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20 Best Books on Genghis Khan (2022 Review)

September 18, 2020 by James Wilson

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​ There are many controversial opinions on Genghis Khan. He was a world leader who did  a lot for his subjects. He reigned for a long time, and spent 20 years building an army. He was great at controlling his subject, conquering different countries, and leading an army. He was kind at times and wanted the best for his army, but was also barbaric in his methods. He killed many people during the war.

What are the Best Genghis Khan Books to read?

For a long time, historians called him a blood-thirsty, horrific leader. He hurt so many people, but he was a very nuanced man. The Mongol army was not all good or bad. It had many layers that people often overlook. However, more and more books are being written about Genghis Khan and the many aspects of his life, and how his childhood shaped him into the man he was.

Best Genghis Khan Books: Our Top 20 Picks

Here are 20 books with varying opinions on Genghis Khan. Some like him, some don’t, but what’s important is that they all discuss who he was.

1. Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

Gengis Khan and the Making of the Modern World  by Jack Weatherford is all about Genghis Khan and the Mongol army he led. This book details the impact Genghis Khan made on the world. It explores the good in Genghis Khan and the common misconceptions that are associated with him.

This book says Genghis Khan was an advocate for human rights that abolished torture and granted religious freedom across Europe and Asia. Genghis was an ally to women, as well. He put his daughters in power over conquered nations, he put laws out against kidnapping, selling, and trading women. This book is factual, but it is also fairly opinionated. It aims to shed light on the good Genghis Khan did.

• Authors : Jack Weatherford (Author)
• Publisher : Crown; First Edition, First Printing (March 16, 2004)
• Pages : 352 pages

2. Genghis: Birth of an Empire (Conqueror series Book 1)

Genghis: Birth of an Empire  by Conn Iggulden teaches readers about Genghis Khan’s childhood. He was born the son of a Khan. This book recounts the struggles that Genghis Khan dealt through his childhood and his upbringing.

This book is historical, but it also reads like an interesting story. It is captivating. The beginning of the book is slow, but it picks up halfway through. This is the first book in Iggluden’s Conqueror series. After his father passed, Genghis Khan was abandoned and left for dead. He raised through the Mongols and became emperor. This book is intriguing and well-informed. Iggulden went to Mongolia to do his own research about the people and the history, which helps round out the book. This is only the first book in a five book series.

• Authors : Conn Iggulden (Author)
• Publisher : Delacorte Press (May 1, 2007)
• Pages : 403 pages

3. Genghis: Lords of the Bow: A Novel (Conqueror series Book 2)

Genghis: Lords of the Bow  by Conn Iggulden is the second book in the Conqueror series. This book is less about Genghis Khan, and more about the uniting of the Mongol tribes. The book begins eight years after the first one. Genghis Khan is now 26 years old.

This book focuses on him forming his army, and conquering Beijing. Because this series is separated into different books, readers can get a more in-depth look at every step Genghis Khan made. He is a heavily criticized man, so these books help readers understand the reasoning behind every decision Genghis Khan made. Even if readers don’t agree with Genghis Khan, these books help him to be understood.

• Publisher : Delacorte Press (March 25, 2008)
• Pages : 547 pages

4. Genghis: Bones of the Hills: A Novel (Conqueror series Book 3)

Genghis: Bones of the Hill  by Conn Iggulden is the the third novel in Iggulden’s conqueror series. This book is the middle book in the five book series, so it is full of the most important information on Genghis Khan.

This book is all about when he hit his peak. This book covers the Mongol’s conflict with the Muslims in the east. This book discusses Genghis Khan’s accomplishments but also his mistakes. This book also shares a lot of insight and Genghis Khan’s family. Iggulden introduces Genghis Khan’s son Jochi, who struggles for his father’s approval. This book has so much juice on Genghis Khan. He was so many things: an emperor, a war leader, a father, a husband, and so much more. These five books cover all sides of him.

• Publisher : Delacorte Press (February 17, 2009)
• Pages : 434 pages

5. On the Trail of Genghis Khan

On the Trail of Genghis Khan: An Epic Journey Through the Land of the Nomads  by Tim Cope is not really about Genghis Khan. Instead, this is a book about a man and his horse traveling the same trail Genghis Khan did. Cope talks about his trip and how he learned how to ride saddle like an expert, fight off wolves, and survive in nature all on his own.

This book helps people remember the tragedies that resulted in Genghis Khan’s reign in a modern way. Readers can experience what has come of this trail through horseback. Through his journey, Cope rode thirteen horses and one camel. This book is about the journey. Readers will be inspired by what Cope did. It took him three years to complete this, and every bit of it is interesting and thought-provoking.

• Authors : Tim Cope (Author)
• Publisher : Bloomsbury USA; 1st Edition (September 24, 2013)
• Pages : 528 pages

6. Genghis Khan: His Conquests, His Empire, His Legacy

Who is Genghis Khan and what is the impact of his legacy? What was his childhood like, and how did it affect his ruling?  Genghis Khan: His Conquests, His Empire, His Legacy  by Frank McLynn recounts Genghis Khan’s history.

This book is well-written and factual. It’s long, but it has plenty of information on every bit of what Ghenghis Khan did. This book, though informative, is still simple to read and fun to read. This book really does explain every step Ghengis Khan and the Mongols took to make an army and conquer parts of Asia and Europe. The book also includes a geography section that helps readers understand the areas that were overtaken. McLynn covers all of his bases in this book.

• Authors : Frank McLynn (Author)
• Publisher : Da Capo Press; Reprint Edition (September 6, 2016)
• Pages : 704 pages

7. Genghis Khan’s Greatest General

Genghis Khan is a well-known name all over the world. He was one of the greatest emperors in the world. He had a long reign that is partially due to him, but also to the help he had.  Genghis Khan’s Greatest General: Subotai the Valiant  by Richard A. Gabriel is about one of Genghis Khan’s best warriors. Subotai the Vailiant destroyed many muslim empires.

