Genghis Khan(in childhood and adolescence - Temujin, Temujin) is the founder and also the first Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. During his reign, he, like Prince Oleg and other Russian princes, united many disparate tribes (in this case, Mongolian and partially Tatar) into one powerful state.
Genghis Khan's whole life after gaining power consisted of many campaigns of conquest in Asia and later in Europe. Thanks to this, in 2000, the American edition of the New York Times named him the man of the millennium (meaning the period from 1000 to 2000 - during this time he created the largest empire in human history).
By 1200, Temujin united all the Mongol tribes, and by 1202 - the Tatar ones. By 1223-1227, Genghis Khan simply wiped out many ancient states from the face of the earth, such as:
Genghis Khan died in 1227 from inflammation after a hunting injury (or from a virus or bacteria not native to East Asia - let's not forget about the level of medicine at that time) at the age of about 65 years.
By the early 1200s, Genghis Khan was already planning the conquest of Eastern Europe. Later, after his death, the Mongols reached Germany and Italy, conquering Poland, Hungary, Ancient Rus' and so on, including attacking the Baltic states and other lands of northern and northeastern Europe. Long before this, on behalf of Genghis Khan, his sons Jochi, Jebe and Subedei set off to conquer the territories adjacent to Rus', simultaneously testing the soil of the Old Russian state .
The Mongols, using force or threats, conquered the Alans (present-day Ossetia), the Volga Bulgars and most of the lands of the Cumans, as well as the territories of the South and North Caucasus, and Kuban.
After the Polovtsians turned to the Russian princes for help, a council gathered in Kyiv under the leadership of Mstislav Svyatoslavovich, Mstislav Mstislavovich and Mstislav Romanovich. All the Mstislavs then came to the conclusion that, having finished off the Polovtsian princes, Tatar-Mongols will take over Rus', and in the worst case scenario, the Polovtsians will go over to the side Mongols, and together they will attack the Russian principalities. Guided by the principle “it is better to beat the enemy on foreign soil than on your own,” the Mstislavs gathered an army and moved south along the Dnieper.
Thanks to intelligence Mongol-Tatars learned about this and began to prepare for the meeting, having previously sent ambassadors to the Russian army.
The ambassadors brought the news that the Mongols did not touch the Russian lands and were not going to touch them, saying they only had scores to settle with the Polovtsians, and expressed a desire for Rus' not to interfere in matters that were not their own. Genghis Khan was often guided by the principle of “divide and conquer,” but the princes did not fall for this move. Historians also admit that stopping the campaign could, at best, delay the Mongol attack on Rus'. One way or another, the ambassadors were executed, and the campaign continued. A little later, the Tatar-Mongols sent a second embassy with a repeated request - this time they were released, but the campaign continued.
In the Azov region, somewhere in the territory of the present Donetsk region, a clash occurred, known in history as Battle of Kalka. Before this, the Russian princes defeated the vanguard of the Mongol-Tatars and, emboldened by their success, entered into battle near the river now known as Kalchik (which flows into the Kalmius). The exact number of troops on both sides is unknown. Russian historians call the number of Russians from 8 to 40 thousand, and the number of Mongols from 30 to 50 thousand. Asian chronicles talk about almost a hundred thousand Russians, which is not surprising (remember how Mao Zedong boasted that Stalin served him at a tea ceremony, although the Soviet leader only showed hospitality and handed him a mug of tea). Adequate historians, based on the fact that Russian princes usually gathered from 5 to 10 thousand soldiers on a campaign (maximum 15 thousand), came to the conclusion that there were about 10-12 thousand Russian troops, and about 15-25 thousand Tatar-Mongols ( Considering that Genghis Khan sent 30 thousand to the west, but some of them were defeated as part of the vanguard, as well as in previous battles with the Alans, Cumans, etc., plus a discount for the fact that not everyone available to the Mongols could have participated in the battle reserves).
So, the battle began on May 31, 1223. The beginning of the battle was successful for the Russians; Prince Daniil Romanovich defeated the advanced positions of the Mongols and rushed to pursue them, despite his injury. But then he encountered the main forces of the Mongol-Tatars. By that time, part of the Russian army had already managed to cross the river. The Mongol forces closed in and defeated the Russians and Cumans, while the rest of the Cuman forces fled. The rest of the Mongol-Tatar forces surrounded the troops of the Prince of Kyiv. The Mongols offered to surrender with the promise that then “no blood would be shed. Mstislav Svyatoslavovich fought the longest, who surrendered only on the third day of the battle. The Mongol leaders kept their promise extremely conditionally: they took all the ordinary soldiers into slavery, and executed the princes (as they promised - without shedding blood, they covered them with planks along which the entire Mongol-Tatar army marched in formation).
After this, the Mongols did not dare to go to Kyiv, and went to conquer the remnants of the Volga Bulgars, but the battle progressed unsuccessfully, and they retreated and returned to Genghis Khan. The Battle of the Kalka River was the beginning
Since ancient times, the Mongols kept family lists ( urgiin bichig) of their ancestors. The ancestry of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, was and remains connected with the history of the Mongols themselves.
Five children of Alan-goa gave rise to five Mongolian clans - from Belgunotai came the Belgunot clan, from Bugunotai - Bugunot, from Buhu-Khadaki - Khadakin, from Bukhatu-Salji - Saljiut. The fifth - Bodonchar, was a brave warrior and ruler, from him came the Borjigin family.
From the four children of Duva-Sokhor - Donoy, Dogshin, Emneg and Erkheh - four tribes of Oirats descended. Already at that time, the first Mongol state was formed, Khamag Mongol Ulus, whose existence dates back to the middle of the 12th century.
Temujin was born in the Delyun-Boldok tract on the banks of the Onon River (in the area of Lake Baikal) in the family of one of the leaders of the Mongolian Taichiut tribe, Yesugei-bagatura (“bagatur” - hero) from the Borjigin clan and his wife Hoelun from the Ungirat tribe, whom Yesugei recaptured from Merkita Eke-Chiledu. It was named after the captured Tatar leader Temuchin-Uge, whom Yesugei defeated on the eve of the birth of his son. The year of Temujin’s birth remains unclear, since the main sources indicate different dates. According to Rashid ad-Din, Temujin was born in 1155. The History of the Yuan Dynasty gives 1162 as the date of birth. A number of scientists (for example, G.V. Vernadsky), based on an analysis of sources, point to the year 1167.
At the age of 9, Yesugei-Bagatur betrothed the son of Borte, a 10-year-old girl from an Ungirat family. Leaving his son with the bride's family until he came of age, so that they could get to know each other better, he went home. According to the “Secret Legend,” on the way back, Yesugei stopped at a Tatar camp, where he was poisoned. Upon returning to his native ulus, he fell ill and fell ill, and died three days later.
After the death of Temuchin's father, his followers abandoned the widows (Yesugei had 2 wives) and the children of Yesugei (Temuchin and his younger brother Khasar, and from his second wife - Bekter and Belgutai): the head of the Taichiut clan drove the family from their homes, stealing everything that belonged to her livestock For several years, widows and children lived in complete poverty, wandering in the steppes, eating roots, game and fish. Even in the summer, the family lived from hand to mouth, making provisions for the winter.
