Genghis Khan

 

Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongol Empire and a supremely capable military leader and administrator. He formed an ingenious intelligence network from which he was able to obtain valuable information against his enemies, and which helped him build his growing empire. However, history has shown us that Khan’s enemies suffered greatly at the hands of this powerful ruler. His methods were ruthless and bloodthirsty, often massacring whole cities that tried to oppose him.

 

THE BOY GROWS UP

Temujin, as he was originally known, was born c. ad 1162, the son of a minor Kiyat-Borjigid chieftain, Yisugei. Legend tells the story that Temujin was born with a blood clot in the palm of his hand, indicating that he was going to be a formidable leader. When Temujin was only nine years old, his father was poisoned and his mother was left to raise him on her own.

Mongols grew up on horses and were used to hunting, and Temujin became adept at using the bow and arrow. They were a race of nomadic herdsmen who lived on the grassy plains just north of the Gobi Desert and south of the Siberian forests. They generally hunted in small groups and were led by a chief, or khan, living in portable tent-like structures called gers, or perhaps better known, as yurts. It was a tough existence and Temujin quickly learned the value of making allies to help him through the hard times. As he grew into a fine, strong, young man, Timujen gained respect through his bravery, intelligence and power of persuasion – in fact he scared the other khans with his ability to make others do what he wished.

As he grew into adulthood, Temujin made an ally of Ong Khan, an old friend of his father’s. Ong Khan saw the potential in the young man and he asked Temujin to join him on a campaign against the Tartars of the west. The young man fought well and so impressed Ong Khan that he decided to adopt Temujin and appoint him his legal heir. Ong Khan’s legitimate son, Senggum, was understandably put out by this decision and he attempted to assassinate his rival. However, Temujin was informed of the attempt on his life and managed to defeat Senggum and his supporters in a battle.

Ong Khan had spent many years building up a coalition of Mongols and other tribes and, on his death in 1206, Temujin took the title of ‘Universal Ruler’, which translates into Genghis Khan.

 

brilliant organizational skills

Genghis Khan continued to build up his army and destroyed what was left of any old enemy tribes. He also created a new body of law, which was something he worked on for the remainder of his life. As a teenager, before he became khan, Temujin’s beloved young wife, Borte, was kidnapped. He was devoted to her and spent a long time trying to rescue her, which resulted in the massacre of an entire tribe. Because kidnapping of women had caused much feuding among the Mongols, as khan, Genghis made the practice illegal. He also declared that all children were legitimate, regardless of who their parents were, and he also made it law that no woman could be sold into an arranged marriage. Genghis Khan also made it a capital offence to steal an animal and regulated hunting so that meat was available for everyone. As he expanded his empire, Genghis Khan created order but, despite being a genius at organization, he still managed to terrify the continent stretching from Peking to the Crimea. If his opponents were not submissive and remained defiant, Genghis attacked. If, however, they agreed to his terms, he usually allowed them to remain in power, so long as they paid extortionate taxes and provided him with military power. Under the leadership of Genghis Khan, the Mongols rapidly conquered an enormous region of Asia. The empire they eventually carved out took in the whole of Central Aisa from China to Persia and stretched as far west as the Mediterranean.

 

GENGHIS KHAN AND THE SILK ROAD

The Silk Road (or Silk Route) is one of the oldest routes of international trade in the world and was an important path for communication between different parts of the empire. Realising the importance of this major trading route, Genghis Khan advanced to his south in an effort to secure his borders. He made an alliance with the Uighurs, who were closer than the Mongols were to the Silk Road and its subsequent wealth. To advance his progress even further, Genghis Khan arranged for his daughter to be married to the Uighur Khan. The Uighurs were far wealthier than the Mongols, who only had leather, fur and felt to trade. When the Uighur Khan arrived at the wedding with a caravan full of gold, silver, pearls and fancy silks and satins, it gave Genghis Khan the much needed booty to pay his troops.

In 1209, Genghis Khan moved against the Tanguts, who were farmers and herders in north­west China. Like the Uighurs, they were rich in goods and Genghis Khan needed their wealth to improve his status. Because the Mongols were outnumbered by two to one they had to learn new ways of warfare. By depriving them of supplies and water, they managed to overcome the fortified cities, something that they had not encountered in earlier battles.

