Who was Genghis Khan?

Genghis Khan — born Temüjin around 1162 CE on the Mongolian steppe — is one of the most consequential figures in human history. His personal story is extraordinary: orphaned and abandoned by his clan after his father's death, he spent years in poverty and captivity before slowly building a network of allies through charisma, strategic marriages, and military skill.

By 1206, Temüjin had unified the fractious Mongol tribes under his leadership and was proclaimed Genghis Khan — 'Universal Ruler' — at a great assembly. He then turned his attention outward, launching a series of campaigns that would reshape the world. His armies destroyed the Khwarezmian Empire in Central Asia, conquered northern China, swept across Persia, and invaded Russia — all within two decades.

Genghis Khan's military genius extended beyond tactical brilliance. He organized his army on a decimal system (units of 10, 100, 1,000, and 10,000) with officers promoted by merit rather than birth. He established an intelligence network that mapped enemy territories before campaigns began. His legal code, the Yasa, imposed order across diverse populations and established principles of religious tolerance, meritocratic promotion, and trade protection.

The destruction wrought by Mongol conquests was immense — entire cities were razed, populations massacred, and some regions took centuries to recover. But Genghis Khan also created the framework for the Pax Mongolica, which facilitated unprecedented exchange between civilizations. He died in 1227, leaving his sons an empire that would, under their leadership, grow to encompass a quarter of the earth's surface. His legacy — both creative and destructive — continues to shape the politics, demographics, and culture of Eurasia today.