The leader of the Taichiuts, Targutai (a distant relative of Temujin), who declared himself the ruler of the lands once occupied by Yesugei, fearing the revenge of his growing rival, began to pursue Temujin. One day, an armed detachment attacked the camp of the Yesugei family. Temujin managed to escape, but was overtaken and captured. They put a block on it - two wooden boards with a hole for the neck, which were pulled together. The block was a painful punishment: a person did not have the opportunity to eat, drink, or even drive away a fly that had landed on his face.
He found a way to escape and hide in a small lake, plunging into the water with the block and sticking only his nostrils out of the water. The Taichiuts searched for him in this place, but could not find him. He was noticed by a farm laborer from the Selduz tribe of Sorgan-Shire, who was among them, and decided to save him. He pulled young Temujin out of the water, freed him from the block and took him to his home, where he hid him in a cart with wool. After the Taichiuts left, Sorgan-Shire put Temujin on a mare, provided him with weapons and sent him home. (Subsequently, Chilaun, the son of Sorgan-Shire, became one of the four close nukers of Genghis Khan).
After some time, Temujin found his family. The Borjigins immediately migrated to another place, and the Taichiuts could no longer detect them. At the age of 11, Temujin became friends with his peer of noble origin from the Jardaran tribe, Jamukha, who later became the leader of this tribe. With him in his childhood, Temujin twice became sworn brothers (Andoy).
A few years later, Temujin married his betrothed Borte (by this time Boorchu, also one of the four closest nukers, appeared in Temujin’s service). Borte's dowry was a luxurious sable fur coat. Temujin soon went to the most powerful of the then steppe leaders - Tooril, khan of the Kerait tribe. Tooril was the sworn brother (anda) of Temujin’s father, and he managed to enlist the support of the Kerait leader by recalling this friendship and presenting a sable fur coat to Borte. Upon returning from Tooril Khan, one old Mongol gave his son Jelme into service, who became one of Genghis Khan’s commanders.
With the support of Tooril Khan, Temujin's forces began to gradually grow. Nukers began to flock to him; he raided his neighbors, increasing his possessions and herds (enriching his possessions). He differed from the other conquerors in that during the battles he tried to keep as many people from the enemy ulus alive as possible in order to later attract them to his service. Temujin's first serious opponents were the Merkits, who acted in alliance with the Taichiuts. In the absence of Temujin, they attacked the Borjigin camp and captured Borte (according to assumptions, she was already pregnant and was expecting Jochi’s first son) and Yesugei’s second wife, Sochikhel, Belgutai’s mother. In 1184 (approximately based on the date of birth of Ogedei), Temujin, with the help of Tooril Khan and the Keraits, as well as his anda (sworn brother) Jamukha (invited by Temuchin at the insistence of Tooril Khan) from the Jajirat family, defeated the Merkits and returned Borte, and Belgutai’s mother, Sochikhel, refused to go back.
After the victory, Tooril Khan went to his horde, and Temujin and his anda Jamukha remained to live together in the same horde, where they again entered into a twinning alliance, exchanging golden belts and horses. After some time (from six months to a year and a half), they went their separate ways, with many of Jamukha’s noyons and nukers joining Temuchin (which was one of the reasons for Jamukha’s hostility towards Temuchin). Having separated, Temujin began organizing his ulus, creating a horde control apparatus. The first two nukers, Boorchu and Jelme, were appointed senior in the Khan's headquarters; the command post was given to Subetai-Baghatur, the future famous commander of Genghis Khan. During the same period, Temujin had a second son, Chagatai (the exact date of his birth is unknown) and a third son, Ogedei (October 1186). Temuchin created his first small ulus in 1186 (1189/90 are also probable), and had 3 darkness (30 thousand people) troops.
In the ascension of Temujin as khan of the ulus, Jamukha did not see anything good and looked for an open quarrel with his anda. The reason was the murder of Jamukha's younger brother, Taichar, while trying to drive away a herd of horses from Temujin's possessions. Under the pretext of revenge, Jamukha and his army moved towards Temujin in 3 darkness. The battle took place near the Gulegu Mountains, between the sources of the Sengur River and the upper reaches of Onon. In this first big battle (according to the main source “The Hidden Legend of the Mongols”) Temujin was defeated. This defeat unsettled him for some time and he had to gather strength to continue the fight.
Temujin's first major military enterprise after the defeat from Jamukha was the war against the Tatars, together with Tooril Khan. The Tatars at that time had difficulty repelling the attacks of the Jin troops that entered their possessions. The combined troops of Tooril Khan and Temujin, joining the Jin troops, moved against the Tatars; the battle took place in 1196. They inflicted a number of strong blows on the Tatars and captured rich booty. The Jurchen government of Jin, as a reward for the defeat of the Tatars, awarded high titles to the steppe leaders. Temujin received the title "Jauthuri" (military commissar) and Tooril - "Van" (prince), from which time he became known as Van Khan. Temujin became a vassal of Wang Khan, whom Jin saw as the most powerful of the rulers of Eastern Mongolia.
In 1197-1198 Van Khan, without Temujin, made a campaign against the Merkits, plundered and gave nothing to his named “son” and vassal Temujin. This marked the beginning of a new cooling. After 1198, when the Jin ravaged the Kungirats and other tribes, Jin influence on Eastern Mongolia began to weaken, which allowed Temujin to take possession of the eastern regions of Mongolia. At this time, Inanch Khan dies and the Naiman state breaks up into two uluses, led by Buyruk Khan in Altai and Tayan Khan on the Black Irtysh. In 1199, Temujin, together with Van Khan and Jamukha, attacked Buiruk Khan with their joint forces and he was defeated. Upon returning home, the path was blocked by a Naiman detachment. It was decided to fight in the morning, but at night Van Khan and Jamukha disappeared, leaving Temujin alone in the hope that the Naimans would finish him off. But by morning, Temujin realizes their plan and retreats without engaging in battle. The Naimans began to pursue not Temujin, but Van Khan. The Kereits entered into a difficult battle with the Naimans, and with death evident, Van-Khan sent messengers to Temuchin asking for help. Temujin sent his nukers, among whom Boorchu, Mukhali, Borohul and Chilaun distinguished themselves in battle. For his salvation, Van Khan bequeathed his ulus to Temuchin after his death (but after recent events, he did not believe in it). In 1200, Wang Khan and Temujin set out on a joint campaign against the Taichiuts. The Merkits came to the aid of the Taichiuts. In this battle, Temujin was wounded by an arrow, after which Czhelme nursed him throughout the next night. By morning the Taichiuts disappeared, leaving many people behind. Among them was Sorgan-Shira, who once saved Temujin, and the sharpshooter Jebe, who confessed that it was he who shot Temujin, for which he was forgiven. A pursuit was organized for the Taichuts. Many were killed, some surrendered into service. This was the first defeat inflicted on the Taichiuts.
