Genghis Khan, a ruthless warrior, ambitious tribal chief, and an exceptionally intelligent leader, established the Great Mongol Empire, which extended its wings over Asia and Europe.
Legend has it that when he was born, his hand was clenched in a fist and it was covered in blood. Tribal seers are said to have prophesied that this child would grow up to be a great warrior. Genghis Khan (1162 - August 18, 1227) conducted campaigns from China to Iran, subjugating nearly the entire Asian continent, causing the death of approximately 20 million (some sources suggest 40 million), which is about 11% of the world population at that time.
Is Genghis Khan Turkish?
At birth, he was named Temujin. Genghis Khan was born into harsh lands where inter-tribal warfare was common. His father, Yesugei Bahadur, was the leader of the Kiyat Tatar tribe. Historians and anthropologists generally consider Mongols and Turks to be distant cousins. Genghis Khan learned that the only way to succeed was through warfare when his father Yesugei Bahadur was killed by a rival tribe.
Who is Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan gathered scattered Mongol tribes in the Central Asian steppes and, with a handful of fiercely loyal men, quickly emerged as an invincible war machine. His name means "Universal Ruler." Genghis Khan's original name was Temujin, and he adopted the name Genghis later.
After uniting the nomadic Mongol tribes, Genghis Khan turned his attention to China, a land known for its legendary wealth. With his mastery of warfare and pillaging techniques, he embarked on the conquest of China. The mighty walls of Beijing fell before Genghis Khan. In 1211, Beijing was completely taken by Genghis Khan, and by 1215, all of China was under Mongol rule. The siege and conquest of Beijing are legendary. The well-fortified capital of China, surrounded by high walls, felt secure in its defenses. However, Genghis Khan, a shrewd and skilled warrior, cut off all external connections to the city. He didn't attack the fortress directly, but instead blocked the supplies. His army enjoyed feasting outside, turning livestock into kuzu and oğlak (a Turkish term for lamb and goat). Meanwhile, the residents of Beijing ran out of food. After three to four months of starvation, the city, it is even rumored, resorted to cannibalism before finally being forced to surrender. This similar tactic, known as "aman" in Turkish, was also successfully employed during the early years of the Ottoman Empire in the conquest of Bursa and especially İznik.
After conquering China, Genghis Khan and his war machine set their sights on the west. The Mongol army penetrated deep into the heart of Europe, spreading fear and devastation wherever they went. Despite leaving behind a reputation of destruction and terror, Genghis Khan was not merely a leader and warrior who wielded the sword. When necessary, he employed persuasive speeches delivered by envoys to convey his political intentions, especially if his demands were not met. He easily took control of the cities he targeted.
Loyalty was of utmost importance to Genghis. When needed, he even buried entire populations of large cities together in history (for example, Nishapur, Otrar). Although Genghis Khan achieved significant feats according to the conditions of his era, his legacy is marked by ruthlessness, tyranny, and enmity. During Genghis Khan's rule and the subsequent Mongol dominance, conflicts between Muslims and Christians decreased, and a common enemy emerged.
Genghis Khan had reached such great power that he saw himself as the ruler of the world and did not want to die. He gathered the religious leaders in his country and asked them to do everything in their power to prevent his death. However, the religious leaders naturally told him that this was not possible.
How Did Genghis Khan Die
Despite his whirlwind campaigns on the battlefields, it is generally accepted that Genghis Khan's death occurred as a result of falling from his horse (August 18, 1227). After his death, his children and grandchildren did not give the world rest for a long time. The Mongol horses trampled over Korea, China, Russia, and the Middle East. Many scholars agree that the potential for an Islamic Renaissance was stifled before it could emerge due to the Mongol invasion of Baghdad in 1258 and the subsequent destruction.
Genghis Khan's Statue
Undoubtedly, Genghis Khan is considered one of the greatest leaders in history. He is often viewed as the greatest military commander. When he died, his empire was four times the size of Alexander the Great's territory and twice the size of the Roman Empire's domain. Genghis Khan, who never tasted defeat, expanded trade and cultural richness between Asia and Europe by removing his own boundaries. Conversely, his invasions also brought civilizations to ruin.
Genghis Khan placed great importance on trade. He ordered his soldiers not to attack merchants and protected trade routes. Genghis Khan did not interfere with the beliefs of the people he ruled. He even exempted religious leaders from paying taxes. Genghis Khan and the Mongols played a significant role in the spread of innovations born in China, such as paper and gunpowder, to Europe. Turkic tribes living in Central Asia traveled to Anatolia through the paths opened by the Mongols. Genghis Khan's descendants followed in his footsteps, spreading plunder, violence, and brutality in the territories they conquered.
Genghis Khan had a challenging life. His father was killed when he was young, and his first wife, Borte, was kidnapped by the Merkit tribe. His beloved first wife was married off to another man. Genghis Khan rescued his wife Borte, and nine months later, she gave birth to a child. Because the identity of the child's father was uncertain, Genghis Khan gave the child the Mongolian name "Juchi," meaning guest. Genghis Khan never treated Juchi differently from his own biological son. Unfortunately, Juchi died before Genghis Khan. Revenge, blood, and war filled Genghis Khan's life, which was always marked by struggle.
During Genghis Khan's reign and the subsequent rule of his descendants, the Mongols launched campaigns from China to Russia, Anatolia to Vienna, establishing dominance. Their names alone were enough to strike fear in the hearts of people during that era. In 1242, a descendant of Genghis, the new Khan, came as far as the outskirts of Vienna, and when he died, the Mongol army stopped. When the army returned for the new Khan's election, Europe began to breathe a sigh of relief. The outbreak of the plague is thought to have started due to the Mongol attacks in Ukraine.
According to Genghis Khan's own request (to keep it secret), his tomb was trampled by horses, and everyone who attended the funeral (reported to be around two thousand people) was killed. As a result, the location of Genghis Khan's grave remains unknown even today.
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