Conquests of Genghis Khan and his commanders

In 1207, hostilities began. Genghis's eldest son, Jochi, conquered the "forest peoples" in one campaign, without encountering serious resistance. Southern Siberia- the remnants of the once mighty Kyrgyz Kaganate - which provided the rear for the Mongol ulus. The next year, 1208, the Mongol commander Subedei overtook and forced the Naimans and Merkits to battle in the Irtysh valley at the confluence of Bukhtarma. The Merkit leader Tokta fell in battle, his children fled to the Kipchaks (in modern Kazakhstan), and the Naiman prince Kuchluk with his fellow tribesmen went to Semirechye and was received there by Gurkhan Zhulhu, who needed warriors for the war with Khorezmshah Muhammad.

The year 1209 brought great grief to the Gurkhan. The small Kara-Chinese state was financed by Uighur merchants who asked Zhulchu Khan to deal with their Muslim competitors. Since the Gurkhan failed to complete the task received, the Uyghurs offered their submission to Genghis Khan. It was a deal that benefited both parties. Mongol Khan a war with the Jurchens was imminent. The whole Steppe demanded this from him.

Any war requires money. The Uighurs gave money. Uyghur merchants needed goods for trade. They could buy any amount of booty from the Mongol warriors, of course, cheaply, since they were a monopoly; In addition, the Mongols needed competent officials. Uighur literates immediately offered their services and received positions no less profitable than even trade deals. There was no longer any reason for China to delay the war, and in 1211 it began.

The Mongols struck the first blow against the Tangut kingdom. Most likely it was a military-political move. In 1209, the Mongols defeated the Tangut field troops and besieged the capital, but were forced to retreat, since the Tanguts, having destroyed the dams, flooded the surrounding area with the waters of the Yellow River. The Mongols retreated, concluding peace and a treaty of mutual military assistance, thereby freeing up their troops for the main campaign.

The moment for the outbreak of the inevitable war was chosen very deliberately. The Kin Empire was already waging a war on three fronts: with the Song Empire, the Tanguts and the popular movement of the “Red Caftans”. Despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, the Mongols won victories everywhere.

In the spring of 1211, the Mongols took the border fortress of Wu-sha. Soon several more fortresses fell, which the Jurchens hoped for as an insurmountable stronghold for the nomads, and the entire country, up to the gates of Luoyang, was devastated. The Khitan troops rebelled and handed themselves over to the Mongols, citing the fact that they were blood brothers. In 1215 Luoyang fell. It would seem that the whole country lay at the feet of Genghis Khan, but he unexpectedly concluded a truce.

He was distracted by urgent matters in the west: the Merkits, who retreated beyond the mountain passes of Altai and Tarbagatai in 1208, received help from the Kipchaks. Thanks to her, by 1216 they gathered their strength and tried to hit the Mongols in the rear. Only two tumens of selected Mongol troops, hastily transferred from Central Mongolia, under the command of the senior prince Jochi, saved the situation, stopped and pushed back the enemy. The Merkits, abandoned by the Naimans, were forced to take the battle and lost it. The remnants of the defeated Merkit army fled to the west, but were overtaken by the Mongols at the Irgiz River and exterminated to the last man. There, near Irgiz, the Mongols were attacked by Khorezmshah Muhammad. Surprised by the sudden, unprovoked attack, the Mongols, having endured a battle with enemy forces doubling their strength, retreated at night.

In 1218, the Naiman prince Kuchluk, having taken the ruler of Almalyk by surprise, who had surrendered under the protection of the Mongols, besieged the city, where the defense was led by the ruler’s wife, a Mongolian, the granddaughter of Genghis Khan. The Mongols immediately came to the rescue, and Kuchluk was forced to retreat. At the first news of the appearance of the Mongol army, the Muslim population began to beat up supporters of Kuchluk, who carried out the persecution of Islam. He fled to the north of the country to Sarykol, where, on the highest passes of the Tien Shan - “the roof of the world” - he was overtaken by the Mongols and killed.

The Mongolian temnik Jebe Noyon proclaimed complete freedom of religion for the local population and the Kara-Kitai (Khitans) submitted to the Mongols without resistance and were included in the people-army as a separate ten-thousandth corps, equal in rights with the Mongol units themselves.

Now, having pacified the neighboring peoples and prepared his army, Genghis Khan could strike at the more organized and wealthy powers. All I needed was a reason. And he was found:

The ruler of the Khorezm city of Otrar detained a trade caravan coming from Genghis Khan's headquarters and executed all the Mongols going with him, under the pretext that they were spies. The ruler took the goods for himself. Genghis Khan sent a demand to the Khorezmshah to hand over the city governor for reprisals. But Khorezmshah Muhammad, confident in his abilities, executed the ambassadors. This was the signal for the start of the war.

Genghis Khan began mobilizing all combat-ready clans. According to Arab sources, he had 150 thousand soldiers, according to the “Secret Legend” - 230 thousand, and several thousand Chinese engineers for the siege of cities.

In the autumn of 1219, with the onset of cold weather, the Mongol troops set out on a campaign. With a rapid march they passed the Dzhungar Gate gorge. They overcame steep passes and abysses (Chinese sources indicate that the front temnik Dzhagatai had to build at least 48 bridges to make the road suitable for army movement) and on the Arys River they divided into four corps: Dzhagatai and Ogedei moved to Otrar, Jochi turned north -west, to Jand. The third corps, numbering about 5 thousand soldiers, went to Banaket. The fourth corps, led by Genghis Khan himself and a force of up to 50 thousand, remained in the rear.