Genghis Khan elevated the written law to a cult and was a supporter of strong law and order. He created a network of communication lines in his empire, courier communications on a large scale for military and administrative purposes, and organized intelligence, including economic intelligence.
Genghis Khan divided the country into two “wings”. He placed Boorcha at the head of the right wing, and Mukhali, his two most faithful and experienced associates, at the head of the left. He made the positions and ranks of senior and highest military leaders - centurions, thousanders and temniks - hereditary in the family of those who, with their faithful service, helped him seize the khan's throne.
In 1207-1211, the Mongols conquered the land of the Kirghiz, Khankhas (Khalkha), Oirats and other forest peoples, that is, they subjugated almost all the main tribes and peoples of Siberia, imposing tribute on them. In 1209, Genghis Khan conquered Central Asia and turned his attention to the south.
Before the conquest of China, Genghis Khan decided to secure the eastern border by capturing in 1207 the state of the Tanguts Xi-Xia, who had previously conquered Northern China from the dynasty of the Chinese Song emperors and created their own state, which was located between his possessions and the state of Jin. Having captured several fortified cities, in the summer the “True Ruler” retreated to Longjin, waiting out the unbearable heat that fell that year.
Mongol Archers on Horses
Meanwhile, news reaches him that his old enemies Tokhta-beki and Kuchluk are preparing for a new war with him. Anticipating their invasion and having carefully prepared, Genghis Khan defeated them completely in a battle on the banks of the Irtysh. Tokhta-beki was among the dead, and Kuchluk escaped and found shelter with the Karakitai.
Satisfied with the victory, Temujin again sends his troops against Xi-Xia. After defeating an army of Chinese Tatars, he captured the fortress and passage in the Great Wall of China and in 1213 invaded the Chinese Empire itself, the state of Jin and advanced as far as Nianxi in Hanshu Province. With increasing persistence, Genghis Khan led his troops into the interior of the continent and established his power over the province of Liaodong, central to the empire. Several Chinese commanders defected to his side. The garrisons surrendered without a fight.
Having established his position along the entire Great Wall of China, in the fall of 1213 Temujin sent three armies to different parts of the Chinese Empire. One of them, under the command of the three sons of Genghis Khan - Jochi, Chagatai and Ogedei, headed south. Another, led by the brothers and generals of Genghis Khan, moved east to the sea. Genghis Khan himself and his youngest son Tolui, at the head of the main forces, set out in a southeastern direction. The First Army advanced as far as Honan and, after capturing twenty-eight cities, joined Genghis Khan on the Great Western Road. The army under the command of Temujin's brothers and generals captured the province of Liao-hsi, and Genghis Khan himself ended his triumphant campaign only after he reached the sea rocky cape in Shandong province. But either fearing civil strife, or due to other reasons, he decides to return to Mongolia in the spring of 1214 and makes peace with the Chinese emperor, leaving Beijing to him. However, before the leader of the Mongols had time to leave the Great Wall of China, the Chinese emperor moved his court further away, to Kaifeng. This step was perceived by Temujin as a manifestation of hostility, and he again sent troops into the empire, now doomed to destruction. The war continued.
The Jurchen troops in China, replenished by the aborigines, fought the Mongols until 1235 on their own initiative, but were defeated and exterminated by Genghis Khan's successor Ogedei.
Following China, Genghis Khan was preparing for a campaign in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. He was especially attracted to the flourishing cities of Southern Kazakhstan and Zhetysu. He decided to implement his plan through the valley of the Ili River, where rich cities were located and ruled by Genghis Khan’s longtime enemy, the Naiman Khan Kuchluk.
Campaigns of Genghis Khan and his commanders
While Genghis Khan was conquering more and more cities and provinces of China, the fugitive Naiman Khan Kuchluk asked the gurkhan who had given him refuge to help gather the remnants of the army defeated at the Irtysh. Having gained a fairly strong army under his hand, Kuchluk entered into an alliance against his overlord with the Shah of Khorezm Muhammad, who had previously paid tribute to the Karakitays. After a short but decisive military campaign, the allies were left with a big gain, and the gurkhan was forced to relinquish power in favor of the uninvited guest. In 1213, Gurkhan Zhilugu died, and the Naiman khan became the sovereign ruler of Semirechye. Sairam, Tashkent, and the northern part of Fergana came under his rule. Having become an irreconcilable opponent of Khorezm, Kuchluk began persecution of Muslims in his domains, which aroused the hatred of the settled population of Zhetysu. The ruler of Koylyk (in the valley of the Ili River) Arslan Khan, and then the ruler of Almalyk (northwest of modern Gulja) Bu-zar moved away from the Naimans and declared themselves subjects of Genghis Khan.
Genghis Khan's Empire at the time of his death
Upon returning from Central Asia, Genghis Khan once again led his army through Western China. According to Rashid ad-din, in the fall, having migrated to the borders of Xi Xia, while hunting, Genghis Khan fell from his horse and was badly injured. By evening, Genghis Khan began to develop a high fever. As a result, the next morning a council was assembled, at which the question was “whether or not to postpone the war with the Tanguts.” Genghis Khan's eldest son Jochi, who was already strongly distrusted, was not present at the council due to his constant evasion of his father's orders. Genghis Khan ordered the army to set out on a campaign to Jochi and put an end to him, but the campaign did not take place, as news of his death arrived. Genghis Khan was ill throughout the winter of 1225-1226.
The main sources by which we can judge the life and personality of Genghis Khan were compiled after his death (the “Secret Legend” is especially important among them). From these sources we receive fairly detailed information about both Chinggis’s appearance (tall, strong build, broad forehead, long beard) and his character traits. Coming from a people who apparently did not have written language or developed state institutions before him, Genghis Khan was deprived of a book education. With the talents of a commander, he combined organizational abilities, unyielding will and self-control. He possessed enough generosity and friendliness to retain the affection of his associates. Without denying himself the joys of life, he remained a stranger to excesses incompatible with the activities of a ruler and commander, and lived to an old age, retaining his mental abilities in full force.
But unlike other conquerors for hundreds of years before the Mongols, who dominated Eurasia, only Genghis Khan was able to organize a stable state system and make Asia appear to Europe not just as an unexplored steppe and mountain space, but as a consolidated civilization. It was within its borders that the Turkic revival of the Islamic world then began, which with its second onslaught (after the Arabs) almost finished off Europe.
The Mongols revere Genghis Khan as their greatest hero and reformer, almost as an incarnation of a deity. In European (including Russian) memory, he remained something like a pre-storm crimson cloud that appears before a terrible, all-purifying storm.
Temujin and his beloved wife Borte had four sons: Jochi, Chagatai, Ogedei, Tolui. Only they and their descendants could claim supreme power in the state. Temujin and Borte also had daughters:
Temujin and his second wife, the Merkit Khulan-Khatun, daughter of Dair-usun, had sons Kulhan (Khulugen, Kulkan) and Kharachar; and from the Tatar woman Yesugen (Esukat), daughter of Charu-noyon, sons Chakhur (Jaur) and Kharkhad.