This book follows the campaigns of Subotai and how he led his army. This book discusses his tactics and how he succeeded so well. This book is interesting and engaging. It tackles the Mongol reign and approaches it from a different perspective. There is little known about Subotai. This book does a great job of sharing his legacy with the world.

• Authors : Richard A. Gabriel (Author)
• Publisher : University of Oklahoma Press; Illustrated Edition (March 27, 2006)
• Pages : 176 pages

8. The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History

The Rise and Fall of the Second Largest Empire in History: How Genghis Khan’s Mongols Almost Conquered in the World  by Thomas J. Craughwell recounts the history of Genghis Khan and the Mongols. It takes about the rise of Genghis Khan’s reign, but also its fall.Khan’s empire reigned for over 200 years and well past his death, but it did have to end. Craughwell does a very good job of explaining exactly how Genghis Khan got his start, and kept his empire strong.

This book contains biographical information on Genghis Khan, but also history on the Mongol empire as a whole. The book is concise, easy to read, and gets straight to the point. This book is engaging and fun for readers.

• Authors : Thomas J. Craughwell (Author)
• Publisher : Fair Winds Press (February 1, 2010)
• Pages : 272 pages

9. Who Was Genghis Khan?

Who was Genghis Khan?  By Nico Medina is a biography about Genghis Khan. This book has all kinds of details on different aspects of Genghis Khan’s life. After reading this book, readers will be shocked at how little they actually knew about Genghis Khan.

This book explores Genghis Khan’s ethical code. He was barbaric, but he had his limits. Media talks about Genghis Khan’s fearlessness, and his power over his people. He shared his wealth, he let his subjects have religious freedom, and he was constantly learning from his mistakes. But, he was a murderer. He killed many people. He is nuanced. This book dives deep into just how Genghis Khan was.

• Authors : Nico Medina (Author), Who HQ (Author), Andrew Thomson (Illustrator)
• Publisher : Penguin Workshop; Illustrated Edition (December 4, 2014)
• Pages : 112 pages

10. Genghis Khan and the Quest for God

Many books on Genghis Khan are about the bloodshed he spread. The book discusses how he is misrepresented and how he has actually done good. What is often left out of books is the impact religion had on Genghis Khan.

Genghis Khan and the Quest for God  by Jack Weatherford. He let his subjects speak out on their religion and be their own person. He knew he needed some to help his reign move forward. He wanted his empire to last, so he used religion. Genghis Khan was ruthless in many aspects of his leadership, but in other ways he sought freedom for his subjects. The issue in this situation is that, if any priests forbade the practice of any religion, he would violently hurt or kill them. He kept the peace through violence. This book has a lot of great insight into the many facets of Genghis Khan.

• Publisher : Penguin Books; Reprint Edition (October 3, 2017)
• Pages : 432 pages

11. Genghis Khan: A Life From Beginning to End

Every part of Genghis Khan’s life made a big impact on his life. From childhood to his time as an emperor, every part of Genghis Khan’s life had eventful moments every step of the way.  Genghis Khan: A Life from Beginning to End  by Hourly History is all about Genghis Khan’s 65 years on Earth.

This book is culturally appropriate because it includes all opinions and facts on Genghis Khan’s life. This book has a great storyline and is easy to read. It’s a nonfiction book, but it’s still interesting and engaging. Everything readers need to know about Genghis Khan can be found in this book.

• Authors : Hourly History (Author)
• Publisher : CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (December 20, 2017)
• Pages : 39 pages

12. The Tomb of Genghis Khan (James Acton Thrillers Book 25)

Apparently, Genghis Khan ordered that his final resting place not be shared with anyone. He wanted his home after life to stay a secret.  The Tomb of Genghis Khan  by J. Robert Kennedy is a thriller that incorporates history with fiction.

In this book, there is history, archaeology and action. There is so much fun and excitement in this book. This book takes readers on a journey to find Khan’s final resting place. This has yet to be done in real life, but it’s fun to wonder, which is something this book, too. The characters are intelligent, cool, and adventurous. This is a fun book that comes with a history lesson.

• Authors : J. Robert Kennedy (Author)
• Publisher : Independently published (August 1, 2019)
• Pages : 322 pages

13. Essential Histories 57

Essential Histories 57: Genghis Khan and the Mongol Conquests 1190-1400  by Stephen Turbell talks about all of the Mongol conquests over 200 years in Asia and Europe.

This book is thorough. It accounts for the period in which Genghis Khan rose to power, and how the Mongols reigned without him. The big critique on this book, however, is how short it is. It is only 96 pages. That is at least two years of conquests per page. This book is detailed, interesting, and informative, but it’s not very thorough. There should be more. Turbell barely scratches the surface. Very little of this is about Genghis Khan, and more of it is about what happened after his death.

• Authors : Stephen Turnbull (Author)
• Publisher : Osprey Publishing; Illustrated Edition (July 1, 2003)
• Pages : 95 pages

14. Genghis Monster

Many books about Genghis Khan try to explain all sides of Genghis Khan and the good within him.  Genghis Monster: The Shocking Story of Genghis Khan and the Mass-Murdering Mongols  by M.S. King is not one of those books.

This book aims to revert to the initial views on Genghis Khan. King talks about other perspectives and people are now in awe of a mass murderer. It seems that this book is a short, quick perspective on a nuanced situation. King uses terms like “self-hating white and anti-western.” He is bold in his thoughts, which is an admirable trait. Read this book knowing that you won’t see all sides, but you will certainly get to know how Genghis Khan and his army conquered many partes of the world in a violent way.

