Ghenghis khan

Meta-title: Born in 1162 CE Ghengis Khan was a Mongolian emperor who ruled most of
Eurasia. Till the time of death in 1227 CE, he had captured China, Mongolia, Persia, Syria,
Japan, and parts of Europe as well.

Introduction
Ghengis Khan is undoubtedly the most brutal ruler in the history of humanity. He was a
member of a Mongolian tribe, but his ambitions made him the undisputed conqueror
of Eurasia. Coming from a humble background, he struggled throughout his childhood
for food after being abandoned by his tribe. Earlier, his father was also poisoned to
death by a rival tribe.

But all those difficulties didn’t stop him from becoming the ruler of the largest empire in
human history. He started making alliances via marriage and wars, eventually
converting Mongols from a tribal war-waring country to an organized military
powerhouse. Ghengis Khan is also credited with slaughtering millions who stood in his
way, until Europe. However, India saved itself from his wrath. Now let’s see what made
Ghenghis Khan such a brutal conqueror and an undisputed ruler.

Early Life
● Born in the year 1162 to the tribal chief of Borjigin, Yesukhai. Ghenghis Khan
was named Temujin.
● At the young age of nine, his marriage was fixed with Borte of the Kongirad
tribe. On his way to his land, his father was treacherously poisoned to death by
the tribals of Tatar.
● Temujin claimed his father’s throne as the successor but was left to starve by
his fellow tribal men.
● For years he lived on animal carcasses, wild fruits, and raw meat along with his
mother and siblings.
● Finally, in 1178 he married Borte in order to make alliances. But soon she
was kidnapped by a rival tribe. Then Temujin and his friend Jamukha lead an
expedition to get Borte back and destroy their rivals.
The Making of the Empire
● Central Asia comprised tribes like Merkits, Tatars, Khamag, Mongols, and
Keraites in the 13th century.
● Temujin with Jamukha spread his stronghold by destroying tribes one by
one. He avenged his father’s death by murdering every male over 3 feet tall of the
Tatar tribe.
● In 1187, Temujin was elected as the “Khan” of the Mongol clan.
● In 1206, he was given the title of Genghis Khan(Universal King and Ruler of All
Men) after defeating the powerful Naiman Tribe.
● China was the first foreign land attacked by Ghenghis Khan. In 1207 he
attacked the Xia Dynasty and conquered it within two years. And in 1211 Jin
Dynasty was attacked, plundering the capital of Zonghdu by 1215.
● Ghenghis Khan sent three ambassadors to the court of Shah Ala ad-din
Mohammad, the ruler of the Khwarizmi empire(Persia) in the 13th century.
Shah disrespected Khan by shaving their heads and making fun of the Mongolian
ruler.
● In reply, Ghenghis Khan led an army of more than 100,000 men. They killed
every living creature including the domestic animals in the villages they attacked.
● The attack came from the east, northeast, and north, giving no opportunity for
the King to survive. By 1221, the Khwarizm Dynasty was ended.
● Later he gathered his army to return to Mongolia. However, he ordered his
military generals to keep expanding westward until they were defeated.
● Eventually, the Mongols captured most of Central Asia, China, Siberia, Persia,
Syria, Arabs, and even Southeastern Europe. They still remained undefeated
but were called back.
● However, the Mongols failed to capture India because of its geographical and
military advantages.
Ghenghis Khan as a Military Leader
Ghenghis Khan was a gifted military general. He pioneered numerous Mongolian war
tactics such as-

● He organized hundreds of Mongolian tribes to form a powerful army.

● He shortened the horses in height to increase mobility.
● The Mongolians used the so-called German “blitz kriek” to capture land. Under
this, the army launched a solid and targeted attack on a front to blow it off.
● He employed a huge network of spies and quickly adopted the advanced
technologies of enemies.
● The Mongol soldiers were equipped with bows, arrows, shields, and daggers.
Meanwhile, smoke and burning torches were used for signaling.
● Food for soldiers and horses was also carried in oxcarts.

Administration under Ghenghis Khan

● The foundation of administration under Ghenghis Khan lay in a meritocracy. He
believed in equality and favored the talented people for leadership, not the ones
belonging to a certain bloodline.
● The Mongol empire was ruled under the civil and military code made by
Ghenghis Khan called Yassa.
● Under the code, every person from Mongols to Turks to Europeans was to be
treated equally.
 ● Even women were given equal rights, which was quite rare for that time period.
Example- Toregene Khatun served as the regent till the next Khagan was chosen.
● Religious tolerance was a prime feature of Ghenghis Khan’s rule. He was a
Tengrist but gave equal respect to all religions.
● He believed that religion is a personal concept and should not be state-controlled.
● Ghenghis Khan also promoted trade and communication by constructing roads
and ports.
● He also selected capable local leaders to serve as the administrators in his large
empire and control the territory for him.

Summary
Genghis Khan is arguable the most brutal ruler in humanity’s history but was also a
great war general and administrator. In fact, he was way ahead of his time in certain
aspects like women's equality and religious tolerance.

At its peak, the Mongol empire spread across an equal to the entire African continent.
This vast empire could not have been organized if not for the extraordinary courage and
leadership of Ghenghis Khan. After he was left to starve in his childhood, numerous
lessons became clear to him. He himself has accepted that those struggles made him the
toughest he could have ever become.

FAQs

Q1. When did Genghis Khan die?

Ans. Genghis Khan died in the year 1227. It is said that he died due to injuries sustained
after falling from a horse. However, the cause of his death is still uncertain.

Q2. Who was the successor of Genghis Khan?

And. Ogedai Khan succeeded Genghis Khan as the king of the Mongol empire. However,
the kingdom reached its zenith under Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan. He
ruled from 1260 to 1294

Q3. Why did Genghis not conquer India?

Ans. Geographically India was fortified by the Himalayas in the north and the Hindukush
mountains served as a barrier in the west. Even if an army crossed the Hindukush, the
mighty Indus river was almost impossible to bridge. Finally, the Indian monsoon
weather and the strong Indian rulers repelled foreign invasions.

Q4. Which Indian ruler repelled the most Mongol invasions?

Ans. Allauddin Khilji faced and repelled most Mongol invasions of India. He fought the
enemy outside the densely populated region near the rivers where horses were almost
useless. He also built the Siri Fort to save the Delhi Sultanate from attacks.
Q5. Why did the Mongols never recover post the 13th-century golden period?
Ans. After the death of Kublai Khan, the Mongol empire slowly disintegrated. The
smaller tribal clans rose again. And there was the rise of the Ottoman Empire in the
Persian region which limited the Mongols to the Asian steppe.

References
● Genghis Khan - Wikipedia. En.wikipedia.org. (2022). Retrieved 14 September
2022, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genghis_Khan#Politics_and_economics.
● Genghis Khan | Biography, Conquests, Achievements, & Facts. Encyclopedia
Britannica. (2022). Retrieved 14 September 2022, from
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Genghis-Khan.
● Unacademy - Supported browsers. Unacademy.com. (2022). Retrieved 14
September 2022, from https://unacademy.com/content/upsc/study-
material/ncert-notes/history-class-11-genghis-khan/.