The sons of Genghis Khan continued the work of the Golden Dynasty and ruled the Mongols, as well as the conquered lands, based on the Great Yasa of Genghis Khan until the 20s of the 20th century. Even the Manchu emperors, who ruled Mongolia and China from the 16th to the 19th centuries, were descendants of Genghis Khan, as for their legitimacy they married Mongol princesses from the golden family dynasty of Genghis Khan. The first prime minister of Mongolia of the 20th century, Chin Van Handdorj (1911-1919), as well as the rulers of Inner Mongolia (until 1954) were direct descendants of Genghis Khan.
The family record of Genghis Khan dates back to the 20th century; in 1918, the religious head of Mongolia, Bogdo Gegen, issued an order to preserve Urgiin bichig(family list) of Mongol princes. This monument is kept in the museum and is called “Shastra of the State of Mongolia” ( Mongol Ulsyn Shastir). Many direct descendants of Genghis Khan from his Golden Family live in Mongolia and Inner Mongolia (PRC), as well as in other countries.
According to Y-chromosome studies, about 16 million men living in Central Asia are descended strictly in the male line from a single ancestor who lived 1000±300 years ago. Obviously, this man could only be Genghis Khan or one of his immediate ancestors.
The name of Genghis Khan has long become a household name. It is a symbol of devastation and colossal wars. The Mongol ruler created an empire whose size amazed the imagination of his contemporaries.
The future Genghis Khan, whose biography has many blank spots, was born somewhere on the border of modern Russia and Mongolia. They named him Temujin. He adopted the name Genghis Khan as a designation of the title of ruler of the vast Mongol empire.
Historians have never been able to accurately calculate the date of birth of the famous commander. Various estimates place it between 1155 and 1162. This inaccuracy is due to the lack of reliable sources relating to that era.
Genghis Khan was born into the family of one of the Mongol leaders. His father was poisoned by the Tatars, after which the child began to be persecuted by other contenders for power in his native uluses. In the end, Temujin was captured and forced to live with stocks placed around his neck. This symbolized the slave position of the young man. Temujin managed to escape from captivity by hiding in the lake. He was underwater until his pursuers began looking for him elsewhere.
Many Mongols sympathized with the escaped prisoner who was Genghis Khan. The biography of this man is a vivid example of how a commander created a huge army from scratch. Once free, he was able to enlist the support of one of the khans named Tooril. This elderly ruler gave his daughter to Temuchin as his wife, thereby cementing an alliance with the talented young military leader.
Very soon the young man was able to meet the expectations of his patron. Together with his army, ulus after ulus. He was distinguished by his uncompromisingness and cruelty towards his enemies, which terrified his enemies. His main enemies were the Tatars, who dealt with his father. Genghis Khan ordered his subjects to destroy all these people, except for children, whose height did not exceed the height of a cart wheel. The final victory over the Tatars occurred in 1202, when they became harmless to the Mongols, united under the rule of Temujin.
In order to officially consolidate his leading position among his fellow tribesmen, the leader of the Mongols convened a kurultai in 1206. This council proclaimed him Genghis Khan (or Great Khan). It was under this name that the commander went down in history. He managed to unite the warring and scattered uluses of the Mongols. The new ruler gave them the only goal - to extend their power to neighboring peoples. Thus began the aggressive campaigns of the Mongols, which continued after Temujin’s death.
Soon reforms began, initiated by Genghis Khan. The biography of this leader is very informative. Temujin divided the Mongols into thousands and tumens. These administrative units together made up the Horde.
The main problem that could hinder Genghis Khan was internal hostility among the Mongols. Therefore, the ruler mixed numerous clans among themselves, depriving them of the previous organization that had existed for dozens of generations. It bore fruit. The horde became manageable and obedient. At the head of the tumens (one tumen included ten thousand warriors) were people loyal to the khan, who unquestioningly obeyed his orders. The Mongols were also attached to their new units. For moving to another tumen, those who disobeyed faced the death penalty. Thus, Genghis Khan, whose biography shows him as a far-sighted reformer, was able to overcome the destructive tendencies within Mongolian society. Now he could engage in external conquests.
By 1211, the Mongols managed to subjugate all the neighboring Siberian tribes. They were characterized by poor self-organization and could not repel the invaders. The first real test for Genghis Khan on distant frontiers was the war with China. This civilization had been at war with the northern nomads for many centuries and had enormous military experience. One day, the guards on the Great Wall of China saw foreign troops led by Genghis Khan (a short biography of the leader cannot do without this episode). This fortification system was impregnable to previous intruders. However, it was Temujin who was the first to take possession of the wall.
It was divided into three parts. Each of them set out to conquer hostile cities in their own direction (in the south, southeast and east). Genghis Khan himself reached with his army all the way to the sea. He made peace. The losing ruler agreed to recognize himself as a tributary of the Mongols. For this he received Beijing. However, as soon as the Mongols retreated back to the steppes, the Chinese emperor moved his capital to another city. This was regarded as treason. The nomads returned to China and again filled it with blood. In the end, this country was subjugated.
The next region that came under Temujin's attack was the local Muslim rulers who did not resist the Mongol hordes for long. Because of this, the biography of Genghis Khan is studied in detail in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan today. A summary of his biography is taught in any school.
In 1220, the khan captured Samarkand, the oldest and richest city in the region.
The next victims of the nomadic aggression were the Polovtsians. These steppe inhabitants asked some Slavic princes for help. So in 1223, Russian warriors first met the Mongols at the Battle of Kalka. The battle between the Polovtsy and the Slavs was lost. Temujin himself was in his homeland at that time, but closely monitored the success of his subordinates' weapons. Genghis Khan, whose interesting biographical facts are collected in various monographs, received the remnants of this army, which returned to Mongolia in 1224.
In 1227, during the siege of the Tangut capital, he died. A brief biography of the leader, set out in any textbook, will certainly tell about this episode.
The Tanguts lived in northern China and, despite the fact that the Mongols had long since subjugated them, rebelled. Then Genghis Khan himself led the army, which was supposed to punish the disobedient.
According to the chronicles of that time, the leader of the Mongols hosted a delegation of Tanguts who wanted to discuss the terms of the surrender of their capital. However, Genghis Khan felt ill and refused the ambassadors an audience. He died soon after. It is not known exactly what caused the leader’s death. Perhaps it was a matter of age, since the khan was already seventy years old, and he could hardly endure long campaigns. There is also a version that he was stabbed to death by one of his wives. The mysterious circumstances of the death are also complemented by the fact that researchers still cannot find Temujin’s grave.
There is little reliable evidence left about the empire that Genghis Khan founded. The biography, campaigns and victories of the leader - all this is known only from fragmentary sources. But the significance of the Khan’s actions is difficult to overestimate. He created the largest state in human history, spread over the vast expanse of Eurasia.
Temujin's descendants developed his success. Thus, his grandson Batu led an unprecedented campaign against the Russian principalities. He became the ruler of the Golden Horde and imposed tribute on the Slavs. But the empire founded by Genghis Khan was short-lived. At first it split into several uluses. These states were eventually captured by their neighbors. Therefore, it was Genghis Khan Khan, whose biography is known to any educated person, who became a symbol of Mongol power.
