Chinggis Khan, which roughly translates to ‘Universal Ruler,’ a name that has now become bastardized to be known as Genghis Khan. After this, he started his conquests outside of Mongolia and garnered his brutal reputation through continuous invasions. Genghis Khan’s first campaign outside of Mongolia took place against the Xi Xia kingdom of north-western China, after which went to war against the Khwarazm Empire in present-day Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran. He gradually expanded the borders of the Mongol Empire over the years of his reign, and many surrounding empires had started becoming wary of the Mongol threat. Genghis Khan also had an extensive network of spies which used to detect his enemy’s weaknesses, and made use of advanced military equipment like catapults and mangonels while attacking large cities. By 1227, the Khan had conquered much of Central Asia and made incursions into Eastern Europe, Persia, and India.
It is important to highlight here that it was not only because of his aggressive invasions and warfare that he was successful, but also because of his administrative capabilities. For example, he forbade the selling and kidnapping of women, banned enslavement and torture, and made livestock theft punishable by death. Moreover, he ordered the adoption of a writing system, conducted a regular census, granted diplomatic immunity to foreign ambassadors and allowed freedom of religion and protection within his empire.
The Fall of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan eventually died in 1227, at the age of 65. But there is a lot of mystery and uncertainty surrounding his death. Some stories suggest that he died from injuries sustained after falling from his horse, while others suggest it was while he was trying to put down a rebellion in China. Furthermore, the final resting place of the Khan is unknown, as he wanted his death to be a secret.
Regardless, Genghis Khan conquered more than twice as much land as any other person in history, bringing Eastern and Western civilizations into contact in the process. Though he has a unfavourable reputation because of all the killing, plunder and rape he had caused, one cannot deny that he is among the greatest, if not the greatest conqueror in history.
Eduindex News 