Genghis Khan: The Man Who Conquered the World

Scholars speculate that he might have been responsible for the deaths of approximately three-fourths of Iran's present-day population during his conflict with the Khwarezmid Empire. Taken as a whole, the Mongols' assaults potentially resulted in a reduction of the global population by as much as 11%. The man who would eventually become the Great Khan of the Mongols born near the shores of the Onan River around 1162. His given name was Temujin, which means, made of iron or blacksmith. The title Changiz Khan was not bestowed upon him until 1206, when he was declared the leader of the Mongols during a tribal gathering referred to as a Kurultai. Khan, a customary designation, which means leader or ruler, while the exact origins of Changiz continue to puzzle historians. It is speculated that it might signify ocean, although its interpretation within the context varies. From a young age, Changiz faced the harsh realities of life on the Mongolian steppe. At the age of nine, his father fell victim to poisoning orchestrated by rival totters. Subsequently, his own tribe expelled his family, leaving his mother to single-handedly raise her seven children. Changiz had to rely on hunting and scavenging to survive, and there are speculations suggesting that he may have killed his own half-brother, in a dispute over food when he was an adolescent. During his teenage years, he and his young wife were kidnapped by rival clans, leading Changiz to endure a period of enslavement until he managed to escape through a daring act. Despite these hardships, Changiz emerged as a formidable warrior and leader in his early 20s. He gathered a loyal following, establishing alliances with influential tribal leaders. In 126, he successfully united the steppe confederations under his leadership and turned his focus towards external conquests. Changiz Khan frequently extended the opportunity for other kingdoms to peacefully submit to Mongol rule, but he did not hesitate to use force against any society that resisted. One of his well-known acts of vengeance took place in 1219, following the violation of a treaty by the Shah of the Khwarezmid Empire. Changiz had proposed a valuable trade agreement to the Shah, aiming to facilitate the exchange of goods along the Silk Road. However, when the initial emissaries sent by Changiz were brutally killed, the Great Khan unleashed the full might of his Mongol forces upon the Khwarezmid territories in Persia. This ensuing war resulted in the deaths of millions and the complete devastation of the Shah's empire. Yet, Changiz did not stop there. After his triumph, he turned his attention back east and waged war against the Tanguts of Xia, a group of Mongol subjects who had defied his command to provide troops for the invasion of Khwarezm. After defeating the Tangut forces and ransacking their capital, the Great Khan ordered the execution of the entire Tangut royal family, as a punitive measure for their defiance. In contrast to many conquerors of empires, Changiz Khan embraced the diversity present within the territories he had newly acquired. He enacted laws that guaranteed religious freedom for all and even provided tax exemptions for places of worship. This tolerance served a political purpose, as the Khan recognized that contented subjects were less likely to rise in rebellion. However, the Mongols also exhibited an unusually liberal attitude towards religion. While Changiz Khan and many others adhered to a shamanistic belief system that revered the spirits of the sky, winds, and mountains, the steppe peoples encompassed a wide range of religious practices, including Nestorian Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and various animistic traditions. The Great Khan himself displayed a personal interest in spirituality. He would spend several consecutive days in prayer within his tent before significant campaigns, and he frequently engaged in discussions with religious leaders from different faiths to gain insight into the intricacies of their beliefs. In his later years, he even invited the Taoist leader Qiu Chuji to his encampment, leading to extensive conversations on topics such as immortality and philosophy. Changiz Khan, once suppressed and banned from mention during the era of Soviet rule in the 20th century, has now emerged as a revered national hero and founding figure of Mongolia. The Soviet regime aimed to eradicate Mongolian nationalism and went to great lengths to eliminate the memory of Changiz Khan. They removed his story from school textbooks and prohibited pilgrimages to his birthplace in Kentiai. However, after Mongolia gained independence in the early 1990, Changiz Khan was reinstated in Mongolian history. Since then, he has become a prominent theme in art and popular culture. The nation's main airport in the city of Ulaanbaatar bears his name, and his portrait even graces Mongolian currency, symbolizing his significance to the country's identity.