Genghis Khan founded the largest empire in human history. According to the behests of the Great Khan, the Mongols lived until the middle of the 20th century, and many of them tend to honor his laws even today. His victories were glorified by hundreds of thousands of warriors, and his death was mourned by millions of subjects. But his state collapsed, and even his grave is unknown.
The only surviving historical portrait of Genghis Khan from a series of official portraits of rulers was painted under Kublai Khan, museum.
On the banks of the Onon River, in the Deyun-Boldok tract, a boy was born into the Yesugeybagatur family from the Bordzhigin clan in the spring of 1155. He was named Temuchin in honor of the Tatar leader, captured the day before by Yesugei in a bloody battle. According to the Arab historian Rashid ad-Din, the newborn was clutching a blood clot in his fist, which, according to others, meant that the boy would become a great warrior.
Temujin's father was a far-sighted leader - the boy was not even nine years old when he obtained consent for his marriage with the eldest daughter of the Ungirat leader. According to legend, this tribe was the first among all the Mongols to decide to leave the tracts and develop the steppe expanses, “trampling the hearths and camps of their neighbors.”
In the meantime, Yesugei left Temujin with his fiancee’s family so that the boy could meet his future relatives and went home.
According to the “Secret Legend” (a Chinese translation of the genealogical history of the Genghis Khan family), Yesugei was poisoned by the Tatars on the way.
The leader of the Taichiut tribe decided to expel the Yesugei clan from their native lands. Yesugei's relatives, who remained loyal to him, tried to resist, but were unable to gather enough warriors. Their camps were destroyed, their cattle were stolen. Temujin was also captured. They put a block on the future Great Khan.
The boy was destined to become a slave forever, but on the way he managed to escape. Temujin hid from the soldiers looking for him in a small dam, spending several hours under water. He kept only his nostrils above the water, and patience allowed him to avoid recapture. The little fugitive was discovered by a shepherd from an insignificant tribe subject to the Taichiuts, but decided not to hand him over, but helped him escape. The shepherd's son Chilaun also fled with Temujin. Subsequently, Genghis Khan appointed him commander of one of the four detachments of his personal guard and gave him and his descendants the right to keep for themselves everything gained in war and hunting.
Temujin was only eleven years old, but he was able to find his relatives in the steppes. A year later he married his betrothed Borta. The position of his family was such that the bride’s dowry was only a sable fur coat, albeit a luxurious one. Fleeing from his pursuers, Temujin had to ask for help from his father’s brother-in-law. Tooril ruled the Kereit tribe, the most powerful in the steppes in those years. He promised Temuchin protection and patronage. True, he did not hesitate to take that very fur coat as a gift.
Nevertheless, nukers who had strayed from their clans and simple shepherds who dreamed of becoming warriors began to flock to Temujin’s camp. The young leader did not refuse anyone. At the same time, Temujin became sworn brothers with Jamukha, a young relative of the leader of the strong Jadaran tribe. One old Mongol gave Temuchin his son Jelme into his service. Subsequently, this young man became one of the most talented commanders of Genghis Khan.
Soon it was time for the first serious battle. The Merkit tribe attacked Temujin's camp, taking his wife and other close relatives captive. With the help of Tooril and Jamukha, the young leader completely defeated the enemy on the Selenga River in Buryatia. He returned Borte, who soon gave birth to Temuchin’s son. This victory strengthened the authority of the young leader, and his army began to grow rapidly. Contrary to custom, he tried to end the battle with as little bloodshed as possible, joining the warriors of the defeated tribe.
Soon Temujin and Jamukha parted ways. Too many warriors of twin brother Jamukha preferred the camp of the future khan of all Mongols. Jamukha had to migrate far away in disgrace so that his warriors would not run away completely. In 1186 Temujin created his first ulus. In his army there were three tumens (30,000), and under his hand were already famous military leaders: Subede, Jelme and Boorchu.
Jamukha collected three tumens and moved towards Temujin. A battle took place in which the future great khan suffered a crushing defeat. According to legend, it was during an overnight stay after a lost battle that Temuchin dreamed of the borders of his future power.
In 1200, Temujin was able to take revenge on his longtime offenders, the Techiuts. In a short battle they were defeated, many surrendered. During the battle, the leader was wounded in the shoulder by an arrow. The warrior who shot him was captured. Temujin asked if he wanted to enter his service. Subsequently, this warrior became one of the best commanders of Temujin under the name Jebe (arrowhead).
The next three years were decisive. Temujin successively defeated the most powerful Mongol tribes that still challenged his rule over the steppe. Together with each of them, his brother Jamukha fought against Temujin, stung by his successes. Neither the Tatars, nor the Kereits, nor the Naiman could stop the rise of Temujin, although he almost died in the battle with the latter. Their leader Tayankhan was famous for his caution, if not cowardice. Having 45,000 horsemen at hand, he constantly improved his position and waited until his army was defeated piece by piece. During the defeat of the Naiman, Subedei, Jelme, Jebe and Kublai especially distinguished themselves - “ four iron dogs", as Temujin called them.
In 1205 his rivalry with Jamukha came to an end. He fled to the Kipchaks and again tried to attack Temujin. But the Kipchaks were defeated, and Jamukha was given his own nukers, who were counting on a reward.
However, Temujin ordered their execution, and offered freedom to his longtime brother-in-arms. A brother brother (anda) was considered more than a relative in the Mongolian tradition. A brother could raise a weapon against his brother, and a son against his father. This was par for the course. To be sworn to as brothers - no. Nevertheless, Temujin was ready to forgive Jamukha, but he refused, saying that there can only be one khan. He asked for a dignified death (without bloodshed). Temujin's warriors broke Jamukha's back. Temujin never had any more brothers-in-arms.
Genghis Khan was not so much an outstanding military leader on the battlefield - in the Mongolian steppes almost any leader could be called such. The fighting techniques did not differ either. We can safely say that Genghis Khan did not offer anything radically new. He was, rather, a remarkable strategist: he knew how to distribute forces, which made it possible to wage war on several directions, and was not afraid to trust his military leaders, which made it possible to separate forces.
Using the mobility of the Mongol cavalry, Genghis Khan confused the enemy, attacked him from all directions, and, in the end, the enemy found himself facing a united army of the Mongols. Another trump card of Genghis Khan's army was reconnaissance - an activity despised by other steppe tribes.
At the same time, Genghis Khan never made mistakes when choosing his assistants. Each of them could act independently and achieve success (unlike, for example, Napoleonic marshals). The only thing Genghis Khan demanded from his subordinates was strict adherence to orders. Mongol warriors were forbidden to take booty during battle or pursue a fleeing enemy without the permission of their commanders.
The Universe Shaker turned his enemies into his friends.
In the spring of 1206, at the source of the Onon River, at the all-Mongol kurultai, Temujin was proclaimed great khan over all tribes and received the title “ Genghis Khan" A new law, Yasa, also came into force. It was mainly devoted to the military side of the life of nomads.