Genghis Khan’s ability to choose the moment to attack was reflected here: the Khorezmshah had about 400 thousand soldiers, but they were separated among fortresses; there was simply no single place to meet enemies in the Khorezm steppe. The Mongols ravaged all the surrounding cities. After a long continuous assault, Otrar was taken. As punishment for greed, the mayor's eyes and ears were filled with molten silver.

Meanwhile, Jochi took Sygnak, Ozkend, Eshnas and other cities on the northern bank of Yaxart (Syr Darya). In April 1220 he linked up with the fourth army.

Meanwhile, the Third Corps captured Benaket by deception. Then, after receiving reinforcements, they took Khojent.

The main army headed inland. Bukhara was plundered. After this, Genghis Khan went directly to Samarkand, where the main troops of the Khorezmshah were located.

But the Khorezmshah did not wait for the Mongols and left Samarkand. The Mongols forced Samarkand to surrender in a few days. The city was plundered. Two tumens were sent for the escaped Khorezmshah under the command of Jebe-noyon and Subedei-bagatur.

In the fall of 1220, Genghis Khan approached Termez with an army and took it by storm. Preparations for this assault were carried out methodically with the help of catapults, under the cover of whose shells the assault columns were brought to the fortress walls. The catapults were used to first fill the ditch with bags of earth. (In other cases, in the absence or lack of catapults, this dangerous operation was carried out by the hands of prisoners.)

Meanwhile, another army, under the command of three princes and Boorchu-noyon, was sent to capture the flourishing Khorezm (now Khiva) oasis, so as not to leave this base convenient for enemy enterprises on its flank. After a long siege, the city of Khorezm (Gurganj, now Urgench) was taken. During its siege, the Mongols, in order to flood the city, carried out enormous work to divert the Amu Darya to another channel.

Flooding failed, but geographic map the lower Amu Darya basin suffered changes that subsequently baffled geographers. The capture of Khorezm, like other cities that fell into the hands of the Mongols after strong resistance, was accompanied by terrible bloodshed.

During the siege of Khorezm, relations between the eldest sons of Genghis Khan - Jochi and Chagatai - became so strained that they threatened to turn into open struggle, of course, with extreme damage to the success of the task entrusted to them and to maintaining discipline in the troops of the siege corps. Having learned about this, Genghis Khan appointed his third son, Ogedei, as the chief commander of the siege, subordinating his older brothers to him, to the extreme displeasure of the latter. Nevertheless, Ogedei, who had great intelligence and subtle tact, managed to reconcile the brothers, calm their pride and restore discipline.

Genghis Khan spent the winter of 1220/21 in an area convenient for the army south of Samarkand.

New military actions began in the spring of 1221. Having crossed the Amu Darya, Genghis Khan occupied Balkh and approached Talkan; Prince Tuluy was sent to Khorasan to conquer this region.

At this time, news reached Genghis Khan that Jalal ad-Din was forming new army in Ghazni (Afghanistan). Genghis Khan dispatched his sworn brother, the temnik Shigi-Kutuku, but he suffered defeat from his brave opponent near the city of Bamiyan, which was the first major failure of the Mongols in this war. Shigi-Kutuku with the remnants of his detachment returned to his master, who accepted the news of the defeat with complete calm, without expressing his displeasure to the defeated leader. On this occasion, he expressed only the following profound truth:

“Shigi-Kutuku knew only victories, so it is useful for him to experience the bitterness of defeat, so that he strives all the more ardently for victory in the future.”

Subsequently, driving with Shigi-Kutuku across the field of the unsuccessful battle for the Mongols and asking him about the details of the case, he pointed out to him an error in his orders, which boiled down to an incorrect assessment of the terrain, which was hummocky and interfered with the maneuvers of the cavalry in battle.

In his unsuccessful battle with Jalal ad-Din, Shigi-Kutuku was inferior to him in the number of troops by more than half (30 thousand versus 70).

The technique he used to mislead the enemy about the strength of his squad is interesting. He ordered to make stuffed animals out of straw, dress them in spare clothes and tie them in the form of riders on the backs of clockwork horses. The military leaders surrounding Jalal ad-Din almost succumbed to this deception and advised the young Sultan to retreat, but he did not heed this advice and won.

Genghis Khan, who during unsuccessful operation Shigi-Kutuku was bound by the siege of Talkan, soon after the Battle of Bamiyan he captured the strong city and could himself with the main forces oppose Jalal ad-Din; his rear was provided by Tuluy's detachment in Khorasan.

A decisive battle took place on the banks of the Indus in 1221, in which the Muslims, despite the miracles of courage shown by their leaders Timur-Melik and Jalal ad-Din, and their numerical superiority, suffered a heavy defeat, which completely broke their ability to resist.

Genghis Khan, who personally led the battle, at the decisive moment had to throw into the battle his selected “thousand bagaturs”, which decided the victory. Jalal ad-Din, who himself, with a group of surviving brave men, including the famous hero of Khojent - Timur-Malik, covered the withdrawal of his troops beyond the Indus, had no other choice but to throw himself into the river to swim across, which he succeeded in doing. Genghis Khan, who valued and respected valor even among his enemies, immediately pointed out to his sons the young Sultan as a model worthy of imitation

By this time, Khorasan was also finished, where Tului in a short time captured three enemy strongholds: Merv, Nishapur and Herat.

