Who was Genghis Khan?
To talk about who Genghis Khan was is to recognize leadership hand in hand with strategy and cruelty. This man, whose real name was Temujin, was a Mongolian leader and conqueror who lived in the 13th century. Born into a family of nomadic Mongolian nobility, Genghis Khan united the Mongol tribes and became the founder and ruler of the Mongol Empire. one of the largest and most powerful in history.
The Great Khan was known for his strategic vision, military skills, and his ability to unite vast numbers of tribes under his leadership. Through a combination of innovative military tactics, iron discipline, and efficient organization, managed to conquer a vast territory that stretched from China to Eastern Europe. In addition to his military success, other strategic actions stand out in the story of Genghis Khan.
For example, he implemented a series of political and administrative reforms in his empire. He established a system of laws known as the “Great Yasa” that sought to promote justice and equality within his empire. Also fostered trade and communication along the routes of the Silk Road, which contributed to cultural and economic exchange in Eurasia. But despite this, what best defines who Genghis Khan was is his exercise in the art of war, which we will tell you about in more depth.
The story of Genghis Khan as a war strategist
To talk about the story of Genghis Khan is to recognize a sinister master in the art of war. There are countless examples of wars waged with weapons that brought terrible consequences. But the Great Khan’s army was a master in the art of intimidation. These they catapulted the dead bodies of the conquered to the castles and palaces they invaded, sowing panic among the soldiers and citizens. And it is that one of the best strategies of the devastating was to frighten the towns. In addition, Genghis Khan’s warriors slaughtered the residents by cutting off their limbs and displaying them in front of everyone.
In addition to intimidation, another element that defines who Genghis Khan was in the war is the fact of using the full psychological military strategy. His objective was to keep his troops alive, since they needed his entire army to continue conquering territories. So, it was precisely for this reason that using the brain in military strategy was so important. Let’s not forget that the Mongols have been a nomadic people for millennia. In the time of Genghis Khan, this trend of life was combined with the ambition of the Great Khan, and the result is already known to history.
The relationship of Genghis Khan’s army with the blood of the foreign nobility was controversial. For the Mongolian people, blood contained the spiritual essence of each person. For that reason they could only kill nobles without bloodshed.
What was the Great Khan’s Army like?
Although the power of who Genghis Khan was has gone down in history, his army should not be left out, the group of men who accompanied him on his journeys and conquests. There are hundreds of legends surrounding this army. One of them is that the preparation of the men began at the earliest childhood, when at the age of three they were forced to learn to ride a horse. The eating style is also striking. The Mongolian diet was the opposite of veganism. In fact, eating the meat raw or turning the animal’s blood into sausages were common practices among the Mongolian people.
When they grew up, they were assigned up to thirty wives that were inherited from father to son. due to the number of casualties, since the whole town was fighting. According to what they say, in addition, the Mongols never cleaned their clothes. The reason will surprise you: this custom that was based on the belief that dirtying the waters to clean your clothes could anger the gods with the tragic outcome that a great storm would destroy their homes. Genghis Khan’s army was as macabre as himself. About who Genghis Khan was, there is a phrase that history reserves, which is attributed to him and seems to define him quite well:
«The greatest happiness in human life is to defeat enemies and chase them! Ride their horses and take everything they own! Make them see, bathed in tears, the faces of those who were dear to them and hold their wives and daughters in their arms!».
Curiosities of Genghis Khan
Delving into who Genghis Khan was is also recognizing some of his most curious attitudes. For example, did you know that the Great Khan hated cities? Well yes. It was so much his hatred that One of his most important promises was to unify his people to take revenge on the cities and those who crowded between stone walls, forgetting the dynamics of living in the open air. According to the Khan, the cities weakened the spirit of every warrior. Although this promise was kept with bloody battles, the war leader also made alliances and betrayals, like a true political strategist. In the entire history of Genghis Khan, he only lost two battles.
The Khan’s clothing was a humble sable dress, with his coat, bow and arrow. Besides, the warrior leader was extremely intelligent and had strong allies that he had inherited from his fatheras Toghrul Khan. It was this figure that all the new Mongol generations of the steppe followed. And it was not only because of his intelligence and power, but because the legend had spread, before his birth, that a warrior hero would come from heaven to unite all the Mongolian tribes and take revenge on his enemies. . It is said that about 13,000 men were gathered around the Great Khan. It must have been a terrifying spectacle.
So far our approach to who Genghis Khan was and the fearsome practices of his army has come. And you, Did you know these facts about the history of Genghis Khan? Are there any others that you would like us to add to the list? Feel free to leave all your opinions in a comment. We will be happy to read you! And if you want to continue learning about this fascinating and bloody character, don’t miss the article in which we tell you about the Genghis Khan tomb. Until next time!