Loyalty and courage were considered good, and cowardice and betrayal were considered evil. The enemy of the Mongols, who remained loyal to their ruler, was spared and accepted into their army.
Genghis Khan divided the entire population into tens, hundreds, thousands and tumens (ten thousand), thereby mixing tribes and clans and appointing specially selected people from among the close and distinguished nukers as commanders over them. All adult and healthy men were considered warriors, thus Genghis Khan's army approached 100,000 horsemen.
In addition, he introduced the beginnings of feudal relations. Every hundred, thousand, tumen, along with nomadic lands, was given into the possession of a noyon. In case of war, it was he who was responsible for providing troops to the khan. Small noyons served large ones.
Within the framework of the united Mongolia, Genghis Khan's power was enormous, but neither he nor his warriors could stop.
At first, all Siberian peoples were subjugated and subject to tribute. Then the Mongols turned their gaze to the south. In a year, the Tangut state was conquered, which it could not cope with for 300 years.
The Jin Empire didn't last much longer. The Mongols invaded China with four armies, destroying everything in their path. According to the calculations of Jin officials, at the beginning of the war the Chinese could field almost one and a half million soldiers, but these hordes could not only win a single major victory, but even stop the advance of the Mongols into the capital regions.
In 1214 it was all over - the emperor concluded a shameful peace. Genghis Khan agreed to leave Beijing to him, but only because he understood: the Mongols could not hold too large a territory with many cities. After the truce, the Jin decided to continue the fight and paid for it: as soon as the imperial court left Beijing, Genghis Khan decided to end China, which was done in two years. Yasa helped the Mongols defeat the huge empire: many Chinese generals ran over to them along with their troops. The laws of Genghis Khan described in detail what threatens those who try to resist the tumens " Shaker of the Universe».
Usually, when they saw an enemy city, the Mongols hung a pennant on a pole near the military leader’s yurt. White meant that the khan was merciful and ready to take the oath if no resistance was offered. Yellow was supposed to warn that the city would be plundered, even if it capitulated, but the inhabitants would remain alive. The red pennant warned the besieged that they would all be killed.
However, only Genghis Khan’s heir, Ogedei, was able to finally achieve submission from China.
The Great Khan himself turned his gaze to the west. The huge power of Khorezm Shah Muhammad fell under the blows of his armies. Here the Mongols no longer accepted military defectors, trying to leave behind scorched earth. Only skilled artisans were taken captive - in 1220 the new capital of the Mongol Empire, Karakorum, was founded. Genghis Khan understood well that a state that was too large could not survive for long. By the way, the uprisings of the conquered peoples began during his lifetime, and for the last three years of his reign he rushed around the outskirts of his power, forcing the tributaries to submit. And his commanders continued reconnaissance raids to the west right up to the borders of the Russian principalities.
Death overtook the Great Khan during the siege of the Tangut capital Zhongxing in the early autumn of 1227. " Secret story“narrates that the garrison had already begun to surrender, and the ruler of the Tagnuts arrived at Genghis Khan’s headquarters with gifts. But the Great Khan suddenly felt unwell. Then he ordered the hostages to be killed, and the city to be taken and razed to the ground. After the order was carried out, Genghis Khan died.
After the death of Genghis Khan, his empire was inherited by his third son, Ogedei, who was appointed successor by Genghis Khan himself.
His relationship with his eldest son Jochi went wrong: he declared that Genghis Khan was “mad in his attitude towards people and lands,” and in every possible way delayed the campaign against the Circassians and Russian principalities.
In addition, over Jochi and his descendants all his life hung “ Merkit curse“- he was born immediately after his mother’s release from captivity, and therefore there were many doubts about Temujin’s paternity, although the khan himself recognized Jochi.
In 1225, Genghis Khan ordered an army to be sent against his eldest son, since he did not follow his father’s orders and did not appear at the council when Genghis Khan fell ill. Khan was informed that Jochi, who said he was ill, was actually hunting. However, the punitive campaign did not take place - Jochi actually died of illness.
The second son of Genghis Khan, Chagatai, was considered a very learned man for the Mongols and was known as the best expert on Yasa in the steppe. But he didn’t really like leading troops. As a result, Chagatai never formally took the khan's throne, but enjoyed authority and power even greater than Ogedei.
The burial place of Genghis Khan remains one of the most curious historical mysteries.
The mausoleum in Ejen Khoro is just a memorial. The khan's body was transported to Mongolia, presumably to the place where he was born. According to customs, he should have been buried there. What happens next is shrouded in mystery. According to one version, a river mouth was built over the khan’s grave, and according to another, trees were planted. According to the third, the funeral escort, in order to hide the position of the grave, killed all the travelers they met. Then the slaves who dug the grave were killed, then the soldiers who killed the slaves, and so on. Medieval historians noted that a generation after the death of Genghis Khan, no one in Mongolia knew the true place of his burial. So, quite possibly, there is no secret: the Mongols did not accept noisy veneration of the graves of their ancestors.
| 1155 |
Birth of Temujin. |
| 1184 |
Temujin, together with his brother-in-arms Jamukha and Tooril Khan, defeated the Merkits. 1st victory of the future " Shaker of the Universe». |
| 1186 |
Temuchin created his first ulus. |
| 1205 |
Temujin united almost all the Mongol tribes and destroyed his last enemy - his twin brother Jamukha. |
| 1206 |
At the kurultai, Temujin was proclaimed Genghis Khan (“ Great Khan") of all Mongol tribes. The conquest of Asia began. |
| 1213 |
The beginning of the conquest of Northern China. |
| 1218 |
Defeat of the Karakitai. The first clash between the Khorezmshahs. |
There are a large number of unique people in world history. They were simple children, often brought up in poverty and did not know good manners. It was these people who radically changed the course of history, leaving behind only ashes. They were building a new world, a new ideology and a new outlook on life. Humanity owes its present life to all these hundreds of people, because it was the resulting mosaic of past events that led to what we have today. Everyone knows the names of such people, because they are constantly on people’s lips. Every year, scientists can provide an increasing number of interesting facts from the lives of great people. In addition, many secrets and mysteries are gradually being revealed, the disclosure of which a little earlier could have led to terrifying consequences.
Genghis Khan is the founder of the first great khan of which he was. He united various scattered tribes located on the territory of Mongolia. In addition, he carried out a large number of campaigns against neighboring states. Most military campaigns ended in complete victory. The empire of Genghis Khan is considered the largest continental empire in all of world history.
Temujin was born in the Delyun-Boldok tract. The father named Temujin-Uge in honor of the captured Tatar leader, who was defeated just before the birth of the boy. The date of birth of the great leader is still not known exactly, since different sources indicate different periods. According to documents that existed during the life of the leader and his biographer witnesses, Genghis Khan was born in 1155. Another option is 1162, but there is no exact confirmation. The boy's father, Yesugei-bagatur, left him in the family of his future bride at the age of 11. Genghis Khan had to stay there until he came of age so that the children could get to know each other better. The little girl, the future bride named Borta, was from the Ungirat clan.