The victory over Jalal ad-Din on the Indus River essentially completed the conquest of the vast Central Asian Muslim empire of the Khorezmshah, and since Genghis Khan, always cautious in his military enterprises, understood perfectly well that in order to conquer India, where the Sultan had fled, When the time did not come, he could only return to Mongolia with most of the army after taking measures to secure the conquered territory. During this triumphant return to their homeland, some mountain fortresses of Northern Afghanistan that lay to the side were also conquered along the way. Genghis Khan spent the summer of 1222 with his army in cool places in the mountainous region of the Hindu Kush, the next winter he stood near Samarkand, and the spring of 1223 found him on the banks of the Chirchik River near Tashkent.

In the same year, a large kurultai of nobles and dignitaries of the empire took place on the banks of the Syr Darya. Subudei, who returned from the southern Russian steppes with his detachment, also arrived at the kurultai.

Bibliography

Walker S.S. Genghis Khan / Trans. from English A.I. Glebova-Bogomolov. Rostov n/d.: “Phoenix”, 1998, p. 108-109

Walker S.S., op.cit., p. 119

Gumilev L.N. In search of an imaginary kingdom. Trefoil mound. / http://gumilevica.kulichki.net

In the first quarter of the rich historical events In the 13th century, the expanses from Siberia to Northern Iran and the Azov region were echoed by the neighing of the horses of countless invaders pouring from the depths of the Mongolian steppes. They were led by the evil genius of that ancient era - the fearless conqueror and conqueror of peoples Genghis Khan.

Son of the hero Yesugei

Temujin - this is how Genghis Khan, the future ruler of Mongolia and Northern China, was named at birth - was born in the small tract of Delyun-Boldok, nestled on the shore. He was the son of an inconspicuous local leader Yesugei, who nevertheless bore the title of bagatur, which translated means " hero." He received such an honorary title for his victory over the Tatar leader Tmujin-Ugre. In battle, having proved to his enemy who was who and captured him, he, along with other booty, captured his wife Hoelun, who nine months later became Temujin’s mother.

The exact date of this event, which affected the course of world history, has not been precisely established to this day, but 1155 is considered the most likely year. About how we passed it early years, also no reliable information has been preserved, but it is known for certain that already at the age of nine, Yesugei in one of the neighboring tribes got his son a bride named Borte. By the way, for him personally this matchmaking ended very sadly: on the way back he was poisoned by the Tatars, with whom he and his son stopped for the night.

Years of wanderings and troubles

From a young age, the formation of Genghis Khan took place in an atmosphere of a merciless struggle for survival. As soon as his fellow tribesmen learned about Yesugai’s death, they abandoned his widows (the ill-fated hero had two wives) and children (of whom there were also many left) to the mercy of fate and, taking all their property, went to the steppe. The orphaned family wandered for several years, on the verge of starvation.

The early years of Genghis Khan's (Temujin) life coincided with a period when, in the steppes that became his homeland, local tribal leaders waged a fierce struggle for power, the purpose of which was to subjugate the rest of the nomads. One of these contenders, the head of the Taichiut tribe Targutai-Kiriltukh (a distant relative of his father), even captured the young man, seeing him as a future rival, and kept him in wooden stocks for a long time.

The fur coat that changed the history of nations

But fate was willing to grant freedom to the young captive, who managed to deceive his tormentors and break free. The first conquest of Genghis Khan dates back to this time. It turned out to be the heart of the young beauty Borte - his betrothed bride. Temujin went to her as soon as he gained freedom. A beggar, with marks of stocks on his wrists, he was an unenviable groom, but how can this confuse a girl’s heart?

As a dowry, Borte's father gave his son-in-law a luxurious sable fur coat, with which, although it seems incredible, the ascent of the future conqueror of Asia began. No matter how great the temptation was to show off in expensive furs, Temujin preferred to dispose of the wedding gift differently.

With it, he went to the most powerful steppe leader at that time - the head of the Kereit tribe, Tooril Khan, and presented him with this only value of his, not forgetting to accompany the gift with suitable flattery for the occasion. This move was very far-sighted. Having lost his fur coat, Temujin acquired a powerful patron, in alliance with whom he began his path of conqueror.

The beginning of the way

With the support of such a powerful ally as Tooril Khan, the legendary conquests of Genghis Khan began. The table given in the article shows only the most famous of them, which have become historically significant. But they could not have taken place without victories in small, local battles, which paved the way for him to world glory.

When raiding the inhabitants of neighboring uluses, he tried to shed less blood and, if possible, save the lives of his opponents. This was done not out of humanism, which was alien to the inhabitants of the steppes, but with the goal of attracting the vanquished to their side and thereby replenishing the ranks of their army. He also willingly accepted nukers - foreigners who were ready to serve for a share of the booty looted during campaigns.

However, the first years of Genghis Khan's reign were often marred by unfortunate miscalculations. One day he went on another raid, leaving his camp unguarded. The Merkit tribe took advantage of this, whose warriors, in the absence of the owner, attacked and, plundering the property, took with them all the women, including his beloved wife Bote. Only with the help of the same Tooril Khan did Temujin, having defeated the Merkits, manage to return his wife.

