Genghis Khan
Чингис хаан
Introduction
Have you ever wondered why some men are look upon as cowards while others are looked upon as leaders? Have you ever wondered why some men are criticized while others are feared? Within this project, both of these questions will be answered by a man named Genghis Khan who was a Mongolian warrior and ruler who created an empire by destroying tribes Northeast Asia. This will be spoken of in greater detail as we explore his life growing up, rise to power, and accomplishments in his life.
His Life Growing Up
In 1162 in Mongolia, a baby was born by the name of Genghis Khan, who was originally named Temujin. Temujin was born with a blood clot in one of his hands, which according to Mongol folklore, is a sign that he was to become a leader. At the age of nine, Temujin witnessed the death of his father which led to him returning home to claim his position as chief. Ultimately, Temujin killed half-brother, Bekhter which gave way to him being the head of his family. At the age of sisteen, Temujin married Borte, who was kidnapped shortly after marriage by the Merkit Tribe and gave birth to Jochi, her first son. Despite Temujin’s failed attempts to rescue Borte, she and Temujin had four male children who qualified for succession in the family. At the age of twenty, Temujin was captured in a raid by the Taichi’uts and enslaved, but managed to escape and form a fighting unit. This was the start of a 20,000 man army that would later destroy everything in its path.
Rise to Power
In the introduction, the question was asked why are some men criticized while others are feared. Genghis Khan was a man to be feared not because of his family nor his past, but because he was not afraid to take charge and enact change. As Genghis Khan began his rise to power, he allowed freedom of religion, banned enslavement, forbade the kidnapping/selling of women, ordered a writing system, and punished those by death who stole livestock. Without saying, the above gained him respect, but what followed gained him a reputation. In 1209, Genghis Khan led his army of cavalrymen, which consisted of men who were deadly with bows/arrows and experienced riders, to Yinchuan, the capitol of Xi Xia. There, Genghis Khan and his army deployed a false withdrawal and then conducted a siege, which proved successful. From 1211 to 1214, Genghis Khan led his army and attacked the Jin Dynasty which resulted in a massacre of its own people when a food shortage plagued the city and countless peasants were killed. As if this were not enough, Genghis Khan demolished the capitol city of Zhongdu, which is current day Beijing. In 1219, Genghis Khan led his army into current day Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan where he killed countless men associated with the Khwarezm Empire over a trade treaty. Of the many battles in which Genghis Khan was involved in, this was perhaps his most brutal according to sources.
Achievements
Of the many achievements that Genghis Khan achieved in his life, I think that the Yassa was his greatest achievement. The Yassa was a legal code that Genghis Khan had crated under his direction. This code quickly spread throughout Asia and the Middle East. It was similar to the Pony Express. Other notable achievements were the creation of paper money and rockets. Despite both the military and non-military achievements, Mongols today respect Genghis Khan as the founding father of Mongolia.
Conclusion
In 1227, Genghis Khan was killed in action during the fall of Yinchuan, the capital of Western Xia. Without saying, Genghis Khan was a leader and he proved that time and time again in battle. With reviewing the many sources used to write this report, killing seemed to be apart of him after the death of his father. Without saying, Genghis Khan left a profound mark in history, whether it be bad or good.