The Ruzhen Jin occupied northern China and had a firm control of goods along the Silk Road. The leader of the Ruzhen Jin met with Genghis Khan and demanded that the Mongols submit to his army and become vassals. Genghis Khan knew that if he defied this barbarian enemy, he would lose access to vital goods and he made the decision to go to war. In 1211, the Mongols attacked. The Ruzhen Jin had a large and effective army, but they were also under attack from the Chinese south of the Yangzi River. They managed to force the Chinese to retreat and Genghis used this to his advantage. Taking advantage of newly-acquired Chinese siege machines, the Mongols surged forward and ravaged the countryside as they went. They swept from city to city, a savage force which their opponents were totally unprepared for. In the name of conquest, they hacked, burned, slashed and obliterated anything in their path. They inflicted terror and bloodshed on the Ruzhen subjects and gained vital information and booty from each conquest. Revered as a god among his warriors, no name inspired more terror than that of Genghis Khan.

By 1214, Genghis Khan had taken control of the majority of China north of the Yellow River. The Ruzhen emperor was forced to recognize the Mongol leader’s authority and relented to paying him the taxes he demanded.

 

expansion

After five years of fighting the Mongols returned to their native Mongolia, taking with them many engineers who had now become a regular part of the army. They had also taken captive musicians, translators, doctors and learned scribes, along with wagons of goods, including silk, rope, cushions, blankets, robes, rugs, porcelain, perfumes, jewellery, wine, honey, medicines, bronze, gold, silver and many other valuable items. The Mongols were pleased to be home and settled into their new prosperous lifestyle with ease. However, it wasn’t long before Genghis Khan yearned more wealth and supplies for his nation.

In 1218, an event took place that would change Ghenghis Khan’s realm into a mighty empire. A Mongol caravan travelling from Mongolia to the Persian Empire was stopped by the governor of a Persian frontier province in modern-day Uzbekistan. The governor suspected, and probably rightly, that the caravan included several spies and he ordered the caravan to be attacked and its good seized. He had the chief of the envoys killed and the beards of the others burned, and sent them back to Genghis Khan. This violation of the safe-conduct of caravans was unforgivable, and Genghis sent ambassadors to the Shah of Persia, demanding that the offending governor be turned over to him. The shah, who laughed in the faces of the ambassadors, decided to have them all killed for their impudence. As for Genghis Khan, this was another unforgivable offence and he declared war.

Although the Mongols had already conquered a large area with considerable bloodshed, they had barely made any impact on the frontiers of the vast Persian Empire. Once again Genghis Khan used his intelligence and information that he had gathered from previous battles. He knew that the shah’s empire was rather fragmented by different ethnic and religious groups, who were only kept under control by force. What happened next was a very bold act on behalf of Genghis Khan. He ordered two of his generals to hunt down the shah within his own empire and kill anyone who interfered. Word soon spread that anyone who fought against the warring Mongols faced certain death, and the shah fled for his life towards the Caspian Sea, leaving his subjects to be raped and slaughtered.

As Genghis Khan worked his way through his new territory, he left behind him a bloody trail, as one city after another was captured by the Mongols. Women were raped, inhabitants were tied up and shot with arrows, while others were decapitated. Rich inhabitants were tortured until they revealed where they had hidden their wealth.

As the remorseless army made its way across Armenia and Georgia, Europe became aware of the power of the Mongols and their leader for the first time. Unlike the cumbersome armies of Europe, the Mongols travelled light and were consequently more mobile. They were able to outwit and tire any pursuers, often spending days at a time in the saddle. The Mongols’ ability to travel up to 160 km (100 miles) per day, was unheard of by armies of that time.

Although the Mongols were totally ruthless in battle, they always displayed extraordinary military discipline. Originally of nomadic origin, they were very quick to adapt to new siege tactics and they were soon an army with a fearful reputation.

 

the death of a great leader

Genghis Khan returned to Mongolia in 1225, having enjoyed great military success. He now ruled everything between the Caspian Sea and Beijing and had control of trade through his empire. For the first time, numerous European envoys, merchants and craftsmen could travel in relative safety throughout Central Asia as far as China.

Genghis Khan went to war one final time when he believed that the Tangut people were not living up to his required standards. Even at the age of sixty-five, Genghis Khan still led his army into battle, and it was in 1227, in his fight against the Tanguts, that he allegedly fell of his horse and died.

In terms of area, Genghis Khan was the greatest conqueror of all time. Although he ultimately paved the way for peace and security, it was at the expense of great destruction in the terms of life and property. He was an organizational and strategic genius and even after his death, the Mongol armies continued to dominate the battlefields. Vengeance was Genghis Khan’s usual reason to go to war and he slaughtered people without giving it a second thought. Terror was his principle weapon of war and he is reputed to have said:

 

The greatest joy a man can know is to conquer his enemies and drive them before him. To ride their horses and take away their possessions. To see the faces of those who were dear to them bedewed with tears, and to clasp their wives and daughters in his arms.