Genghis Khan Essay Example For Students

Genghis Khan Essay Genghis Khan, or Ghengis Khan as he is more widely known, was born about the year 1162 to a Mongol chieftain, Yesugei, and his wife. He was born with the name of Temujin, which means iron worker in his native language. When Temujin was born his fist was clutching a blood clot which was declared an omen that he was destined to become a heroic warrior.Very little is known of Temujin until he was around age 13 when his father declared that his son was to find a fiance and get married. After several days of travel Temujin and Yesugei came across a tribe of Mongols that were very hospitable and welcoming. Temujin was not there long when he noticed a certain girl, Borte the daughter of the chieftain. She was destined to become his wife. Temujins father died when Temjin was still young, poisoned by a group of Tatars. The Tatars were the chief power on the eastern Mongolia at the time, and long- time rivals of the Mongols. When Temujin heard how his father had died, vowed one day to avenge t he death. Temujin left Borte, returned to his tribe, with the intention to declare himself leader. At this time he was 13 years of age. Senior members of the tribe ridiculed his plans; rejected him as chief, and abandoned the youngster and his family to the Mongolian plains. While there were noble lineages among the Mongols, such as Temujins, they did not enjoy the automatic loyalty of others. Nor did seniority guarantee a position of influence or power. Leadership seems to have often been a more informal institution, open to those with the right to contest for it. As a result of this rejection, Temujin extended his vengeful intentions to his own clan members. Life was very hard for the family. It is related that when Temujin discovered his own brother stealing food from the group had no hesitation in killing him. News that he was a stern leader that would kill his own brother to keep order became widely known. On a hunting trip he was ambushed by an enemy tribe and taken prisoner. While priso ner he killed his guard and escaped. The enemy searched, but excellent survival skills kept him alive until he could meet up with his own tribe. This act of courage spread his name to all parts of the Mongolian plains. Shortly after, another raid by strangers left the family with one horse and very little food. Temujin took chase but could not catch them. During his chase he met up with Bogurchi, the son of a rich man, who would become a blood- brother and trusted ally. Bogurchi helped Temujin retrieve the stolen horses but the thieves escaped. Word of these exploits became greatly exaggerated to thus enhance his reputation even further. After four years, the time had come to marry Borte. As a wedding present her father gave him a very rare black sable fur. This gift proved to be one of the most important assets ever given to Temujin. Temujin used it to persuade Togrul, his fathers sworn-brother, to join him in revenge attacks against the Tatars and other Mongol enemies. Togrul agre ed to join and reconcile all of Temujins fathers men. Temujin was now aged seventeen. Already his road to glory had begun. Word of Temujin and Togrul spread far and wide. They called all Mongols to unite and defeat their enemies. Thousands of people came bringing weapons, food, and families. Temujin now had thousands of people under his command. The army became highly organized. They were divided into groups of tens, hundreds, thousands, and ten thousands. Each soldier carried his own food which usually consisted of powdered yak milk and dried milk and when food was scarce the soldiers would open up a vein of their horse to drink its blood. In 1183 the Mongols that gathered declared Temujin their great Khan, or king, giving him the name Genghis. At this time, he was still a junior member of the lineage, and his election is thus somewhat of a surprise. It may well have been an attempt by senior members of the lineage to install a Khan they thought they could control. This political m aneuvering was not spectacularly successful. Causal Argument : The Negative Effect Of Mmprpg 's Online Role Playing Game EssayUpon his death the main expansionist phase of Mongol conquest ended as the armies returned home to elect a new Khan. The vast empire, now came under the banner of his son Ogadai. It was divided into three, with each region controlled by another son of Ghengis. While normally thought of as a despot, Ghengis Khan was also generous and loyal. A highly charismatic man, he nonetheless also expected loyalty from everyone, including those who served his opponents. He is reputed to have put to death people who, thinking they would gain his good graces, betrayed their lords to him. In the West, it is usually Ghengiss brilliance as a military commander that is dwelt upon. And indeed, this attention is deserved. It should be noted, however, that certain misconceptions appear to linger concerning the Mongols. They did not, in fact, invent the tactics they used with such effectiveness against their enemies, such as the feigned retreat. Rather, they brought to a new level old nomad military tactics. Even Ghengiss much vaunted organization of the military on a decimal system was to be found among the Xiong-nu, although arranging it to cut across lineages, and thus ensure greater loyalty to the leader, apparently was an innovation. Innovative too, was Ghe ngiss tendency to pluck people from the ranks. Although noble birth may well have given one a head start, one could only be assured of advancement through the ranks based on ability and loyalty. In present-day Mongolia, it is not so much his military attributes that are emphasized, but rather his administrative abilities. One should further be aware that although we talk of the Mongol army, the reality is more complicated. The commanders were indeed Mongol (even defining Mongol in this context can be tricky), but the soldiers were drawn from allies and conquered areas. Engineers from conquered sedentary populations were put into action as siege experts, and even the cavalry was a mixture of Mongol and other nomadic groups. The success of the Mongol conquests should also be attributed at least in part to two other factors. One was military intelligence. The Mongols had an extensive network of spies and usually had extensive information of an enemy before they engaged them in battle. The other was their use of psychological warfare. Much is made of the total destruction of cities in Central Asia by the Mongols. What is normally overlooked, however, is that this was more of an exception than a rule. If a city capitulated, Ghengis Khan was usually content to let them be, once their defenses had been pulled down. Only those who resisted faced the sword. This not only wiped out resistance, but more importantly, word quickly spread of the wrath of Ghengis Khan, and many peoples found it easier to submit than to resist. In short, although the Mongol successes may appear astounding, they are explainable by ordinary means. One need not look for some mystical explanation. Indeed, to do so does a disservice to the true talents of Ghengis Khan and the Mongols of the thirteenth century.