• Authors : M. S. King (Author)
• Publisher : Independently published (June 7, 2019)
• Pages : 49 pages

15. Genghis Khan The Emperor Of All Men

Genghis Khan: Emperor of All Men  by Harold Lamb helps readers gain a better understanding of Genghis Khan and what he did. Lamb has done his research on Asia and Genghis Khan. Many of his short stories are inspired by the culture in Asia, so it makes sense that his nonfiction stories would be too. Lamb uses his creative writing skills to give this biography an exciting edge.

This book has a lot of interesting ideas. It is creative, easy to read, and super informative. This book is nearly 300 pages, so it’s not too long, but it’s long enough to cover all the historical bases.

• Authors : Harold Lamb (Author)
• Publisher : Andesite Press (August 8, 2015)
• Pages : 300 pages

16. In the Empire of Genghis Khan

In the Empire of Genghis Khan: An Amazing Odyssey Through the Land of the Most Feared Conquerors in History  by Stanley Stewart is not exactly about Genghis Khan– it’s about the land he covered.

In this book, Stewart journeys across the old empire to experience the horrific memories from these places and see what they have to offer. He rides horses through this journey to travel from place to place. He doesn’t question his journey, and instead embraces all it has to offer, like sheep parts and fermented milk. Stanley has a way of making each scene he sees seem breath-taking and beautiful through his words. This is a journey worth reading about.

• Authors : Stanley Stewart (Author)
• Publisher : Lyons Press; 1st Edition (March 1, 2004)
• Pages : 288 pages

17. Genghis Khan: A Captivating Guide to the Founder of the Mongol Empire and His Conquests Which Resulted in the Largest Contiguous Empire in History

The history of Genghis Khan is varied. Some applaud him and say he made a great impact on the world. Others call  him a blood-thirsty barbarian. What cannot be argued is that he was one of the greatest leaders of all time.  Genghis Khan: A Captivating Guide to the Founder of the Mongol Empire  by captivating history is a guide that helps readers understand exactly who Genghis Khan was and make their own opinions about him. This guide is dubbed “a story about stories.”

This book includes history, opinions and the myths about Genghis Khan. This book explains the huge impact Khan had through his leadership, but also through the deaths he caused. Genghis Khan caused more deaths than World War I and World War II combined, a fact many overlook. This book is informative and has all the information that people need to know about Genghis Khan.

• Authors : Captivating History (Author)
• Publisher : Ch Publications (December 2, 2019)
• Pages : 102 pages

18. Genghis Khan (A Wicked History)

Genghis Khan (A Wicked History)  by Enid A. Goldberg and Norman Itzkowitz and is  nothing short of interesting. This book shares information on Goldberg that was previously unknown. Khan was married at nine years old. He killed his own half brother. He was a tyrant. He rarely lost a fight. But he was also intelligent.

This book is very easy to read and has lots of great information. Teachers who are educating their students on Genghis Khan should consider using this book. It attacks the perspective of Genghis Khan from a different angle. This book is super intriguing, well- researched, and informative.

• Authors : Enid A. Goldberg (Author), Norman Itzkowitz (Author)
• Publisher : Franklin Watts; Illustrated Edition (March 1, 2008)
• Pages : 128 pages

19. The Mongol Conquests

The Mongol Conquests: A Captivating Guide to the Invasions and Conquests Initiated by Genghis Khan  by Captivating History draws in readers through the exploration of the Mongol conquests.

This book explains what exactly the Mongols did, and how they’ve been misinterpreted. Captivating History does not call the Mongols good or bad; they were neither. This book describes Genghis Khan and the Mongols as water, “capable of causing floods and carving mountains while at the same time creating fertile soil and giving life.” This book is all about deciphering the perspectives of Genghis Khan and the Mongols and all that they did. At the center of everything, the Mongols were first and foremost who were capable of making, and did make, mistakes.

• Pages : 138 pages

20. The Leadership Secrets of Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan built the world’s biggest army in 20 years. He was an incredible emperor, and was very successful in war.  The Leadership Secrets of Genghis Khan  by John Man spills all of the intel on how Genghis Khan reached that success. Man researches all aspects of Genghis Khan’s success to share with readers how he did what he did.

This book has lessons on how to be a great leader based on a great, yet barbaric, emperor. This book  is interesting, but can be a bit repetitive and boring. However, this book does have engaging moments, which says a lot considering it’s a history book.

• Authors : John Man (Author)
• Publisher : Transworld Digital; UK ed. Edition (October 31, 2010)
• Pages : 192 pages

Choosing the Best Genghis Khan Books

These books all have informative thoughts on Genghis Khan and what his reign meant for the world. Some of them experienced the path he took firsthand. Others heavily criticized his reign without getting to know his history. All in all, every author has their own take on Genghis Khan. It’s up to the readers to decide what they read, and base their opinions on Genghis Khan on that. Genghis Khan was a nuanced man that is worth reading and learning about.

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Genghis Khan

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• World History Encyclopedia - Genghis Khan
• Academia - Genghis Khan' and 'The Mongol Conquests
• Ancient Origins - Genghis Khan: What Transformed Temujin Borjigin into an Unstoppable Force Bent on World Domination?
• LiveScience - Genghis Khan, Founder of Mongol Empire: Facts and Biography
• Genghis Khan - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Genghis Khan - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
• Table Of Contents

What was Genghis Khan’s early life like?

Genghis Khan was born Temüjin to a royal clan of the Mongols . When he was nine, his father Yesügei was poisoned and Temüjin was held captive by his former supporters. He later escaped, killed his half-brother, and began gathering supporters and manpower in his teenage years.

How did Genghis Khan come to power?

After becoming the head of his clan, Genghis Khan forged alliances with other clans, exterminated the existing clan nobility, and overpowered enemy tribes such as the Tatars . In 1206 an assembly of leaders declared him universal emperor ( chinggis khān ) of the Mongolian steppe .

What was Genghis Khan best known for?

Genghis Khan was best known for unifying the Mongolian steppe under a massive empire that was able to challenge the powerful Jin dynasty in China and capture territory as far west as the Caspian Sea .

When did Genghis Khan die?

