Genghis Khan Essay, Research Paper
The old world had many great leaders. Alexander the Great,
Hannibal and even Julius Caesar met with struggle on their rise to
power. Perhaps Genghis Khan was the most significant of all these
rulers. To prove that Genghis Khan was the greatest ruler, we must go
back to the very beginning of his existence. We must examine such
issues as; Genghis?s struggle for power/how his life as a child would
affect his rule, his personal and military achievements and his
conquests.
Genghis Khan was originally born as Temujin in 1167. He showed
early promise as a leader and a fighter. By 1206, an assembly of
Mongolian chieftains proclaimed him Genghis Khan. Which meant
Universal or invincible prince. This was a bold move for the assembly.
They obviously saw some leadership qualities in Genghis that others
didn?t. When Genghis Khan was little, his chieftain father poisoned.
With no leader left, the tribe abandoned Genghis and his mother. They
were left alone for many years to care for themselves. Throughout
these years, his family met many hardships such as shortage of food
and shortage of money. Though unable to read, Genghis was a very wise
man. His mother told him at a very early age the importance of trust
and independence. “Remember, you have no companions but your shadow”
Grolier Encyclopedia. (1995) CD ROM
This quote was to mean to Genghis, don?t put to much trust in
anyone, trust no one but yourself and if you must go your own way then
do so. In 1206, Genghis Khan proclaimed the ruler of Mongolia. Genghis
was a very respected leader. Like other leaders he knew what his
people wanted. They want everything that is good and nothing that is
bad. Genghis knew he could not promise this so instead he pledged to
share both the sweet and the bitter of life. Genghis did not want to
end up being poisoned like his father so instead he made alliances,
and attacked anyone who posed a serious threat. Through this method
of leadership, Genghis?s army grew to the point where they were
unbeatable.
Genghis contributed alot of items to the chinese and even
western civilizations. Perhaps his greatest contribution was a code of
laws that he declared. Since Genghis couldn?t read or write, these law
were documented by one of his followers. His laws were carried on by
people though the many generations to the point of still being in use
today. Either as a modification of Genghis?s laws or as Genghis had
declared them. Genghis Khan promoted the growth of trade between China
and Europe. This allowed him to gain essential supplies such as food,
weapons and other essential survival materials. Genghis also invented
a system similar to the pony express. It was a system in which the
horse and rider could silently communicate, a system that is still in
use today. Perhaps the greatest gift ever given by Genghis Khan was
the gift of language. Genghis was the first ruler to develop a
Mongolian language. Genghis Khan was also a military and strategic
genius. He structured his army in a unique and interesting fashion. He
integrated soldiers from different tribes into one powerful fighting
force. This was a brilliant idea. Not only could he have diversity and
people who specialize in certain aspects of warfare, but it also
inspired loyalty to the mongolian army as a whole rather than to a
specific group of people. Genghis used harsh training and strict
discipline to create a superior fighting force, he also insured that
everyone of his soldiers was well equipped and could easily adopted
new warfare tactics. His soldiers were always learning. Whether it be
a new tactic Genghis had invented or a new weapon He decided the army
would use, his soldiers were constantly learning. Genghis inspired
loyalty by a unique way of promotion. Genghis felt that the best way
to gain a loyal following was to promote people on the basis of
achievement and not within the family. This did not only inspire a
great deal of loyalty but it also made his army better and actually
raised the morale of his soldiers. Every soldier gave their life to
Genghis and one hundred percent of their effort because no one knew
who would be the next Genghis would promote.
Finally, once Genghis’s army was trained and ready for battle,
Genghis felt it was time to flex the muscles of the Mongolian empire.
Genghis took on the great task of conquering all of china and uniting
it under a single ruler. Genghis began his assault on China by
attacking a northwest kingdom called Xi Xia. He defeated Xi Xia with
little effort and then in 1215 he moved northeast, attacking and
conquering Bejing, the capital city of the Jin empire. In 1218, for
reasons unknown, he decided to cease his assault on China and sweep
into central Asia. He crushed the kingdom of Krorezm which was
located in what is now present-day Uzebekistan and Turkmenistan. In
1220, he destroyed the cities of Bukhara and Samarkand, which are
located in present-day Uzebekistan and Neyshabar in modern Iran. By
1223, Genghis Khan and his troops had conquered the Kipchaks, and they
had defeated the Russians at the Kalka River. It had taken Genghis
Khan 17 years to create an empire superior in strength and achievement
to Alexander the great, Julius Caesar and even Hannibal. From 1225
until Genghis?s death in 1227, His army was at war with Yi Yia
kingdom.
Genghis Khan died on August 18, 1227, and was buried in a secret
location in Mongolia. By rewarding skill and allegiance, and punishing
those who opposed him, Genghis Khan established a vast empire and the
most powerful empire to ever exist. Upon his death, Genghis?s son
Kublai Khan took over the empire, founding the chinese-style Yuan
dynasty. Mongol rule brought relative peace to Asia, leaving China
accessible to foreign visitors, such as Marco Polo.
Bibliography
Grolier Encyclopedia. (1995). CD ROM
The New World Book. (1995). CD ROM
Empires Beyond the Great Wall: The Heritage of Genghis Khan.
www.pinc.com/khan/empires.html
Online. Internet. 1 May 1996
Heroes (Genghis Khan 1167-1227).
http://spruce.evansville.edu/~al22/genghis.html
Online. Internet. 2 May 1996