Victory over the Tatars and capture of Eastern Mongolia

Each new conquest of Genghis Khan raised his prestige among the steppe nomads and brought him into the ranks of the main rulers of the region. Around 1186, he created his own ulus - a kind of feudal state. Having concentrated all power in his hands, he established a strictly defined vertical of power in the territory subordinate to him, where all the key positions were occupied by his associates.

The defeat of the Tatars became one of the most major victories, from which the conquests of Genghis Khan began. The table given in the article dates this event to 1200, but a series of armed clashes began five years earlier. At the end of the 12th century, the Tatars were going through difficult times. Their camps were constantly attacked by a strong and dangerous enemy - troops chinese emperors Jin Dynasty.

Taking advantage of this, Temujin joined the Jin troops and together with them attacked the enemy. In this case it main goal It was not the booty that he willingly shared with the Chinese, but the weakening of the Tatars who stood in his way to undivided rule in the steppes. Having achieved what he wanted, he captured almost the entire territory of Eastern Mongolia, becoming its undivided ruler, since the influence of the Jin dynasty in this area had noticeably weakened.

Conquest of the Trans-Baikal Territory

We should pay tribute not only to Temujin’s talent as a commander, but also to his diplomatic abilities. Skillfully manipulating the ambition of tribal leaders, he always directed their enmity in a direction favorable to him. Concluding military alliances with his former enemies and treacherously attacking recent friends, he always knew how to emerge victorious.

After the conquest of the Tatars in 1202, Genghis Khan's campaigns of conquest began in Transbaikal region, where Taijiut tribes settled in vast wild spaces. It was not an easy campaign, in one of the battles of which the khan was dangerously wounded by an enemy arrow. However, in addition to rich trophies, he brought the khan confidence in his abilities, since the victory was won alone, without the support of his allies.

The title of the Great Khan and the code of laws "Yas"

The next five years continued his conquest of numerous peoples living on the territory of Mongolia. From victory to victory, his power grew and his army increased, replenished by yesterday’s opponents who switched to his service. In early spring In 1206, Temujin was proclaimed Great Khan, giving him the highest title “Kagan” and the name Genghis (water conqueror), with which he entered world history.

The years of Genghis Khan's reign became a period when the entire life of the peoples under his control was regulated by the laws he developed, a set of which was called “Yasa”. The main place in it was occupied by articles prescribing the provision of comprehensive mutual assistance on a campaign and, under pain of punishment, prohibiting the deception of a person who had trusted in something.

It is curious, but according to the laws of this half-wild ruler, one of the highest virtues was considered loyalty, even shown by an enemy towards his sovereign. For example, a prisoner who did not want to renounce his former master was considered worthy of respect and was willingly accepted into the army.

To strengthen during the life of Genghis Khan, the entire population under his control was divided into tens of thousands (tumens), thousands and hundreds. A chief was placed over each of the groups, with his head (literally) responsible for the loyalty of his subordinates. This made it possible to keep in strict subordination huge number of people.

Every adult and healthy man was considered a warrior and was obliged to take up arms at the first signal. In general, at that time, Genghis Khan’s army numbered about 95 thousand people, shackled by iron discipline. The slightest disobedience or cowardice shown in battle was punishable by death.

The main conquests of Genghis Khan's troops

Event	date
Victory of Temujin's troops over the Naiman tribe	1199
Victory of Temujin's forces over the Taichiut tribe	1200
The defeat of the Tatar tribes	1200
Victory over the Kereits and Taijuits	1203
Victory over the Naiman tribe led by Tayan Khan	1204
Genghis Khan's attacks on the Tangut state of Xi Xia	1204
Conquest of Beijing	1215
Conquest by Genghis Khan Central Asia	1219-1223
Victory of the Mongols led by Subedei and Jebe over the Russian-Polovtsian army	1223
Conquest of the capital and state of Xi Xia	1227

New path of conquest

In 1211, Genghis Khan's conquest of the peoples inhabiting Transbaikalia and Siberia was practically completed. Tributes flocked to him from all over this vast region. But his rebellious soul found no peace. Ahead was Northern China - a country whose emperor had once helped him defeat the Tatars and, having grown stronger, rise to a new level of power.

Four years before the start of the Chinese campaign, wanting to secure the route of his troops, Genghis Khan captured and plundered the Tangut kingdom of Xi Xia. In the summer of 1213, he managed to capture the fortress covering the passage in the Great Wall of China and invaded the territory of the Jin state. His campaign was swift and victorious. Caught by surprise, many cities surrendered without a fight, and a number of Chinese military leaders went over to the side of the invaders.

When Northern China was conquered, Genghis Khan moved his troops to Central Asia, where they also had good luck. Having conquered vast expanses, he reached Samarkand, from where he continued his journey, conquering Northern Iran and a significant part of the Caucasus.

Genghis Khan's campaign against Rus'

To conquer the Slavic lands in 1221-1224, Genghis Khan sent two of his most experienced commanders - Subedei and Jebe. Having crossed the Dnieper, they invaded Kievan Rus at the head of a large army. Without hoping on our own To defeat the enemy, the Russian princes entered into an alliance with their old enemies - the Polovtsians.

The battle took place on May 31, 1223 in the Azov region, on the Kalka River. It ran out of troops. Many historians see the reason for the failure in the arrogance of Prince Mstislav Udatny, who crossed the river and began the battle before the main forces arrived. The prince’s desire to defeat the enemy alone resulted in his own death and the death of many other commanders. Genghis Khan’s campaign against Rus' turned out to be such a tragedy for the defenders of the fatherland. But even more difficult trials awaited them.

