Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan was the founder and the first great khan of the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous land empire in history. He united the nomadic tribes of the Mongol steppe and launched the conquests that transformed the history of Eurasia.

Early Life and Education

Genghis Khan was born as Temüjin in about 1162 near the Onon River in Mongolia. His father was the chief of a minor clan and was poisoned by the Tatar.

The family was abandoned by the clan and lived in the poverty. Temüjin was captured and enslaved by a rival tribe but escaped.

He gathered the followers and formed the alliances with the neighbouring tribes. He was proclaimed the khan of the Mongols in 1206.

The Unification and the Conquests

Temüjin defeated the rival tribes and united the Mongols under his rule. He took the title of Genghis Khan, which means the universal ruler.

He reformed the army and the administration of the tribes. He established the code of law known as the Yassa.

He launched the invasion of the Jin dynasty of northern China in 1211. He captured the capital of the Jin in 1215.

He then turned to the west and conquered the Khwarezmian Empire. His armies destroyed the cities of Central Asia and reached the borders of Persia.

The Empire and the Administration

Genghis Khan established the empire that stretched from the Pacific to the Caspian Sea. He organised the administration and the army of the conquests.

He appointed the officials from the conquered peoples and used the skills of the administrators. He established the system of the post stations across the empire.

He promoted the trade and the communication along the Silk Road. He granted the protection to the merchants and the envoys.

He tolerated the religions of the conquered peoples and employed the advisers of the different faiths. The empire was a place of the religious pluralism.

The Legacy

Genghis Khan died in 1227 during the campaign against the Western Xia. His body was buried in a secret tomb according to the custom.

His descendants continued the conquests and founded the dynasties of China and Persia. The empire reached its greatest extent under his successors.

The conquest caused the death of millions and the destruction of the cities. The trade and the cultural exchange of the period are also the result of the Mongol peace.

He is regarded as the father of the Mongol nation. His image and the memory remain a central part of the Mongolian identity.

The Military Organisation

Genghis Khan reorganised the army on the decimal system. The units of ten, a hundred, a thousand, and ten thousand replaced the tribal formations.

He appointed the commanders on the basis of the merit and the loyalty. The reform broke the power of the tribal chiefs and created the unified force.

He used the mobility and the discipline of the cavalry. The army was able to travel the long distances and to fight the pitched battles.

The Code and the Administration

Genghis Khan established the code of law known as the Yassa. The code covered the military discipline and the social order.

He appointed the judges and the officials to administer the law. He established the system of the post stations across the empire.

He promoted the trade and the protection of the merchants. He encouraged the communication and the exchange of the ideas.

The Campaigns in China

Genghis Khan invaded the Jin dynasty of the northern China in 1211. He defeated the Jin armies and captured the capital in 1215.

He then turned to the west and conquered the Khwarezmian Empire. His armies destroyed the cities of the Central Asia.

He sent the envoys to the west and demanded the submission. The refusal led to the campaigns that reached the borders of Persia.

The Administration of the Empire

Genghis Khan established the administration of the empire. He appointed the officials from the conquered peoples.

He established the system of the post stations across the empire. The stations facilitated the communication and the trade.

He promoted the trade along the Silk Road. He granted the protection to the merchants and the envoys.

The Later Campaigns and the Death

Genghis Khan campaigned against the Western Xia in his last years. He died in 1227 during the campaign.

His body was buried in a secret tomb according to the custom. The location of the tomb is unknown.

His sons and the grandsons continued the conquests. The empire reached its greatest extent under his successors.

The Descendants and the Dynasties

The descendants of Genghis Khan founded the dynasties of the Eurasia. The Yuan dynasty ruled China and the Ilkhanate ruled Persia.

The Golden Horde ruled the Russia and the Central Asia. The Chagatai Khanate ruled the Central Asia.

The period of the Mongol rule is known as the Pax Mongolica. The trade and the communication across the empire flourished.

See also

• Mongol Empire
• Silk Road
• Yassa
• Nomadic warfare