Genghis Khan died on August 18, 1227, during a campaign against the Tangut kingdom of Xixia .

Genghis Khan (born 1162, near Lake Baikal , Mongolia—died August 18, 1227) was a Mongolian warrior-ruler, one of the most famous conquerors of history, who consolidated tribes into a unified Mongolia and then extended his empire across Asia to the Adriatic Sea .

Genghis Khan was a warrior and ruler of genius who, starting from obscure and insignificant beginnings, brought all the nomadic tribes of Mongolia under the rule of himself and his family in a rigidly disciplined military state. He then turned his attention toward the settled peoples beyond the borders of his nomadic realm and began the series of campaigns of plunder and conquest that eventually carried the Mongol armies as far as the Adriatic Sea in one direction and the Pacific coast of China in the other, leading to the establishment of the great Mongol Empire.

With the exception of the saga-like Secret History of the Mongols (1240?), only non-Mongol sources provide near-contemporary information about the life of Genghis Khan. Almost all writers, even those who were in the Mongol service, have dwelt on the enormous destruction wrought by the Mongol invasions. One Arab historian openly expressed his horror at the recollection of them. Beyond the reach of the Mongols and relying on second-hand information, the 13th-century chronicler Matthew Paris called them a “detestable nation of Satan that poured out like devils from Tartarus so that they are rightly called Tartars.” He was making a play on words with the classical word Tartarus (Hell) and the ancient tribal name of Tatar borne by some of the nomads, but his account catches the terror that the Mongols evoked. As the founder of the Mongol nation, the organizer of the Mongol armies, and the genius behind their campaigns, Genghis Khan must share the reputation of his people, even though his generals were frequently operating on their own, far from direct supervision. Nevertheless, it would be mistaken to see the Mongol campaigns as haphazard incursions by bands of marauding savages. Nor is it true, as some have supposed, that these campaigns were somehow brought about by a progressive desiccation of Inner Asia that compelled the nomads to look for new pastures. Nor, again, were the Mongol invasions a unique event. Genghis Khan was neither the first nor the last nomadic conqueror to burst out of the Steppe and terrorize the settled periphery of Eurasia . His campaigns were merely larger in scale, more successful, and more lasting in effect than those of other leaders. They impinged more violently upon those sedentary peoples who had the habit of recording events in writing, and they affected a greater part of the Eurasian continent and a variety of different societies.

Two societies were in constant contact, two societies that were mutually hostile, if only because of their diametrically opposed ways of life, and yet these societies were interdependent. The nomads needed some of the staple products of the south and coveted its luxuries. These could be had by trade, by taxing transient caravans, or by armed raids. The settled peoples of China needed the products of the steppe to a lesser extent, but they could not ignore the presence of the nomadic barbarians and were forever preoccupied with resisting encroachment by one means or another. A strong dynasty , such as the 17th-century Manchu, could extend its military power directly over all Inner Asia. At other times the Chinese would have to play off one set of barbarians against another, transferring their support and juggling their alliances so as to prevent any one tribe from becoming too strong.

The cycle of dynastic strength and weakness in China was accompanied by another cycle, that of unity and fragmentation amongst the peoples of the steppe. At the peak of their power, a nomadic tribe under a determined leader could subjugate the other tribes to its will and, if the situation in China was one of weakness, might extend its power well beyond the steppe. In the end this extension of nomadic power over the incompatible, sedentary culture of the south brought its own nemesis . The nomads lost their traditional basis of superiority—that lightning mobility that required little in the way of supply and fodder—and were swallowed up by the Chinese they had conquered. The cycle would then be resumed; a powerful China would reemerge, and disarray and petty squabbling among ephemeral chieftains would be the new pattern of life among the nomads. The history of the Mongol conquests illustrates this analysis perfectly, and it is against this background of political contrasts and tensions that the life of Genghis Khan must be evaluated. His campaigns were not an inexplicable natural or even God-given catastrophe but the outcome of a set of circumstances manipulated by a soldier of ambition, determination, and genius. He found his tribal world ready for unification, at a time when China and other settled states were, for one reason or another, simultaneously in decline, and he exploited the situation.

Various dates are given for the birth of Temüjin (or Temuchin), as Genghis Khan was named—after a leader who was defeated by his father, Yesügei, when Temüjin was born. The chronology of Temüjin’s early life is uncertain. He may have been born in 1155, in 1162 (the date favoured today in Mongolia), or in 1167. According to legend , his birth was auspicious , because he came into the world holding a clot of blood in his hand. He is also said to have been of divine origin, his first ancestor having been a gray wolf , “born with a destiny from heaven on high.” Yet his early years were anything but promising. When he was nine, Yesügei, a member of the royal Borjigin clan of the Mongols, was poisoned by a band of Tatars, another nomadic people, in continuance of an old feud.

With Yesügei dead, the remainder of the clan, led by the rival Taychiut family, abandoned his widow, Höelün, and her children, considering them too weak to exercise leadership and seizing the opportunity to usurp power. For a time the small family led a life of extreme poverty, eating roots and fish instead of the normal nomad diet of mutton and mare’s milk. Two anecdotes illustrate both Temüjin’s straitened circumstances and, more significantly, the power he already had of attracting supporters through sheer force of personality. Once he was captured by the Taychiut, who, rather than killing him, kept him around their camps, wearing a wooden collar. One night, when they were feasting, Temüjin, noticing that he was being ineptly guarded, knocked down the sentry with a blow from his wooden collar and fled. The Taychiut searched all night for him, and he was seen by one of their people, who, impressed by the fire in his eyes, did not denounce him but helped him escape at the risk of his own life. On another occasion horse thieves came and stole eight of the nine horses that the small family owned. Temüjin pursued them. On the way he stopped to ask a young stranger, called Bo’orchu, if he had seen the horses. Bo’orchu immediately left the milking he was engaged in, gave Temüjin a fresh horse, and set out with him to help recover the lost beasts. He refused any reward but, recognizing Temüjin’s authority, attached himself irrevocably to him as a nökör , or free companion, abandoning his own family.