Genghis Khan's last conquest

The conqueror of Asia died at the end of the summer of 1227 during his second campaign against the state of Xi Xia. Even in winter, he began the siege of its capital, Zhongxing, and, having exhausted the forces of the city’s defenders, was preparing to accept their surrender. This was Genghis Khan's last conquest. Suddenly he felt ill and fell ill, and died a short time later. Without excluding the possibility of poisoning, researchers tend to see the cause of death in complications caused by an injury received shortly before when falling from a horse.

The exact burial place of the Great Khan is unknown, just as the date of his last hour is unknown. In Mongolia, where the Delyun-Boldok tract was once located, where, according to legend, Genghis Khan was born, today there is a monument erected in his honor.

Genghis Khan- Great Khan and founder of the Mongol Empire during the 13th century (from 1206 to 1227). This man was not just a khan; among his talents there was also a military leader, a state administrator, and a fair commander.

Genghis Khan owns the organization largest state(empires) at all times!

History of Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan's proper name is Temujin (Temujin). This man with a difficult but great destiny born during 1155 year to 1162 year – exact date unknown.

Temujin's fate was very difficult. He came from a noble Mongolian family, which wandered with its herds along the banks of the Onon River in the territory of modern Mongolia. When he was 9 years old, his father was killed during the steppe civil strife. Yesugei-bahadur.

Genghis Khan is a slave

The family, which lost its protector and almost all its livestock, had to flee from the nomads. With great difficulty she managed to endure harsh winter in a wooded area. Troubles continued to haunt the little Mongol - new enemies from the tribe taijiut attacked an orphaned family and captured the boy as a slave.

However, he showed strength of character, hardened by the adversities of childhood. Having broken the collar, he escaped and returned to his native tribe, which could not protect his family several years ago.

The teenager became a zealous warrior: few of his relatives could so deftly control a steppe horse and shoot accurately with a bow, throw a lasso at full gallop and cut with a saber.

Revenge for the family

Temujin quite soon managed to take revenge on all the offenders of his family. He has not yet turned 20 years how he began to unite the Mongol clans around himself, gathering a small detachment of warriors under his command.

This was very difficult - after all, the Mongol tribes constantly waged armed struggle among themselves, raiding neighboring nomads in order to take possession of their herds and seize people into slavery.

A steppe tribe hostile to him Merkits once made a successful raid on his camp and kidnapped his wife Borte. This was a great insult to the dignity of the Mongol military leader. He redoubled his efforts to bring the nomadic clans under his rule, and just a year later he commanded an entire cavalry army.

With him, he inflicted complete defeat on a large tribe of Merkits, destroying most of them and capturing their herds, and freed his wife, who had suffered the fate of a captive.

Genghis Khan - aspiring commander

Genghis Khan had excellent command of war tactics in the steppe. He suddenly attacked neighboring nomadic tribes and invariably won. He offered the survivors right to choose: either become his ally or die.

First big battle

Leader Temujin fought his first big battle in 1193 near Germani in the Mongolian steppes. At the head 6 thousand warriors he broke 10 thousandth his father-in-law's army Ung Khan, who began to contradict his son-in-law.

The Khan's army was commanded by a military leader Sanguk, who, apparently, was very confident in the superiority of the tribal army entrusted to him and did not worry about either reconnaissance or military security. Genghis Khan took the enemy by surprise in a mountain gorge and inflicted heavy damage on him.

Receiving the title of "Genghis Khan"

TO 1206 Temujin emerged as the strongest ruler in the steppes north of the Great Wall of China. That year was notable in his life for the fact that kurultai(congress) of Mongol feudal lords, he was proclaimed “Great Khan” over all Mongol tribes with the title “ Genghis Khan"(from Turkic " Tengiz" - ocean, sea).

Genghis Khan demanded that the tribal leaders who recognized his supremacy maintain permanent military detachments to protect the lands of the Mongols with their nomads and for aggressive campaigns against their neighbors.

U former slave there was no more open enemies among the Mongol nomads, and he began to prepare for wars of conquest.

Army of Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan's army was built according to decimal system: tens, hundreds, thousands and tumens(they consisted of 10 thousand warriors). These military units were not only accounting units. A hundred and a thousand could perform an independent combat mission. Tumen acted in the war already at the tactical level.

The decimal system was also used to build command of the Mongol army: foreman, centurion, thousander, temnik. To the highest positions, temniks, Genghis Khan appointed his sons and representatives of the tribal nobility from among those military leaders who had proven to him their loyalty and experience in military affairs.

The Mongol army maintained the strictest discipline throughout the command hierarchical ladder; any violation was severely punished.

History of the conquests of Genghis Khan

First of all, the Great Khan decided to annex other nomadic peoples to his power. IN 1207 year he conquered vast areas north of the Selenga River and in the upper reaches of the Yenisei. The military forces (cavalry) of the conquered tribes were included in the general Mongol army.

Then came the turn of the big one at that time Uyghur states in East Turkestan. IN 1209 year, Genghis Khan’s huge army invaded their territory and, capturing their cities and blooming oases one after another, won complete victory.

The destruction of settlements in the occupied territory, the total extermination of rebellious tribes and fortified cities that decided to defend themselves with weapons in their hands were characteristic feature conquests of the great Mongol Khan.

The strategy of intimidation allowed him to successfully solve military problems and keep conquered peoples in obedience.

