Genghis Khan Power was the main thing everyone wanted to have. Obtaining it was another problem. For example, leaders gained power through those who followed them and if no one did, they could not be a leader. They had to be able to succeed in hardships and be able to go through difficulty in order to gain popularity and power. An example of a leader who earned his power by displaying his ability of making strategies that encouraged people to join him on his conquests and expeditions was Alexander the Great.
Although some successful leaders are born into a high rank, the man who would eventually become Genghis Khan, Temujin, was born into poverty and misfortune. With great difficulty, Temujin overcame his disadvantage to become a powerful and victorious warrior and leader. Temujin was born in Mongolia, 1167. Growing up in Mongolia was a difficulty experience for his family. The climate was hot and dry, and people lived on a simple diet. The temperature went up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit on a normal day in the summer. Growing crops was difficult because many would die due to lack of water in the ground.
The Mongols had a simple diet, which consisted of meat and tea. Most meat was mutton from sheep, which would then be boiled into a stew. Stew had meat, short green vegetables and hot water. Tea was a common drink that would be drunk twenty to thirty times a day. (Greenblatt, 2002) Temujin’s father was Yisugei. Yisugei was a major chief of the neighboring Khamag Mongol confederation. He came to Mongolia to find a fiance for Temujin because marriage meant an alliance for their family. Temujin was soon engaged to Borte. A few months later, Yisugei encountered some Tartars camped on a plain.
The practice of the locals was to offer hostility to a stranger. The Tartars invited Yisugei to stay for a meal. But they thought Yisugei was an enemy they had seen from the past, so they poisoned his food. When he returned to his tribe, he realized that he had been poisoned. By that time, it was too late and the poison had taken its toll, which led to his demise. (Stefano, 2003) (Adamjee, 2003) Since Temujin’s father died, his family was kicked out of the tribe. He had a large family, which consisted of his mother, three brother, two half brothers, one sister and an old women. Food was very scarce.
They ate wild berries, birds, and fish. Locals stole from what little Temujin’s family had. Some of his brothers were captured and killed. One brother was shot by a bow for stealing food. All these struggles and hardships led to the collapse of Temujin’s family. (Greenblatt, 2002) A few years later Temujin returned to his father’s tribe married Borte. She made him stay in the tribe. Returning to the tribe gave Temujin determination to be a chief just like his father. To do this, he needed to gain power and status like his father had. Temujin went to his father’s close friend, Toghurl, who offered Temujin his aid.
Toghurl honored the new relationship between his tribe and Temujin by protecting them with an army lead by Jamuka, Temujin’s blood brother. (Owen, 2014) Temujin and Jamuka became very close. Together their reputation became very known. However, Temujin was generous to the people instead of aggressive. Many thought he would bring peace to the warring Mongol tribes. The tribes acknowledged both Jamuka and Temujin as their leaders. They gave the title khan to Temujin but made Jamuka the majority leader. Jamuka surprise attacked Temujin. While Jamuka was successful at first, Temujin eventually won and had Jamuka executed.
After, Temujin claimed power over all of Mongolia, and he earned the new title of Genghis Khan. (Greenblatt, 2002) Now leader, Genghis Khan began restructuring the army. He invented new tactics and made warriors more loyal. A tactic Genghis Khan used against his enemies was the “circle and close-in”. This tactic required warriors to ride around in a circle and slowly close onto the enemy and execute them. This tactic of his was successful as it gave fear and discouragement to his enemies. He developed a cavalry system of putting warriors with bows on horses around the town. This made it harder for the enemy to attack.
During the time, most warriors with bows would stay on ground so they could get a clear shot but, Genghis Khans cavalry system worked more efficiently. A phrase used to describe these warriors is “arrowed riders”. (Greenblatt, 2002) Mongol warriors had unique battle gear. They had different armor. Mongols wore woven silk undershirts, to protect them from arrow attacks. Moreover, silk prevented infection when shot by an arrow. This helped the Mongols survive attacks. On their chest Mongols wore leather tunics because it was light in weight and gave some defense from attacks.
Mongols wore headgear. The helmets were either made of iron or leather depending on if you were an arrowed rider or a warrior. The Mongol battle gear had one short-range bow, and two quivers containing sixty arrows and a sword. (Goldberg, 2008) (Itzkowitz, 2008) Along with having unique battle gear, Genghis Khan showed loyalty to his soldiers. To gain loyalty, he treated all men equally.
