Genghis Khan: The Name that brought world down to its Knees. Part-2.

For those of you, Who didn't read the first part, Please read  Genghis Khan: The Name that brought world down to its Knees. Part-1. because it has a very interesting story of his childhood.

Now, Deeds That gained his name in the history: 

1. Alliance:  

Genghis Khan conquered more than twice as much land as any other person in history, bringing Eastern and Western civilizations into contact in the process. Going against custom, Temujin put competent allies rather than relatives in key positions and executed the leaders of enemy tribes while incorporating the remaining members into his clan. He ordered that all looting wait until after a complete victory had been won.

Though Temujin was an animist, his followers included Christians, Muslims and Buddhists. By 1205 he had vanquished all rivals, including his former best friend Jamuka. The following year, he called a meeting of representatives from every part of the territory and established a nation similar in size to modern Mongolia. He was also proclaimed Chinggis Khan, which roughly translates to “Universal Ruler,” a name that became known in the West as Genghis Khan. 

GENGHIS KHAN ESTABLISHES AN EMPIRE 

Having united the tribes, Genghis Khan ruled over some 1 million people. In order to suppress the traditional causes of tribal warfare, he abolished inherited aristocratic titles. He also forbade the selling and kidnapping of women, banned the enslavement of any Mongol and made livestock theft punishable by death. Moreover, Genghis Khan ordered the adoption of a writing system, conducted a regular census, granted diplomatic immunity to foreign ambassadors and allowed freedom of religion well before that idea caught on elsewhere. Genghis Khan’s first campaign outside of Mongolia took place against the Xi Xia kingdom of northwestern China.   

2. Brutality: 

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Genghis became king of the Mongols in 1190 and unified them with rival tribes. He invaded and conquered parts of China, Persia and parts of south-east asia. He was famous for his brutality. According to him, You can't conquer asia without cracking a few skulls. In fact, during their horrific invasion of the Khwarezmia (persian Empire), it is rumored that Genghis ordered the civilians, including the children, beheaded and a pyramid of their severed heads erected in honor of his victory.  

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It has been reported that Genghis had as much as 75% of the Iranian population massacred during his conquest, and, for the provincial governor who initially rebuffed his envoys, Genghis had him executed by pouring molten silver into his ears and eyes. 

3. Tactics: 

Genghis Khan was a master of tactics. Due to his intelligence in adopting the new methods of war, he was able to conquer most of the southeast asia. He believed in gaining intelligence of enemy moves rather than their numbers. He believed if they could know the Motive of enemy, we could defeat them.He created a network of spies in enemy territory who would provide crucial informations at times, helping him to win wars. 

Outnumbered Mongols ravaged the countryside and sent refugees pouring into the cities. Food shortages became a problem, and the enemy army ended up killing tens of thousands of its own peasants.  Workers such as carpenters and jewelers were usually saved, while aristocrats and resisting soldiers were killed. Unskilled workers, meanwhile, were often used as human shields during the next assault. 

No one knows with any certainty how many people died during Genghis Khan’s wars, in part because the Mongols propagated their vicious image as a way of spreading terror. Mongol army used seige warfare as its main weapon, cutting off resources for cities and towns by diverting certain rivers, taking enemy prisoners and driving them in front of the army, and adopting new ideas, techniques and tools from the people they conquered, particularly in employing Muslim and Chinese siege engines and engineers to aid the Mongol cavalry in capturing cities. 

Another standard tactic of the Mongol military was the commonly practiced feigned retreat to break enemy formations and to lure small enemy groups away from the larger group and defended position for ambush and counterattack.  

4. Silk Road: 

Genghis is also known for having created the famous Yam courier system. Like an armed pony express along and around the Silk Road, under Genghis and his son, the Yam route allowed information and trade to move freely and safely throughout the empire. A series of stations supported the soldiers who manned the 5000 mile route, and they, in turn, provided security to the European and Asian traders who exchanged silk, spices, gold and silver, as well as people and culture.    

He created one of the first international postal systems. Along with the bow and the horse, the Mongols most potent weapon may have been their vast communication network. This medieval express consisted of a well-organized series of post houses and way stations strung out across the whole of the Empire. By stopping to rest or take on a fresh mount every few miles, official riders could often travel as far as 200 miles a day. The system allowed goods and information to travel with unprecedented speed, but it also acted as the eyes and ears of the Khan. 

Thanks to the Yam, he could easily keep abreast of military and political developments and maintain contact with his extensive network of spies and scouts. The Yam also helped protect foreign dignitaries and merchants during their travels. In later years, the service was famously used by the likes of Marco Polo and John of Plano Carpini.  

Death and Burial:

Although he died in 1227, the cause is unknown. Some accounts say that he died when he fell off his horse, and others that he was killed by an unknown respiratory illness. One salacious, and probably false, account has it that a Captured princess taken as war booty stabbed him.  

However he shed his mortal coil, the precise whereabouts of his remains are unknown. It is believed he was buried somewhere in Mongolia, but there are no contemporaneous accounts of his interment. Supposedly, in order to ensure that his afterlife would be peaceful and his resting place undisturbed, Genghis had ordered that its location remain a complete secret. 

So, possibly legend, possibly not, as the funeral procession traveled to the gravesite, slaughtered everyone they came in contact with during their journey and then repeatedly rode horses over his grave to help conceal it. Then, after the funeral, all 2000 of the invited guests were slain, along with 40 sacrificial virgins and 40 horses. 

Finally, the soldiers supposedly killed each other and themselves. 

His descendants, including Ogodei and Khubilai, were also prolific conquerors, taking control of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the rest of China, among other places. The Mongols even invaded Japan and Java before their empire broke apart in the 14th century. Genghis Khan’s last ruling descendant was finally deposed in 1920.   After his death in 1227, his sons continued to conquest and took Korea in 1231. In 1241, they invaded Poland, Transylvania and Hungary.

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