Conquest of Northern China

IN 1211 year, Genghis Khan's cavalry army attacked Northern China. The Great Wall of China - this is the most grandiose defensive structure in the history of mankind - did not become an obstacle to the conquerors. IN 1215 year the city was captured by cunning Beijing(Yanjing), which the Mongols subjected to a long siege.

In this campaign, Genghis Khan adopted engineering technology for his cavalry troops. military equipment Chinese - various throwing machines And battering rams. Chinese engineers trained the Mongols to use them and deliver them to besieged cities and fortresses.

Trek to Central Asia

IN 1218 year, the Mongol army invaded Central Asia and captured Khorezm. This time, great conqueror found a plausible pretext - several Mongol merchants were killed in the border city of Khorezm, and therefore this country should be punished.

Shah Mohammed at the head large army (up to 200 thousand Human) came out to meet Genghis Khan. U Karaku A big battle took place, characterized by such tenacity that by the evening there was no winner on the battlefield.

The next day, Muhammad refused to continue the battle due to heavy losses, which amounted to almost half the army he had assembled. Genghis Khan, for his part, also suffered big losses, retreated, but this was his military stratagem.

The conquest of the huge Central Asian state of Khorezm continued until 1221. During this time they were conquered by Genghis Khan the following cities: Otrar (the territory of modern Uzbekistan), Bukhara, Samarkand, Khojent (modern Tajikistan), Merv, Urgench and many others.

Conquest of north-west India

IN 1221 year after the fall of Khorezm and the conquest of Central Asia, Genghis Khan made a campaign in North West India, capturing this one too large territory. However, Genghis Khan did not go further to the south of Hindustan: he was constantly attracted by unknown countries at sunset.

He, as usual, thoroughly worked out the route of the new campaign and sent his best commanders far to the west Jebe And Subedea at the head of their tumens and auxiliary troops of the conquered peoples. Their path lay through Iran, Transcaucasia and the North Caucasus. So the Mongols found themselves on the southern approaches to Rus', in the Don steppes.

Offensive on Rus'

In the Wild Field at that time, Polovtsian vezhi wandered, having long lost military force. The Mongols defeated the Polovtsians without much difficulty, and they fled to the borderlands of the Russian lands.

IN 1223 year, the commanders Jebe and Subedey defeated in the battle on Kalka River a united army of several Russian princes and Polovtsian khans. After the victory, the vanguard of the Mongol army turned back.

The last campaign and death of Genghis Khan

IN 1226–1227 years, Genghis Khan made a campaign in the country of the Tanguts Xi-Xia. He entrusted one of his sons with continuing the conquest of China. The anti-Mongol uprisings that began in Northern China, which he conquered, caused great concern to Genghis Khan.

The great commander died during his last campaign against the Tanguts August 25, 1227. The Mongols gave him lavish funeral and, having destroyed all the participants in these sad celebrations, they managed to keep the location of Genghis Khan’s grave completely secret to this day.

According to the historical chronicles that have reached us, the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan, made incredible conquests around the world. No one before or after him managed to compare with this ruler in the greatness of his conquests. The years of life of Genghis Khan are 1155/1162 to 1227. As you can see, exact date There is no birth, but the day of death is very well known - August 18th.

The years of Genghis Khan's reign: general description

In a short time, he managed to create a huge Mongol Empire, stretching from the shores of the Black Sea to the Pacific Ocean. Wild nomads from Central Asia, armed only with bows and arrows, managed to conquer civilized and much better armed empires. Genghis Khan's conquests were accompanied by unimaginable atrocities and massacres of civilians. Cities that came across the path of the horde of the great Mongol emperor were often leveled to the ground when disobedient. It also happened that, by the will of Genghis Khan, it was necessary to change river beds, flowering gardens turned into piles of ashes, and agricultural lands into pastures for the horses of his warriors.

What is the phenomenal success of the Mongol army? This question continues to concern historians today. In the past, Genghis Khan’s personality was endowed with supernatural powers, and it was believed that he was helped in everything by otherworldly forces with whom he made a deal. But, apparently, he had a very strong character, charisma, remarkable intelligence, as well as incredible cruelty, which helped him subjugate peoples. He was also an excellent strategist and tactician. He, like the Goth Atilla, was called “the scourge of God.”

What the great Genghis Khan looked like. Biography: childhood

Few people knew that the great Mongol ruler had green eyes and red hair. Such appearance features have nothing to do with the Mongoloid race. This suggests that mixed blood flows in his veins. There is a version that he is 50% European.

The year of birth of Genghis Khan, who was named Temujin when he was born, is approximate, since in different sources it is marked in different ways. It is preferable to believe that he was born in 1155, on the banks of the Onon River, which flows through the territory of Mongolia. Genghis Khan's great-grandfather was called Khabul Khan. He was a noble and wealthy leader and ruled all the Mongol tribes and successfully fought with his neighbors. Temujin's father was Yesugei Bagatur. Unlike his grandfather, he was the leader of not all, but most of the Mongol tribes total number population of 40 thousand yurts. His people were the complete masters of the fertile valleys between Kerulen and Onon. Yesugei-Bagatur was a magnificent warrior; he fought, subjugating the Tatar tribes.