He made it so that each received the same amount of food even if you were a commander or flag holder. Warriors were not envious of each other due to their equal rights. One-quote stated, “A good commander… ust understand what his followers feel-or he will allow his warriors to suffer and his horses to starve”. Staying in a group was the key to success of Genghis Khan’s strategy. If one member attacked, the whole army was supposed to follow along and attack with that one person. Next, Genghis Khan had to make his tribe an empire and, to do so he needed to lead conquests. (Greenblatt, 2002) Conquest played a major role in completing the task of forming an empire. In 1207, Genghis Khan led his army against the Xi Xia a tribe in China. By 1209, Genghis Khan and his army had conquered the Xi Xia.
After claiming his new territory on the Xi Xia, in 1211, Genghis Khan turned his attention to northern China. China was under the Jin Dynasty (1115 – 1234). After a harsh four years of battle, Genghis Khan’s army captured one of the major cities Zhongdu, China. Soon most areas north of the Yellow River fell under Mongol control. This accomplishment made the Mongol empire wealthy. (Kent, Zachary, 2008) Genghis Khan and his successors encouraged trade and exchange. Mongols valued goods that came from other lands and people. The Mongol Empire traveled across Asia with ease as they were strong and unified.
Since the empire grew very wide, Genghis Khan affected the cultures of many Asian countries. Cultures changed and so did the people. Many developed new clothing and jewelry because of trade. People wore long robes called del that were slit on both sides to make riding on horses easier. New jewelry included brass, silver, and gold. These were used to decorate saddles of horses or clothing such as robes or headgear. (Greenblatt, 2002) Most trade came from merchants that were on the Silk Road. Genghis Khan sent warriors to guard certain places on the Silk Road so merchants could safely travel.
These places that were set up on the Silk Road were called Ortogh. Genghis Khan even wanted to secure the path to get to the Mongol Empire having paper money, which was the passport to enter the empire and bring in goods. Reopening the Silk Road encouraged many to trade with the Mongols. In this trade the Mongol exported copper, livestock, hides and wool. Other merchants imported items were sugar, tea, silk, and gold. These items were usually given to those who were wealthier. (Biography. com Editors, 2011) Genghis Khan set rules that kept his empire unified. His legal code is commonly known as Yasa.
Laws were passed to show others that no man was stronger than the other. Some laws posted were, no lying, spying, or stealing, treat others equally, care for the poor, and do not get drunk. Liars were kicked out of the empire since, no one really knew if they could be trusted. Caring for the poor and eliminating poverty was important to Genghis Khan because he was born and raised in poverty. Getting drunk was only allowed three times a month or else Mongol warriors were punished. The injured and crippled were given cattle, and material to make a tent. His generosity kept his Mongol allies close and loyal to him. Stefano, 2003) (Adamjee, 2003)
In the year 1227, Genghis Khan died. Historians are not sure how he died. Many suggest that in battle Genghis Khan had fallen off his horse. His son took power, his name was Ogedei. He further expanded the empire to accommodate a larger population. His campaign was focused on China but he never succeeded to conquer the whole country. He eliminated the Chin dynasty in 1234. Later, he died on 1241 due to an attack. Once Ogedei died, Kublai Khan ruled the Mongol Empire. (Owen, 2014) Kublai Khan was Genghis Khan’s grandson. Kublai Khan was born in 1215 and immediately began his conquest.
Kublai Khan’s goal was to conquer all of China and accumulate a lot of wealth. He laid siege to the great cities of the Song dynasty using a type of catapult called a trebuchet. The Mongols had learned about these catapults while at war with the Persians. With these catapults, the Mongol army threw huge rock bombs onto the cities of the Song. The walls crumbled and soon the Song Dynasty was defeated. This was a major accomplishment for the Mongols, which had tried to conquer the area for a long time. Kublai Khan had reunified the Mongol Empire. Kublai Khan died in 1294. (Biography. com Editors, 2011)
Genghis khan was a successful leader whose legacy not only lasted for several years but also still exists today. Facing hardships made Genghis Khan a leader not a follower. Showing care and generosity to his followers, gave him a strong successful army. Genghis Khan’s strategy worked so well that his grandson Kublai Khan used a similar method and conquered China. The Mongol Empire was more advanced and more terrifying than any other empire at the time. Genghis Khan’s followers helped him in becoming one of the most ruthless leaders and conquerors known today. Without any followers, Genghis Khan could not have become such a great leader.