Temüjin and his family apparently preserved a considerable fund of prestige as members of the royal Borjigin clan, in spite of their rejection by it. Among other things, he was able to claim the wife to whom Yesügei had betrothed him just before his death. But the Merkit people, a tribe living in northern Mongolia, bore Temüjin a grudge, because Yesügei had stolen his own wife, Höelün, from one of their men, and in their turn they ravished Temüjin’s wife Börte. Temüjin felt able to appeal to Toghril, khan of the Kereit tribe, with whom Yesügei had had the relationship of anda , or sworn brother, and at that time the most powerful Mongol prince, for help in recovering Börte. He had had the foresight to rekindle this friendship by presenting Toghril with a sable skin, which he himself had received as a bridal gift. He seems to have had nothing else to offer; yet, in exchange, Toghril promised to reunite Temüjin’s scattered people, and he is said to have redeemed his promise by furnishing 20,000 men and persuading Jamuka, a boyhood friend of Temüjin’s, to supply an army as well. The contrast between Temüjin’s destitution and the huge army furnished by his allies is hard to explain, and no authority other than the narrative of the Secret History is available.

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Genghis Khan

By: History.com Editors

Updated: May 30, 2023 | Original: November 9, 2009

Mongol leader Genghis Khan (1162-1227) rose from humble beginnings to establish the largest land empire in history. After uniting the nomadic tribes of the Mongolian plateau, he conquered huge chunks of central Asia and China. His descendants expanded the empire even further, advancing to such far-off places as Poland, Vietnam, Syria and Korea. At their peak, the Mongols controlled between 11 and 12 million contiguous square miles, an area about the size of Africa. Many people were slaughtered in the course of Genghis Khan’s invasions, but he also granted religious freedom to his subjects, abolished torture, encouraged trade and created the first international postal system. Genghis Khan died in 1227 during a military campaign against the Chinese kingdom of Xi Xia. His final resting place remains unknown.

Genghis Khan: The Early Years

Temujin, later Genghis Khan, was born around 1162 near the border between modern Mongolia and Siberia. Legend holds that he came into the world clutching a blood clot in his right hand. His mother had been kidnapped by his father and forced into marriage. At that time, dozens of nomadic tribes on the central Asian steppe were constantly fighting and stealing from each other, and life for Temujin was violent and unpredictable. Before he turned 10, his father was poisoned to death by an enemy clan. Temujin’s own clan then deserted him, his mother and his six siblings in order to avoid having to feed them.

Shortly thereafter, Temujin killed his older half-brother and took over as head of the poverty-stricken household. At one point, he was captured and enslaved by the clan that had abandoned him, but he was eventually able to escape. In 1178 Temujin married Borte, with whom he would have four sons and an unknown number of daughters. He launched a daring rescue of Borte after she too was kidnapped, and he soon began making alliances, building a reputation as a warrior and attracting a growing number of followers. Most of what we know about Genghis Khan’s childhood comes from “The Secret History of the Mongols,” the oldest known work of Mongolian history and literature, which was written soon after his death.

Did you know? Mongol leader Genghis Khan never allowed anyone to paint his portrait, sculpt his image or engrave his likeness on a coin. The first images of him appeared after his death.

Genghis Khan Unites the Mongols

Going against custom, Temujin put competent allies rather than relatives in key positions and executed the leaders of enemy tribes while incorporating the remaining members into his clan. He ordered that all looting wait until after a complete victory had been won, and he organized his warriors into units of 10 without regard to kin. Though Temujin was an animist, his followers included Christians, Muslims and Buddhists. By 1205 he had vanquished all rivals, including his former best friend Jamuka. The following year, he called a meeting of representatives from every part of the territory and established a nation similar in size to modern Mongolia. He was also proclaimed Chinggis Khan, which roughly translates to “Universal Ruler,” a name that became known in the West as Genghis Khan.

Genghis Khan Establishes an Empire

Having united the steppe tribes, Genghis Khan ruled over some 1 million people. In order to suppress the traditional causes of tribal warfare, he abolished inherited aristocratic titles. He also forbade the selling and kidnapping of women, banned the enslavement of any Mongol and made livestock theft punishable by death. Moreover, Genghis Khan ordered the adoption of a writing system, conducted a regular census, granted diplomatic immunity to foreign ambassadors and allowed freedom of religion well before that idea caught on elsewhere.

Genghis Khan’s first campaign outside of Mongolia took place against the Xi Xia kingdom of northwestern China. After a series of raids, the Mongols launched a major initiative in 1209 that brought them to the doorstep of Yinchuan, the Xi Xia capital. Unlike other armies, the Mongols traveled with no supply train other than a large reserve of horses. The army consisted almost entirely of cavalrymen, who were expert riders and deadly with a bow and arrows. At Yinchuan, the Mongols deployed a false withdrawal—one of their signature tactics—and then initiated a siege. Though their attempt to flood the city failed, the Xi Xia ruler submitted and presented tribute.

The Mongols next attacked the Jin Dynasty of northern China, whose ruler had made the mistake of demanding Genghis Khan’s submission. From 1211 to 1214, the outnumbered Mongols ravaged the countryside and sent refugees pouring into the cities. Food shortages became a problem, and the Jin army ended up killing tens of thousands of its own peasants. In 1214 the Mongols besieged the capital of Zhongdu (now Beijing), and the Jin ruler agreed to hand over large amounts of silk, silver, gold and horses. When the Jin ruler subsequently moved his court south to the city of Kaifeng, Genghis Khan took this as a breach of their agreement and, with the help of Jin deserters, sacked Zhongdu to the ground.