The story of the cruel tendencies of the Khan

There is a certain tale of cruelty, the main character of which is Genghis Khan. His biography, since childhood, has been a chain of inhuman actions. So, at the age of 9, he returned from hunting with a large catch and killed sibling, who wanted to snatch a piece of his share. He often became furious when someone wanted to treat him unfairly. After this incident, the rest of the family began to be afraid of him. Probably, it was from then on that he realized that he could keep people in fear, but to do this he needed to prove himself cruelly and show everyone his true nature.

Youth

When Temujin was 13 years old, he lost his father, who was poisoned by the Tatars. The leaders of the Mongol tribes did not want to obey the young son of Yesugei Khan and took their peoples under the protection of another ruler. As a result, they the large family led by the future Genghis Khan, she was left completely alone, wandering through forests and fields, feeding on the gifts of nature. Their property consisted of 8 horses. In addition, Temujin sacredly kept the family “bunchuk” - a white banner with the tails of 9 yaks, which symbolized 4 large and 5 small yurts belonging to his family. The banner featured a hawk. After some time, he learned that Targutai had become his father’s successor and that he wanted to find and destroy the son of the deceased Yesugei-Bagatura, since he saw him as a threat to his power. Temujin was forced to hide from persecution by the new leader of the Mongol tribes, but he was captured and taken prisoner. Nevertheless, the brave young man managed to escape from captivity, find his family and hide with her in the forests from his pursuers for another 4 years.

Marriage

When Temujin was 9 years old, his father chose a bride for him - a girl from their tribe named Borte. And so, at the age of 17, he, taking with him one of his friends, Belgutai, came out of hiding and went to the camp of his bride’s father, reminded him of the word given to Yesugei Khan and took the beautiful Borte as his wife. It was she who accompanied him everywhere, bore him 9 children and with her presence graced the years of Genghis Khan’s life. According to information that has reached us, he later had a gigantic harem, which consisted of five hundred wives and concubines, whom he brought from various campaigns. Of these, five were the main wives, but only Borte Fujin bore the title of empress and remained his most respectable and senior wife throughout her life.

The story of Borte's kidnapping

There is information in the chronicles that after Temujin married Borta, she was kidnapped by the Merkits, wanting to take revenge for the theft of the beautiful Hoelun, Genghis Khan’s mother, which was committed by his father 18 years ago. The Merkits kidnapped Borte and gave her to Hoelun's relatives. Temujin was furious, but he had no opportunity to attack the Merkit tribe alone and recapture his beloved. And then he turned to the Kerait Khan Togrul - the sworn brother of his father - with a request to help him. To the joy of the young man, the khan decides to help him and attacks the tribe of kidnappers. Soon Borte returns to her beloved husband.

Growing up

When did Genghis Khan manage to gather the first warriors around him? The biography includes information that his first adherents were from the steppe aristocracy. Christian Keraits and the Chinese government also joined him in order to fight against the Tatars who had strengthened their positions from the shores of Lake Buir-nor, and then against ex-friend Khan Zhamukh, who stood at the head of the democratic movement. In 1201, the khan was defeated. However, after this, a quarrel arose between Temujin and the Kerait Khan, since he began to support them common enemy and attracted some of Temujin’s adherents to his side. Of course, Genghis Khan (at that time he did not yet bear this title) could not leave the traitor unpunished and killed him. After this, he managed to take possession of all of Eastern Mongolia. And when Zhamukha restored the Western Mongols, called Naimans, against Temujin, he defeated them too and united all of Mongolia under his rule.

Coming to absolute power

In 1206, he proclaimed himself emperor of all Mongolia and took the title Genghis Khan. From this date, his biography begins to tell the story of a series of great conquests, brutal and bloody reprisals against rebellious peoples, which led to the expansion of the country’s borders to unprecedented proportions. Soon more than 100 thousand warriors gathered under Temujin’s family banner. The title Chinggis Kha-Khan meant that he was the greatest of rulers, that is, the ruler of everyone and everything. Many years later, historians called the years of Genghis Khan’s reign the bloodiest in the entire history of mankind, and he himself - the great “conqueror of the world” and “conqueror of the Universe,” “king of kings.”

Taking over the whole world

Mongolia has become the strongest military country Central Asia. Since then, the word “Mongols” has come to mean “victors.” The remaining peoples who did not want to obey him were mercilessly exterminated. To him they were like weeds. Moreover, he believed that the best method to get rich is war and robbery, and religiously followed this principle. Genghis Khan's conquests indeed increased the country's power significantly. His work was continued by his sons and grandsons, and eventually the Great Mongol Empire began to include the countries of Central Asia, Northern and Southern parts of China, Afghanistan and Iran. Genghis Khan's campaigns were directed towards Rus', Hungary, Poland, Moravia, Syria, Georgia and Armenia, the territory of Azerbaijan, which in those years did not exist as a state. The chroniclers of these countries talk about terrible barbaric plunders, beatings and rapes. Wherever the Mongol army went, Genghis Khan's campaigns brought devastation with them.

Great Reformer

Genghis Khan, after becoming Emperor of Mongolia, first of all carried out military reform. The commanders who participated in the campaigns began to receive awards, the size of which corresponded to their merits, while before him the award was given by right of birth. The soldiers in the army were divided into dozens, which united into hundreds, and those into thousands. Young men and boys from fourteen to seventy years of age were considered liable for military service.

A police guard was created to keep order, consisting of 100,000 soldiers. In addition to her, there was a ten-thousand-strong guard of the emperor’s personal bodyguards “keshiktash” and his yurt. It consisted of noble warriors devoted to Genghis Khan. 1000 Keshiktash were bagaturs - the warriors closest to the khan.

