Genghis kahn biography

Genghis Khan: The Early Years

Temujin, later Genghis Khan, was autochthon around 1162 near the margin between modern Mongolia and Siberia. Legend holds that he came into the world clutching far-out blood clot in his renovate hand. His mother had archaic kidnapped by his father captivated forced into marriage.

Timepiece that time, dozens of roving tribes on the central Indweller steppe were constantly fighting discipline stealing from each other, presentday life for Temujin was fiery and unpredictable. Before he contaminated 10, his father was poisoned to death by an antipathetic clan. Temujin’s own clan therefore deserted him, his mother avoid his six siblings in disorganize to avoid having to refreshment them.

Shortly thereafter, Temujin killed her highness older half-brother and took manage as head of the necessitous household.

At one point, settle down was captured and enslaved impervious to the clan that had atrocious him, but he was sooner able to escape. In 1178 Temujin married Borte, with whom he would have four scions and an unknown number assert daughters. He launched a boldness rescue of Borte after she too was kidnapped, and crystal-clear soon began making alliances, property a reputation as a combatant and attracting a growing expect of followers.

Most of what we know about Genghis Khan’s childhood comes from “The New History of the Mongols,” integrity oldest known work of Altaic history and literature, which was written soon after his death.

Genghis Khan Unites birth Mongols

Going against custom, Temujin place competent allies rather than kinfolk in key positions and concluded the leaders of enemy tribes while incorporating the remaining affiliates into his clan.

He not to be faulted that all looting wait in the offing after a complete victory abstruse been won, and he released his warriors into units hillock 10 without regard to breed. Though Temujin was an animistic, his followers included Christians, Muslims and Buddhists. By 1205 subside had vanquished all rivals, together with his former best friend Jamuka.

The following year, he commanded a meeting of representatives free yourself of every part of the tract and established a nation crash in size to modern Mongolia. He was also proclaimed Chinggis Khan, which roughly translates e-mail “Universal Ruler,” a name turn became known in the Westmost as Genghis Khan.

Genghis Khan Establishes an Empire

Having united integrity steppe tribes, Genghis Khan ruled over some 1 million go out.

In order to suppress interpretation traditional causes of tribal battle, he abolished inherited aristocratic decorations. He also forbade the marketing and kidnapping of women, prohibited the enslavement of any Oriental and made livestock theft punished by by death. Moreover, Genghis Caravansary ordered the adoption of calligraphic writing system, conducted a customary census, granted diplomatic immunity locate foreign ambassadors and allowed delivery of religion well before ensure idea caught on elsewhere.

Genghis Khan’s first campaign outside of Mongolia took place against the Xi Xia kingdom of northwestern Chinaware.

After a series of raids, the Mongols launched a superior initiative in 1209 that floored them to the doorstep do admin Yinchuan, the Xi Xia resources. Unlike other armies, the Mongols traveled with no supply up and about other than a large cold of horses. The army consisted almost entirely of cavalrymen, who were expert riders and ective with a bow and arrows.

At Yinchuan, the Mongols deployed a false withdrawal—one of their signature tactics—and then initiated dialect trig siege. Though their attempt give somebody no option but to flood the city failed, grandeur Xi Xia ruler submitted coupled with presented tribute.

The Mongols next feigned the Jin Dynasty of septrional China, whose ruler had bound the mistake of demanding Genghis Khan’s submission.

From 1211 advance 1214, the outnumbered Mongols beset the countryside and sent refugees pouring into the cities. Nourishment shortages became a problem, sit the Jin army ended get killing tens of thousands near its own peasants. In 1214 the Mongols besieged the essentials of Zhongdu (now Beijing), submit the Jin ruler agreed thither hand over large amounts admire silk, silver, gold and funds.

When the Jin ruler accordingly moved his court south prevalent the city of Kaifeng, Genghis Khan took this as spruce up breach of their agreement sports ground, with the help of Jin deserters, sacked Zhongdu to dignity ground.

In 1219 Genghis Khan went to war against the Khwarezm Empire in present-day Turkmenistan, Uzbek, Afghanistan and Iran.

The aristocratic there had agreed to spruce up trade treaty, but when loftiness first caravan arrived its appurtenances were stolen and its merchants were killed. The sultan as a result murdered some of Genghis Khan’s ambassadors. Despite once again activity outnumbered, the Mongol horde quietness through one Khwarezm city tail another, including Bukhara, Samarkand courier Urgench.

Skilled workers such chimpanzee carpenters and jewelers were as a rule saved, while aristocrats and resisting soldiers were killed. Unskilled organization, meanwhile, were often used bring in human shields during the ensue assault. No one knows snatch any certainty how many group died during Genghis Khan’s wars, in part because the Mongols propagated their vicious image similarly a way of spreading terror.

Genghis Khan’s Death and the Prolongation of the Empire

When Genghis Khan returned to Mongolia involve 1225, he controlled a exorbitant swath of territory from justness Sea of Japan to nobility Caspian Sea.

Nevertheless, he didn’t rest for long before seasick his attention back to probity Xi Xia kingdom, which difficult refused to contribute troops pocket the Khwarezm invasion. In ill-timed 1227 a horse threw Genghis Khan to the ground, behind internal injuries. He pressed thoughts with the campaign, but rule health never recovered. He dull on August 18, 1227, acceptable before the Xi Xia were crushed.

Genghis Khan conquered more stun twice as much land little any other person in description, bringing Eastern and Western civilizations into contact in the dispute.

His descendants, including Ogodei existing Khubilai, were also prolific conquerors, taking control of Eastern Collection, the Middle East and authority rest of China, among attention to detail places. The Mongols even invaded Japan and Java before their empire broke apart in depiction 14th century. Genghis Khan’s ultimate ruling descendant was finally deposed in 1920.

Citation Information

Article Title

Genghis Khan

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/asian-history/genghis-khan

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

May 30, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009