The Life of Genghis Khan (1162-1227 C.E.

The pleasure and joy of man lies in treading down the rebel and conquering the enemy, in tearing him
up by the root, in taking from him all that he has - Genghis Khan

One of the world’s greatest military geniuses was given the title “Genghis Khan,” or universal
ruler, by his people and came very close to making that title come true by conquering and creating the
largest empire the world had ever seen. And while the Mongol warrior’s most dramatic exploits were
carried out in his adult years, it was the events of his youth that shaped him into one of history’s most
feared men.
The Great Khan was born Temujin to a barbarian chieftain and a woman kidnapped from another
tribe in 1162 along the Onon river approximately 200 miles
northeast of Mongolia’s present day capital of Ulaanbaatar. Legend has it that he was
born holding a clot of blood in his fist. Some felt this was a sign that he would be a heroic
warrior.
At the time of his birth in the 1160s, there were approximately thirty warring
tribes in Mongolia. Temujin’s spent his childhood traveling with his father, Uisgei, the
head of a small clan. His father had been involved in a raid and robbery of a
neighboring Tartar tribe. They invited him to a dinner under the pretense of peace
talks and poisoned him when Temujin was nine years old. According to Mongol
custom Temujin should have inherited his father’s camels, horses,
and wealth with the chieftainship. However, the tribe
would not follow such a young boy and, instead, stole his
family’s possessions. Temujin, his mother and his
brothers were forced to struggle for survival in the Kentei
Mountains by catching fish and marmots, and gathering berries
and roots. Fighting starvation, wild animals, and marauders, the
boy grew into manhood with a reputation for courage and
resourcefulness
According to The Secret History of the Mongols, by an
ancient and unknown author, Temujin developed his reputation for violence and ruthlessness at an early
age. Apparently his half-brother Bekter had stolen fish and game from him when they were out hunting.
Without hesitation Temujin shot Bekter with an arrow and killed him.
One of the legends that grew up around the Mongol’s greatest historical figure involved Temujin’s
great strength. His mightiness was attributed to his supposed practice of a weightlifting program that
involved a newborn calf. Each day he would lift the young calf. As it grew he would continuing hefting
the heifer so that his strength grew until he was eventually lifting a full-grown cow. As unlikely as that
might have been, Temujin did become adept at hunting, riding, and wrestling. He was a skillful and
intelligent warrior. One day the new leader of Temujin’s clan kidnapped the teenager, placed a wooden
collar around his neck, and kept him under guard. Temujin knocked out his captor with the collar and
made his escape.
Eventually Temujin married a 17-year old girl of his tribe name Bortei, a marriage that had been
arranged by their fathers years earlier. Now that Temujin was a grown man and no longer “weak,” he
wanted to avenge himself upon his father’s tribe for abandoning his family. His mother’s old tribe, the
Merkits, however, invaded Temujin’s encampment to avenge her kidnapping. The Merkits kidnapped
Temujin’s wife. Temujin now had two enemies.
Temujin and his blood brother, Toghril, boldly rescued her. Temujin gathered an army of 20,000
men. He first destroyed the Merkit nobility and took the common people as his own soldiers and servants.
His bravery and growing wealth attracted followers and soon Temujin was the leader of his small clan.
Temujin then set about systematically eliminating all rivals in his quest to become master of the steppes.
In 1206 a large meeting of clan leaders was held by the River Onon, and Temujin was proclaimed
Genghis Khan, or “Universal Ruler”.
The year 1206 was a turning point in the history of the Mongols. The petty tribal quarrels and
raids were a thing of the past. A unified Mongol nation came into existence as the personal creation of
Genghis Khan and still survives today. Genghis Khan’s military genius was adaptable. Initially his
troops were exclusively cavalry using horses to help them defeat nomads. However, Khan developed
other strategies when battling cities and employed catapults, ladders, and burning oil, even diverting
rivers, if needed.
At the time of his death, Genghis Khan had conquered a landmass extending from Beijing to the
Caspian Sea, and his generals had raided Persia and Russia. Genghis Khan used violence to win and
maintain power, but he also brought a measure of civilization to his subjects, establishing trade routes and
laws that shaped his empire long after his death.
The tales of the bloody and savage conquests of Genghis Khan are legendary. But, perhaps one
which reveals the utter ruthlessness of the young Mongol’s teenage years involves Temujin’s blood
brother, Toghril. Although they were the closest of friends, Toghril opposed Temujin’s becoming the
absolute ruler of all the Mongols. He fought against the young man whom he had once fought beside.
When he was finally captured, Toghril asked only one thing of his childhood friend, “Let me die quickly.”
Temujin killed him.