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- Date sent: Fri, 24 May 1996 17:30:35 +0000
-
- GENGHIS KHAN
-
- 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.
-
- REFERENCES
-
- 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