On August 18, 1227 Mongolian leader Genghis Khan, one of the most infamous conquerors of history, died. During his lifetime Khan unified Mongolia, and his empire was later expanded from Asia to the Adriatic Sea.
Temujin, later known as Genghis Khan, was an intelligent warrior and military leader. Raised in an unpredictable and violent life, Temujin was forced to learn how to protect and fight for himself. His childhood concluded with his father being poisoned to death, his brother being brutally murdered, and his clan abandoning him. At one point, Temujin was even enslaved, although he was able to escape later.
Temujin came to power by uniting his allies in Northeastern Asia and giving them key positions, an uncustomary move at the time. He executed leaders of opposing tribes while organizing the remaining members of the opposing tribes into his clan. By 1205, he had conquered all of his enemies. That same year, Temujin called for a meeting of representatives from every section of the district, establishing a nation similar to modern-day Mongolia. He was then proclaimed as Genghis Khan, Universal Ruler.
In 1209, Genghis Khan began his campaign against the Xi Xia Kingdom of Northwestern China. Unlike other armies, the Mongols traveled without a supply chain. Instead, the army was entirely built of cavalrymen, experts at riding and deadly with the bow. Genghis Khan continuously raided the Xi Xia Kingdom and, although not a single attempt to conquer the kingdom succeeded, the ruler offered tribute and submission. The Mongols next invaded the Jin dynasty, whose ruler had made the mistake of demanding Genghis Khan’s submission. From 1211 to 1214, Genghis Khan’s army repeatedly attacked and plundered into the countryside, forcing Jin refugees to flee.
In 1219, Genghis Khan went to war against the Khwarezm empire. The sultan, not wanting any trouble, agreed to a trade treaty. However, when the first caravan arrived with goods and treasures, the merchants were murdered and the goods were stolen. This angered the sultan, so he murdered several of Genghis Khan’s ambassadors. From then on, Ghengis Khan chased after the Khwarezem with a never-ending vengeance, determined to destroy its people. He finally withdrew in 1223 and did not lead his army to war again until his final attacks against the Xi Xia in 1226 and 1227. In the end, he was never able to fully conquer the kingdom, and he died on August 18, 1227.
During his lifetime, Genghis Khan performed many impressive and monumental feats. He unified all Mongolian nomadic tribes and vanquished great empires in battle despite being outnumbered. He stormed city after city, murdering thousands of people while forcing the rest of the inhabitants to serve under his command: Genghis Khan conquered twice as much land as any other individual in history, taking control of the Middle East and other Asian states; his descendants continued to add to his empire, conquering other parts of Europe before the Mongolian empire ultimately fell apart in the 14th century. Genghis Khan’s conquests paved the way for this sprawling Mongolian empire, the largest contiguous empire the world has ever seen.