In 1219 Genghis Khan went to war against the Khwarezm Empire in present-day Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Iran. The sultan there had agreed to a trade treaty, but when the first caravan arrived its goods were stolen and its merchants were killed. The sultan then murdered some of Genghis Khan’s ambassadors. Despite once again being outnumbered, the Mongol horde swept through one Khwarezm city after another, including Bukhara, Samarkand and Urgench. Skilled workers such as carpenters and jewelers were usually saved, while aristocrats and resisting soldiers were killed. Unskilled workers, meanwhile, were often used as human shields during the next assault. No one knows with any certainty how many people died during Genghis Khan’s wars, in part because the Mongols propagated their vicious image as a way of spreading terror.

Genghis Khan’s Death and the Continuation of the Empire

When Genghis Khan returned to Mongolia in 1225, he controlled a huge swath of territory from the Sea of Japan to the Caspian Sea. Nevertheless, he didn’t rest for long before turning his attention back to the Xi Xia kingdom, which had refused to contribute troops to the Khwarezm invasion. In early 1227 a horse threw Genghis Khan to the ground, causing internal injuries. He pressed on with the campaign, but his health never recovered. He died on August 18, 1227, just before the Xi Xia were crushed.

Genghis Khan conquered more than twice as much land as any other person in history, bringing Eastern and Western civilizations into contact in the process. His descendants, including Ogodei and Khubilai, were also prolific conquerors, taking control of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the rest of China, among other places. The Mongols even invaded Japan and Java before their empire broke apart in the 14th century. Genghis Khan’s last ruling descendant was finally deposed in 1920.

HISTORY Vault: Genghis Khan

Trace the life of the ruthless Mongol conqueror of the late 12th and early 13th centuries, whose military successes from northern China through Russia and Eastern Europe reshaped the world.

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Genghis Khan: His Conquests, His Empire, His Legacy Paperback – September 6, 2016

• Print length 704 pages
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• Publisher Da Capo Press
• Publication date September 6, 2016
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Da Capo Press; Reprint edition (September 6, 2016)
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Genghis Khan

(1162-1227)

Genghis Khan was born "Temujin" in Mongolia around 1162. He married at age 16, but had many wives during his lifetime. At 20, he began building a large army with the intent to destroy individual tribes in Northeast Asia and unite them under his rule. He was successful; the Mongol Empire was the largest empire in the world before the British Empire, and lasted well after his own death in 1227.

Born in north central Mongolia around 1162, Genghis Khan was originally named "Temujin" after a Tatar chieftain that his father, Yesukhei, had captured. Young Temujin was a member of the Borjigin tribe and a descendant of Khabul Khan, who briefly united Mongols against the Jin (Chin) Dynasty of northern China in the early 1100s. According to the "Secret History of the Mongols" (a contemporary account of Mongol history), Temujin was born with a blood clot in his hand, a sign in Mongol folklore that he was destined to become a leader. His mother, Hoelun, taught him the grim reality of living in turbulent Mongol tribal society and the need for alliances.

When Temujin was 9, his father took him to live with the family of his future bride, Borte. On the return trip home, Yesukhei encountered members of the rival Tatar tribe, who invited him to a conciliatory meal, where he was poisoned for past transgressions against the Tatars. Upon hearing of his father's death, Temujin returned home to claim his position as clan chief. However, the clan refused to recognize the young boy's leadership and ostracized his family of younger brothers and half-brothers to near-refugee status. The pressure on the family was great, and in a dispute over the spoils of a hunting expedition, Temujin quarreled with and killed his half-brother, Bekhter, confirming his position as head of the family.

At 16, Temujin married Borte, cementing the alliance between the Konkirat tribe and his own. Soon after, Borte was kidnapped by the rival Merkit tribe and given to a chieftain as a wife. Temujin was able to rescue her, and soon after, she gave birth to her first son, Jochi. Though Borte's captivity with the Konkirat tribe cast doubt on Jochi's birth, Temujin accepted him as his own. With Borte, Temujin had four sons and many other children with other wives, as was Mongolian custom. However, only his male children with Borte qualified for succession in the family.

The 'Universal Ruler'

When Temujin was about 20, he was captured in a raid by former family allies, the Taichi'uts, and temporarily enslaved. He escaped with the help of a sympathetic captor, and joined his brothers and several other clansmen to form a fighting unit. Temujin began his slow ascent to power by building a large army of more than 20,000 men. He set out to destroy traditional divisions among the various tribes and unite the Mongols under his rule.

Through a combination of outstanding military tactics and merciless brutality, Temujin avenged his father's murder by decimating the Tatar army, and ordered the killing of every Tatar male who was more than approximately 3 feet tall (taller than the linchpin, or axle pin, of a wagon wheel). Temujin's Mongols then defeated the Taichi'ut using a series of massive cavalry attacks, including having all of the Taichi'ut chiefs boiled alive. By 1206, Temujin had also defeated the powerful Naiman tribe, thus giving him control of central and eastern Mongolia.

The early success of the Mongol army owed much to the brilliant military tactics of Genghis Khan, as well as his understanding of his enemies' motivations. He employed an extensive spy network and was quick to adopt new technologies from his enemies. The well-trained Mongol army of 80,000 fighters coordinated their advance with a sophisticated signaling system of smoke and burning torches. Large drums sounded commands to charge, and further orders were conveyed with flag signals. Every soldier was fully equipped with a bow, arrows, a shield, a dagger and a lasso. He also carried large saddlebags for food, tools and spare clothes. The saddlebag was waterproof and could be inflated to serve as a life preserver when crossing deep and swift-moving rivers. Cavalrymen carried a small sword, javelins, body armor, a battle-ax or mace, and a lance with a hook to pull enemies off of their horses. The Mongols were devastating in their attacks. Because they could maneuver a galloping horse using only their legs, their hands were free to shoot arrows. The entire army was followed by a well-organized supply system of oxcarts carrying food for soldiers and beasts alike, as well as military equipment, shamans for spiritual and medical aid, and officials to catalog the booty.

