Genghis Khan -The Great Conqueror
The steppes don’t only hold the spiritual miracles of their indigenous peoples, but they also gave birth to one of the most famous warriors and leaders of the ancient world history. In the mid 12th century, Europe’s dark ages were over-shadowed by the cultural domination of the Islamic empires and the Chinese kingdoms, in the middle east and far east respectively. Between those two political and economical powers are the vast plain steppes. These steppes were not empty. Thousands of nomadic tribes lived (and continue to live) there with their own diverse rules and customs, one of which began to arise above the rest, tempted by the prosperous empires surrounding them.
This clan was the Borjigin, a Mongol tribe of aristocrats, and it was commanded by Yesugei, son of the last Khan, with his small but fierce son; Temujin. Because of his power and influence, Yesugei was poisoned by the Tatars, leaving a very young Temujin to rule the tribe alone. From there, resentment and hunger for revenge shaped him into a charismatic and strategic leader. By forging friendships and unifying peoples towards the same horizon, Temujin quickly became an even more important figure than his father had been. He developed remarkable strategic military tactics, political skills and a respectful approach to other cultures, even after conquering them.
He eventually took his revenge against the Tatars, but he didn’t stop there. After convincing or conquering dozens of clans to his side, he was named Genghis Khan (the Great King) of all the nomadic peoples. And he didn’t stop there either. He continued to conquer the remaining tribes and expand the domains of his new Mongolian Empire into the Chinese and Muslim kingdoms and even some countries in Eastern Europe. He would not stop until he had the whole world at his feet. And he made it pretty far. In fact, the Mongols conquered more land in 25 years than the Romans did in 400.
After his mysterious death in 1227, his sons and grandsons continued his campaigns using the same techniques of warfare and smart administration, but the Empire eventually faded away like the wind in the steppe. The sophisticated war, tax, trade, messaging and governing systems that Genghis Khan implemented in his ever-growing empire set new standards for humankind, and created entirely new countries, borders, languages and cultures that exist today. The legend will live on.
Check out our sources:
http://necrometrics.com/pre1700a.htm#Mongol
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140310-genghis-khan-mongols-mongolia-climate-change/