At the beginning of the 13th century, Temujin united the divided Mongol nomads and took the title Genghis Khan (Great King). The Mongol army under his leadership was known as the world's strongest cavalry force at the time and swept across much of the Eurasian continent.
Genghis Khan (c. 1162〜1227)
- His real name was Temujin. He unified the scattered tribes of the Mongolian Plateau through force and diplomacy
- 1206: Received the title Genghis Khan at a quriltai (assembly of tribal chiefs)
- Decimal military organization (units of ten, one hundred, one thousand, and ten thousand): built a strong military organization by reorganizing forces across tribal boundaries
- Yassa (legal code): established rule based on written law
Characteristics and Strategies of the Conquests
- Mobility: the overwhelming speed of the cavalry force (minimizing supplies by obtaining them locally)
- A two-choice policy: surrender warnings → resistance → complete destruction; submission → relatively lenient treatment
- Captured fortresses by adopting Chinese technologies such as catapults and gunpowder
- Conquered Western Xia, the Jin Dynasty, and the Khwarazmian Dynasty one after another
Example ①
Explain the significance in Central Asian history of Genghis Khan's conquest of the Khwarazmian Dynasty.
Answer: The Khwarazmian Dynasty (in present-day Uzbekistan and northern Iran) was one of the centers of Islamic civilization and included cities such as Samarkand. The Mongol conquest caused major cities such as Samarkand and Merv to be thoroughly destroyed, dealing a devastating blow to the Islamic urban civilization of Central Asia. At the same time, Mongol rule across Eurasia created the foundation for later east-west exchange under the "Pax Mongolica (Mongol Peace)."
Explain the significance in Central Asian history of Genghis Khan's conquest of the Khwarazmian Dynasty.
Answer: The Khwarazmian Dynasty (in present-day Uzbekistan and northern Iran) was one of the centers of Islamic civilization and included cities such as Samarkand. The Mongol conquest caused major cities such as Samarkand and Merv to be thoroughly destroyed, dealing a devastating blow to the Islamic urban civilization of Central Asia. At the same time, Mongol rule across Eurasia created the foundation for later east-west exchange under the "Pax Mongolica (Mongol Peace)."
Key Points
- Genghis Khan became khan at the 1206 quriltai
- A powerful military organization crossing tribal boundaries was formed through decimal military organization
- The two choices of surrender → leniency and resistance → destruction accelerated the conquests
- The conquest of the Khwarazmian Dynasty devastated urban civilization in cities such as Samarkand
Practice Questions
- What was the 1206 assembly of tribal chiefs at which Genghis Khan received his title called?
- Name the technologies of Chinese origin that the Mongol army used to attack fortresses.
- Explain the "two choices" in Genghis Khan's conquest policy.
Answers and Explanations
- Answer: Quriltai
Explanation: This was a traditional Mongol assembly based on deliberation. It was used to choose the khan and make important decisions. - Answer: Catapults, gunpowder, firearms, and so on
Explanation: Engineers and craftsmen from conquered lands were used to overcome the nomads' weakness in attacking fortified cities. - Answer: Those who surrendered or submitted were treated relatively leniently, while those who resisted faced the thorough destruction of their cities and the massacre of their inhabitants.
Explanation: This policy of terror discouraged resistance and hastened surrender in many regions.