Following the victories over the rival Mongol tribes, other tribal leaders agreed to peace and bestowed on Temujin the title of "Genghis Khan," which means "universal ruler." The title carried not only political importance, but also spiritual significance. The leading shaman declared Genghis Khan the representative of Mongke Koko Tengri (the "Eternal Blue Sky"), the supreme god of the Mongols. With this declaration of divine status, it was accepted that his destiny was to rule the world. Religious tolerance was practiced in the Mongol Empire, but to defy the Great Khan was equal to defying the will of God. It was with such religious fervor that Genghis Khan is supposed to have said to one of his enemies, "I am the flail of God. If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you."

Major Conquests

Genghis Khan wasted no time in capitalizing on his divine stature. While spiritual inspiration motivated his armies, the Mongols were probably driven as much by environmental circumstances. Food and resources were becoming scarce as the population grew. In 1207, he led his armies against the kingdom of Xi Xia and, after two years, forced it to surrender. In 1211, Genghis Khan's armies struck the Jin Dynasty in northern China, lured not by the great cities' artistic and scientific wonders, but rather the seemingly endless rice fields and easy pickings of wealth.

Although the campaign against the Jin Dynasty lasted nearly 20 years, Genghis Khan's armies were also active in the west against border empires and the Muslim world. Initially, Genghis Khan used diplomacy to establish trade relations with the Khwarizm Dynasty, a Turkish-dominated empire that included Turkestan, Persia, and Afghanistan. But the Mongol diplomatic mission was attacked by the governor of Otrar, who possibly believed the caravan was a cover for a spy mission. When Genghis Khan heard of this affront, he demanded the governor be extradited to him and sent a diplomat to retrieve him. Shah Muhammad, the leader of the Khwarizm Dynasty, not only refused the demand, but in defiance sent back the head of the Mongol diplomat.

This act released a fury that would sweep through central Asia and into eastern Europe. In 1219, Genghis Khan personally took control of planning and executing a three-prong attack of 200,000 Mongol soldiers against the Khwarizm Dynasty. The Mongols swept through every city's fortifications with unstoppable savagery. Those who weren't immediately slaughtered were driven in front of the Mongol army, serving as human shields when the Mongols took the next city. No living thing was spared, including small domestic animals and livestock. Skulls of men, women, and children were piled in large, pyramidal mounds. City after city was brought to its knees, and eventually the Shah Muhammad and later his son were captured and killed, bringing an end to the Khwarizm Dynasty in 1221.

Scholars describe the period after the Khwarizm campaign as the Pax Mongolica. In time, the conquests of Genghis Khan connected the major trade centers of China and Europe. The empire was governed by a legal code known as Yassa. Developed by Genghis Khan, the code was based on Mongol common law but contained edicts that prohibited blood feuds, adultery, theft and bearing false witness. Also included were laws that reflected Mongol respect for the environment such as forbidding bathing in rivers and streams and orders for any soldier following another to pick up anything that the first soldier dropped. Infraction of any of these laws was usually punishable by death. Advancement within military and government ranks was not based on traditional lines of heredity or ethnicity, but on merit. There were tax exemptions for religious and some professional leaders, as well as a degree of religious tolerance that reflected the long-held Mongol tradition of religion as a personal conviction not subject to law or interference. This tradition had practical applications as there were so many different religious groups in the empire, it would have been an extra burden to force a single religion on them.

With the annihilation of the Khwarizm Dynasty, Genghis Khan once again turned his attention east to China. The Tanguts of Xi Xia had defied his orders to contribute troops to the Khwarizm campaign and were in open revolt. In a string of victories against Tangut cities, Genghis Khan defeated enemy armies and sacked the capital of Ning Hia. Soon one Tangut official surrendered after another, and the resistance ended. Genghis Khan hadn't quite extracted all the revenge he wanted for the Tangut betrayal, however, and ordered the execution of the imperial family, thus ending the Tangut lineage.

Genghis Khan's Death

Genghis Khan died in 1227, soon after the submission of the Xi Xia. The exact cause of his death is unknown. Some historians maintain that he fell off a horse while on a hunt, and died of fatigue and injuries. Others contend that he died of respiratory disease. Genghis Khan was buried without markings, according to the customs of his tribe, somewhere near his birthplace—close to the Onon River and the Khentii Mountains in northern Mongolia. According to legend, the funeral escort killed anyone and anything they encountered to conceal the location of the burial site, and a river was diverted over Genghis Khan's grave to make it impossible to find.

Before his death, Genghis Khan bestowed supreme leadership to his son Ogedei, who controlled most of eastern Asia, including China. The rest of the empire was divided among his other sons: Chagatai took over central Asia and northern Iran; Tolui, being the youngest, received a small territory near the Mongol homeland; and Jochi (who was killed before Genghis Khan's death). Jochi and his son, Batu, took control of modern Russia and formed the Golden Horde. The empire's expansion continued and reached its peak under Ogedei Khan's leadership. Mongol armies eventually invaded Persia, the Song Dynasty in southern China, and the Balkans. Just when the Mongol armies had reached the gates of Vienna, Austria, leading commander Batu got word of the Great Khan Ogedei's death and was called back to Mongolia. Subsequently, the campaign lost momentum, marking the Mongol's farthest invasion into Europe.

Among the many descendents of Genghis Khan is Kublai Khan, who was the son of Tolui, Genghis Khan's youngest son. At a young age, Kublai had a strong interest in Chinese civilization and, throughout his life, did much to incorporate Chinese customs and culture into Mongol rule. Kublai rose to prominence in 1251, when his eldest brother, Mongke, became Khan of the Mongol Empire and placed him as governor of the southern territories. Kublai distinguished himself by increasing agricultural production and expanding Mongol territory. After Mongke's death, Kublai and his other brother, Arik Boke, fought for control of the empire. After three years of intertribal warfare, Kublai was victorious, and he was made Great Khan and emperor of the Yuan Dynasty of China.