According to the scriptures, on the way back home the boy's father was poisoned by the Tatars. Yesugei had a fever at home and died three days later. He had two wives. Both of them and their children were kicked out of the tribe by the head of the family. Women and children were forced to live in the forest for several years. They managed to escape by a miracle: they ate plants, the boys tried to fish. Even in the warm season, they were doomed to hunger, since they had to stock up on food for the winter.
Fearing revenge from the heirs of the great khan, the new head of the Targutai tribe, Kiriltukh, pursued Temujin. The boy managed to escape several times, but was eventually caught. They put a wooden block on him, which absolutely limited the martyr's actions. It was impossible to eat, drink, or even get the annoying bug off my face. Realizing the hopelessness of his situation, Temujin decided to escape. At night he reached the lake, where he hid. The boy was completely submerged in the water, leaving only his nostrils on the surface. The head of the tribe's bloodhounds carefully looked for at least some traces of the escapee. One person noticed Temujin, but did not give him away. Later it was he who helped Genghis Khan escape. Soon the boy found his relatives in the forest. Then he married Bort.
Genghis Khan's empire was created gradually. At first, nukers began to flock to him, with whom he carried out attacks on neighboring territories. Thus, the young man began to have his own land, army and people. Genghis Khan began to form a special system that would allow him to effectively manage the rapidly growing horde. Around 1184, Genghis Khan's first son, Jochi, was born. In 1206, at a congress, Temujin was proclaimed Great Khan by God. From that moment on, he was considered the complete and absolute ruler of Mongolia.
The conquest of Central Asia took place in several stages. The war with the Karakitai Khanate ended with the Mongols receiving Semirechye and Eastern Turkestan. In order to gain the support of the population, the Mongols allowed Muslims to perform public worship, which was prohibited by the Naimans. This contributed to the fact that the permanent settled population completely took the side of the conquerors. The population considered the arrival of the Mongols to be “the mercy of Allah,” in comparison with the harshness of Khan Kuchluk. The residents themselves opened the gates to the Mongols. It is for this reason that the city of Balasagun was called the “meek city”. Khan Kuchluk was unable to organize a strong enough resistance, so he fled the city. Soon he was found and killed. Thus, the way to Khorezm was opened for Genghis Khan.
The empire of Genghis Khan absorbed Khorezm, a large state in Central Asia. Its weak point was that the nobles had complete power in the city, so the situation was very tense. Muhammad's mother independently appointed all her relatives to important government positions, without asking her son. Having thus created a circle of powerful support, she led the opposition against Muhammad. Internal relations became greatly strained when the threat of a Mongol invasion loomed. The war against Khorezm ended with neither side gaining a significant advantage. At night, the Mongols left the battlefield. In 1215, Genghis Khan agreed with Khorezm on mutual trade relations. However, the first merchants who went to Khorezm were captured and killed. For the Mongols, this was an excellent reason to start a war. Already in 1219, Genghis Khan, together with the main military forces, opposed Khorezm. Despite the fact that many territories were taken by siege, the Mongols plundered cities, killed and destroyed everything around them. Muhammad lost the war even without a fight, and, realizing this, he fled to an island in the Caspian Sea, having previously given power into the hands of his son Jalal ad-Din. After lengthy battles, the khan overtook Jalal ad-Din in 1221 near the Indus River. The enemy army numbered about 50 thousand people. To cope with them, the Mongols used a trick: after carrying out an outflanking maneuver along the rocky terrain, they struck the enemy from the flank. In addition, Genghis Khan deployed a powerful guard unit of bagaturs. Ultimately, Jalal ad-Din's army was almost completely defeated. He and several thousand soldiers fled from the battlefield by swimming.
After a 7-month siege, the capital of Khorezm, Urgench, fell and the city was taken. Jalal ad-Din fought against the troops of Genghis Khan for 10 long years, but this did not bring significant benefit to his state. He died defending his territory in 1231 in Anatolia.
In just three short years (1219-1221), the kingdom of Muhammad bowed to Genghis Khan. The entire eastern part of the kingdom, which occupied the territory from the Indus to the Caspian Sea, was under the rule of the Great Khan of Mongolia.
The Mongols conquered the West through the campaign of Jebe and Subadei. Having captured Samarkand, Genghis Khan sent his troops to conquer Muhammad. Jebe and Subedei passed through the whole of Northern Iran and then captured the South Caucasus. Cities were captured through certain treaties or simply by force. The troops regularly collected tribute from the population. Soon, in 1223, the Mongols defeated the Russian-Polovtsian military forces. However, retreating to the East, they lost. Small remnants of the huge army returned to the Great Khan in 1224, and he was in Asia at that time.
The Khan's first victory, which occurred outside of Mongolia, occurred during the 1209-1210 campaign against the Tanguts. Khan began to prepare for war with the most dangerous enemy in the East - the state of Jin. In the spring of 1211, a great war began, which claimed many lives. Very quickly, by the end of the year, Genghis Khan’s troops controlled the territory from the north to the Chinese Wall. Already by 1214, the entire territory covering the north and the Yellow River was in the hands of the Mongol army. In the same year, the siege of Beijing took place. Peace was obtained through an exchange - Genghis Khan married a Chinese princess, who had a huge dowry, lands and wealth. But this step by the emperor was only a ruse, and as soon as the khan’s troops began to retreat, after waiting for the right moment, the Chinese resumed the war. For them, this was a big mistake, because in the speed of the Mongols they destroyed the capital to the last pebble.
In 1221, when Samarkand fell, the eldest son of Genghis Khan was sent to Khorezm to begin the siege of Urgench, the capital of Muhammad. At the same time, the youngest son was sent by his father to Persia to plunder and seize territory.
Separately, it is worth noting what happened between the Russian-Polovtsian and Mongol troops. The modern territory of the battle is the Donetsk region of Ukraine. The Battle of Kalka (year 1223) led to the complete victory of the Mongols. First they defeated the Polovtsian forces, and a little later the main forces of the Russian army were defeated. On May 31, the battle ended with the death of about 9 Russian princes, many boyars and warriors.
The campaign of Subedei and Jebe allowed the army to pass through a significant part of the steppes occupied by the Cumans. This allowed military leaders to evaluate the merits of the future theater of operations, study it and think over a reasonable strategy. The Mongols also learned a lot about the internal structure of Rus'; they received a lot of useful information from prisoners. Genghis Khan's campaigns were always distinguished by the thoroughness that was carried out before the offensive.
