Alexander CekalaGenghis Khan: Biography Part 1
Today for history I'm going to do a blog entry on Gengis Khan. However, for the first time, I will try to compress his life enough so that it only takes up one or two posts. So here goes:
Early Life
Genghis's childhood is a bit of a mystery, although most reports say that his early life was hard. It is around the age of sixteen that we begin to learn more of Genghis. At this age he married Borte, who was to be his only wife. Borte bore four sons to him, although the paternity of the eldest is questionable as Borte gave birth nine months after she had been captured by another tribe.
During this period of central Asian history there were a number of warring confederacies. This fragmentation was encouraged by the Chinese, who supported one group at a time, turning against them when they became too powerful. By 1190 Genghis had united the Mongol Confederacy, one of these groups and by 1206 he had united all these groups into a Mongol nation.
He now turned his army towards conquering outside nations.
A Life of War
Genghis's conquests were incredible, with him leading invasion forced into China and other smaller nations and sending plundering forces into Afghanistan and India. Genghis is consider by many to be a brilliant military strategist and rather than trying to go into a little detail on everything he did here I am going to make part 2 of this post a case study of just one campaign (or battle...I haven't decided yet).
His army attacked almost every nation surrounding the Caspian Sea and was victorious in almost every single battle.
Death
Genghis gave each of his sons and grandsons control of part of the empire and placed them under the rule of his third son, Ogedei.
In 1277 he died from unknown causes, although some speculate that he fell from his horse. Even today no-one knows where he was buried.
And tomorrow...
Tomorrow I will outline just one battle or campaign that Genghis led.
Adam
Early Life
Genghis's childhood is a bit of a mystery, although most reports say that his early life was hard. It is around the age of sixteen that we begin to learn more of Genghis. At this age he married Borte, who was to be his only wife. Borte bore four sons to him, although the paternity of the eldest is questionable as Borte gave birth nine months after she had been captured by another tribe.
During this period of central Asian history there were a number of warring confederacies. This fragmentation was encouraged by the Chinese, who supported one group at a time, turning against them when they became too powerful. By 1190 Genghis had united the Mongol Confederacy, one of these groups and by 1206 he had united all these groups into a Mongol nation.
He now turned his army towards conquering outside nations.
A Life of War
Genghis's conquests were incredible, with him leading invasion forced into China and other smaller nations and sending plundering forces into Afghanistan and India. Genghis is consider by many to be a brilliant military strategist and rather than trying to go into a little detail on everything he did here I am going to make part 2 of this post a case study of just one campaign (or battle...I haven't decided yet).
His army attacked almost every nation surrounding the Caspian Sea and was victorious in almost every single battle.
Death
Genghis gave each of his sons and grandsons control of part of the empire and placed them under the rule of his third son, Ogedei.
In 1277 he died from unknown causes, although some speculate that he fell from his horse. Even today no-one knows where he was buried.
And tomorrow...
Tomorrow I will outline just one battle or campaign that Genghis led.
Adam