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Genghis Khan
• Birth Year: 1162
• Birth Country: Mongolia
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Mongolian warrior and ruler Genghis Khan created the largest empire in the world, the Mongol Empire, by destroying individual tribes in Northeast Asia.
• War and Militaries
• Nacionalities
• Mongolian (Mongolia)
• Death Year: 1227
• Death Country: Mongolia

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Genghis Khan Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/political-figures/genghis-khan
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• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: August 30, 2019
• Original Published Date: April 3, 2014
• I am the flail of God. If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.
• I am the punishment of God. If you had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.
• Mother Earth is broad and her rivers and waters are numerous. Make up your camps far apart and each of you rule your own kingdom.
• I leave you the greatest empire in the world, but your preserving it depends upon your remaining always united. If discord steals in among you all will most assuredly be lost.
• Every man has his use, even if only to gather dried cow dung in the Gobi for fuel.
• How can one withdraw? Even if we die, let us challenge their boasts. Eternal Heaven, you be the judge!
• [A leader] can never be happy until his people are happy.
• The greatest joy a man can know is to conquer his enemies and drive them before him.
• If you insult the mother who gave you your life from her heart, if you cause her love for you to freeze up, even if you apologize to her later, the damage is done.
• Without the vision of a goal, a man cannot manage his own life, much less the lives of others.
• People conquered on different sides of the lake should be ruled on different sides of the lake.

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Biography of Genghis Khan, Founder of the Mongol Empire

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Genghis Khan (c. 1162–August 18, 1227) was the legendary founder and leader of the Mongol Empire . In a span of just 25 years, his horsemen conquered a larger area and greater population than the Romans did in four centuries. To the millions of people conquered by his hordes , Genghis Khan was evil incarnate; in Mongolia and Central Asia, however, he was widely revered.

Fast Facts: Genghis Khan

• Known For : Khan was the founder and leader of the Mongol Empire.
• Also Known As : Temujin
• Born : c. 1162 in Delun-Boldog, Mongolia
• Died : August 18, 1227, in Yinchuan, Western Xia
• Spouse(s) : Borje, Khulan, Yesugen, Yesulun (plus others)
• Children : Jochi, Chagatai, Ogedei, Tolui (plus others)

Records of the Great Khan's early life are sparse and contradictory. He was likely born in 1162, though some sources say 1155 or 1165. We know that the boy was given the name Temujin. His father Yesukhei was the chief of the minor Borijin clan of nomadic Mongols, who lived by hunting rather than herding or farming.

Yesukhei had kidnapped Temujin's young mother, Hoelun, as she and her first husband were riding home from their wedding. She became Yesukhei's second wife; Temujin was his second son by just a few months. Mongol legend claims that the baby was born with a blood clot in his fist, a sign that he would be a great warrior.

Hardship and Captivity

When Temujin was nine, his father took him to a neighboring tribe to work for several years and earn a bride. His intended wife was a slightly older girl named Borje. On the way home, Yesukhei was poisoned by rivals and died. Temujin returned to his mother, but the clan expelled Yesukhei's two widows and seven children, leaving them to die.

The family survived by eating roots, rodents, and fish. Young Temujin and his full brother Khasar grew to resent their eldest half-brother Begter. They killed him and as punishment for the crime, Temujin was seized and enslaved. His captivity may have lasted for more than five years.

Set free at age 16, Temujin went to find Borje again. She was still waiting for him and they soon married. The couple used her dowry, a fine sable-fur coat, to make an alliance with Ong Khan of the powerful Kereyid clan. Ong Khan accepted Temujin as a foster son.

This alliance proved key, as Hoelun's Merkid clan decided to avenge her long-ago kidnapping by stealing Borje. With the Kereyid army, Temujin raided the Merkids, looting their camp and reclaiming Borje. Temujin also had help in the raid from his childhood blood-brother Jamuka, who would later become a rival. Borje's first son Jochi was born nine months later.

Consolidation of Power

After rescuing Borje, Temujin's small band stayed with Jamuka's group for several years. Jamuka soon asserted his authority, rather than treating Temujin as a brother, which started a two-decade feud between the 19-year-olds. Temujin left the camp, along with many of Jamuka's followers and livestock.

At the age of 27, Temujin held a kurultai (tribal council) among the Mongols, who elected him khan . The Mongols were only a Kereyid sub-clan, however, and Ong Khan played Jamuka and Temujin off one another. As Khan, Temujin awarded high office not just to his relatives, but to those followers who were most loyal to him.

Unification of the Mongols

In 1190, Jamuka raided Temujin's camp, cruelly horse-dragging and even boiling alive his captives, which turned many of his followers against him. The united Mongols soon defeated the neighboring Tatars and Jurchens, and Temujin Khan assimilated their people rather than follow the steppe custom of looting them and leaving.

Jamuka attacked Ong Khan and Temujin in 1201. Despite suffering an arrow shot to the neck, Temujin defeated and assimilated Jamuka's remaining warriors. Ong Khan then treacherously tried to ambush Temujin at a wedding ceremony for Ong's daughter and Jochi, but the Mongols escaped and returned to conquer the Kereyids.

Early Conquests

The unification of Mongolia ended in 1204 when Temujin defeated the powerful Naiman clan. Two years later, another kurultai confirmed him as Genghis Khan or universal leader of all Mongolia. Within five years, the Mongols had annexed much of Siberia and what is today the modern Chinese Xinjiang province.

The Jurched Dynasty, ruling northern China from Zhongdu (Beijing), noticed the upstart Mongol khan and demanded that he kowtow to its Golden Khan. In reply, Genghis Khan spat on the ground. He then defeated their tributaries, the Tangut , and in 1214 he conquered the Jurchens and their 50 million citizens. The Mongol army numbered just 100,000.