The Mongol-Tatars invasion of Rus' took place in 1237-1240 under the rule of Genghisid Batu. The Mongols actively attacked Rus', struck strong blows, waiting for opportune moments. The main goal of the Mongol-Tatars was to disorganize the warriors of Rus', sow fear and panic. They avoided fighting with large numbers of warriors. The tactic was to disunite a large army and break up the enemy piece by piece, wearing him down with sharp attacks and constant aggression. The Mongols began battles by throwing arrows in order to intimidate and distract their opponents. One of the significant advantages of the Mongol army was that battle management was organized in the best possible way. The managers did not fight next to ordinary warriors, they were at a certain distance, so as to maximally cover the viewing angle of military operations. Instructions were given to the soldiers using various signs: flags, lights, smoke, drums and trumpets. The Mongol attack was carefully planned. For this purpose, powerful reconnaissance and diplomatic preparation for battle were carried out. Much attention was paid to isolating the enemy, as well as fanning internal conflicts. After this stage, it concentrated near the borders. The offensive took place along the entire perimeter. Starting from different sides, the army sought to get to the very center. Penetrating deeper and deeper, the military destroyed cities, stole livestock, killed warriors and raped women. In order to better prepare for an attack, the Mongols sent special observation units that prepared the territory and also destroyed the enemy’s weapons. The exact number of troops on both sides is not reliably known, since information varies.
For Rus', the invasion of the Mongols was a severe blow. A huge part of the population was killed, the cities fell into decay, as they were thoroughly destroyed. Stone construction ceased for several years. Many crafts simply disappeared. The settled population was almost completely eliminated. The empire of Genghis Khan and the Mongol-Tatar invasion of Rus' were closely connected, since for the Mongols it was a very tasty morsel.
The Empire of Genghis Khan included a huge territory from the Danube to the Sea of Japan, from Novgorod and to Southeast Asia. In its heyday, it united the lands of Southern Siberia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, China, Tibet and Central Asia. The 13th century marked the creation and flourishing of the great state of Genghis Khan. But already in the second half of the century, the huge empire began to split into separate uluses, which were ruled by the Chingizids. The most significant fragments of the huge state were: the Golden Horde, the Yuan Empire, the Chagatai ulus and the Hulaguid state. And yet the empire's frontiers were so impressive that no general or conqueror could achieve more.
Karakoram city was the capital of the entire empire. The word literally translates as “black stones of the volcano.” It is believed that Karakorum was founded in 1220. The city was the place where the khan left his family during campaigns and military affairs. The city was also the residence of the khan, in which he received important ambassadors. Russian princes also came here to resolve various political issues. The 13th century gave the world many travelers who left notes about the city (Marco Polo, de Rubruck, Plano Carpini). The city's population was very diverse, since each quarter was isolated from the other. The city was home to artisans and traders who came from all over the world. The city was unique in terms of the diversity of its inhabitants, because among them there were people of different races, religions and thoughts. The city was also built up with many Muslim mosques and Buddhist temples.
Ögedei built a palace which he called “The Palace of Ten Thousand Years of Prosperity.” Each Genghisid also had to build his own palace here, which, naturally, was inferior to the building of the son of the great leader.
Genghis Khan had many wives and concubines until the end of his days. However, it was the commander’s first wife, Borta, who gave birth to the most powerful and famous boys. The heir of Jochi's first son, Batu, was the creator of the Golden Horde, Jagatai-Chagatai gave the name to the dynasty that ruled over the central regions for a long time, Ogadai-Ogedei was the successor of the khan himself, Tolui ruled the Mongol Empire from 1251 to 1259. Only these four boys had a certain power in the state. In addition, Borta gave birth to her husband and daughters: Khodzhin-begi, Chichigan, Alagai, Temulen and Altalun.
The khan's second wife, Merkit Khulan-Khatun, gave birth to a daughter, Dayrusun, and sons, Kulkan and Kharachar. Genghis Khan's third wife Esukat gave him a daughter, Charu-noinonu, and sons, Chakhur and Kharkhad.
Genghis Khan, whose life story is impressive, left behind descendants who ruled the Mongols in accordance with the Great Yasa of Khan until the 20s of the last century. The Emperors of Manchuria, who ruled Mongolia and China from the 16th to the 19th centuries, were also the direct heirs of the khan in the female line.
The fall of the empire lasted 9 long years, from 1260 to 1269. The situation was very tense, as there was a pressing question about who would receive all the power. In addition, it should be noted the serious administrative problems faced by the management apparatus.
The fall of the empire occurred for the reason that the sons of Genghis Khan did not want to live according to the laws established by their father. They could not live by the main postulate “On the good quality and severity of the state.” Genghis Khan was shaped by a cruel reality that constantly demanded decisive action from him. Temujin was constantly tested by life, starting from the early years of his life. His sons lived in a completely different environment; they were protected and confident in the future. In addition, we should not forget that they valued their father’s possessions much less than he did.
Another reason for the collapse of the state was the struggle for power between the sons of Genghis Khan. She distracted them from the pressing affairs of the state. When important issues had to be resolved, the brothers were engaged in sorting things out. This could not but affect the situation in the country, world status, and the mood of the people. All this led to a general deterioration in the state in many aspects. Dividing their father's empire among themselves, the brothers did not understand that they were destroying it by dismantling it into stones.
Genghis Khan, whose story is impressive to this day, returned from Central Asia and marched with his army through Western China. In 1225, near the borders of Xi Xia, Genghis Khan was hunting, during which he fell and was seriously hurt. By the evening of the same day he developed a severe fever. As a consequence of this, a meeting of managers was convened in the morning, at which the question of whether or not to start a war with the Tanguts was considered. The council also included Jochi, who did not enjoy much confidence at the top of the government, since he regularly deviated from his father’s instructions. Noticing this constant behavior, Genghis Khan ordered his army to go against Jochi and kill him. But due to the death of his son, the campaign was never completed.
Having recovered his health, in the spring of 1226 Genghis Khan and his army crossed the Xi Xia border. Having defeated the defenders and left the city to be plundered, the khan began his last war. The Tanguts were completely defeated on the approaches to the Tangut kingdom, the path to which became open. The fall of the Tangut kingdom and the death of the khan are very connected, because the great leader died here.
The scriptures say that Genghis Khan's death occurred after he accepted gifts from the Tangut king. However, there are several versions that have equal rights to exist. Among the main and most probable causes are the following: death from illness, poor adaptation to the climate of the area, consequences of a fall from a horse. There is also a separate version that the khan was killed by his young wife, whom he took by force. The girl, fearing the consequences, committed suicide that same night.
No one can name the exact burial place of the Great Khan. Different sources disagree on the hypotheses for a number of reasons. Moreover, each of them indicates different places and methods of burial. Genghis Khan's grave can be located in any of three places: on Burkhan-Khaldun, on the northern side of Altai Khan or in Yekhe-Utek.
The monument to Genghis Khan is located in Mongolia. The equestrian statue is considered to be the largest monument and statue in the entire world. The opening of the monument took place on September 26, 2008. Its height is 40 m without the pedestal, the height of which is 10 m. The entire statue is covered with stainless steel, the total weight is 250 tons. Also, the monument to Genghis Khan is surrounded by 36 columns. Each of them symbolizes the khan of the Mongol Empire, starting with Genghis and ending with Ligden. In addition, the monument has two floors and houses a museum, an art gallery, billiards, restaurants, a conference room and a souvenir shop. The horse's head serves as an observation deck for visitors. The statue is surrounded by a large park. The city authorities plan to develop a golf course, an open theater and an artificial lake.