Some of the reforms Genghis Khan made in the Mongol army in the 13th century were later used by all armies of the world even today. In addition, by decree of Genghis Khan, a military charter was created, for violation of which there were two types of punishment: execution and exile to the north of Mongolia. Punishment, by the way, was due to the warrior who did not help a comrade in need.

The laws in the charter were called “Yasa”, and their guardians were the descendants of Genghis Khan. In the horde, the great kagan had two guards - day and night, and the warriors included in them were completely devoted to him and obeyed him exclusively. They stood above the command staff of the Mongol army.

Children and grandchildren of the great kagan

The clan of Genghis Khan is called the Genghisids. These are direct descendants of Genghis Khan. From his first wife, Borte, he had 9 children, of which four were sons, that is, continuers of the family. Their names: Jochi, Ogedei, Chagatai and Tolui. Only these sons and their offspring (male) had the right to inherit higher authority in the Mongol state and bear the family title of Genghisids. Besides Borte, Genghis Khan, as already noted, had about 500 wives and concubines, and each of them had children from their lord. This meant that their number could exceed 1000. The most famous of Genghis Khan’s descendants was his great grandson - Batu Khan, or Batu. According to genetic studies, in modern world several million men are carriers of the genes of the great Mongol Kagan. Some of the government dynasties of Asia descended from Genghis Khan, for example, the Chinese Yuan family, the Kazakh, North Caucasian, South Ukrainian, Persian and even Russian Genghisids.

• They say that at birth, the great kagan had a blood clot in his palm, which, according to Mongolian belief, is a sign of greatness.
• Unlike many Mongols, he was tall, had green eyes and red hair, which indicated that European blood flowed in his veins.
• In the entire history of mankind, the Mongol Empire during the reign of Genghis Khan was the greatest state and had borders from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean.
• He had the largest harem in the world.
• 8% of men of the Asian race are descendants of the Great Kagan.
• Genghis Khan was responsible for the death of more than forty million people.
• The grave of the great ruler of Mongolia is still unknown. There is a version that it was flooded by changing the river bed.
• He was named after his father's enemy, Temujin-Uge, whom he defeated.
• It is believed that his eldest son was not conceived by him, but is a descendant of his wife's abductor.
• The Golden Horde consisted of warriors of the peoples they conquered.
• After the Persians executed his ambassador, Genghis Khan massacred 90% of Iran's population.

The Mongol warrior and ruler Genghis Khan created the Mongol Empire, the largest in the world in terms of area in the history of mankind, uniting disparate tribes in the North East Asia.

“I am the Lord's punishment. If you have not committed mortal sins, the Lord will not send you punishment in the face of me!” Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan was born in Mongolia around 1162 and was given the name Temujin at birth. He married at the age of 16 and had many wives throughout his life. At the age of 20 he began creating big army with the intention of conquering individual tribes in Northeast Asia and uniting them under his rule. He succeeded: the Mongol Empire became the largest in the world, much larger than the British, and existed even after the death of Genghis Khan (1227).

Early years of Genghis Khan

Born in Mongolia around 1162, Genghis Khan received the name Temujin - the name of the Tatar leader who was captured by his father Yesugei. Young Temujin was a member of the Borjigin tribe and a descendant of Khabula Khan, who briefly united the Mongols against the Jin (Chin) dynasty in northern China in the early 1100s. According to The Secret History of the Mongols (a modern account of Mongol history), Temujin was born with a blood clot in his hand—in Mongol folklore, this was considered a sign that he was destined to become ruler of the world. His mother, Hoelun, taught him to survive in the dark, turbulent Mongol tribal society and instilled in him the need to form alliances.

When Temujin was 9 years old, his father took him to live with the family of his future bride, Borte. Returning home, Yesugei encountered a Tatar tribe. He was invited to a feast, where he was poisoned for past crimes against the Tatars. Upon learning of his father's death, Temujin returned home to claim the title of head of the clan. However, the clan refused to recognize the child as ruler and expelled Temujin and his younger and half-brothers, dooming them to a miserable existence. The family had a very hard time, and one day, in a dispute over hunting spoils, Temujin quarreled with stepbrother Bekhter and killed him, thereby confirming his position as head of the family.

At the age of 16, Temujin married Borte, strengthening the alliance between her Konkirat tribe and his own. Soon after, Borte was kidnapped by the Merkit tribe and taken in by their leader. Temujin fought her off and soon after she gave birth to her first son, Jochi. Although Borte's capture casts doubt on Jochi's origins, Temujin accepted him as one of his own. With Borte, Temujin had four sons, as well as many other children with other wives, which was common in Mongolia at that time. However, only his sons from Borte had the right to inherit.

Genghis Khan - "Universal Ruler"

When Temujin was about 20 years old, he was captured former allies families, Taijits. One of them helped him escape, and soon Temujin, along with his brothers and several other clans, assembled his first army. So he began his slow rise to power, building a large army of more than 20 thousand people. He intended to eliminate the traditional enmity between tribes and unite the Mongols under his rule.

Superbly proficient military tactics merciless and cruel, Temujin avenged the murder of his father by destroying the Tatar army. He ordered the death of every Tatar man taller than a cart wheel. Then, using their cavalry, Temujin's Mongols defeated the Taichiuts, killing all their leaders. By 1206, Temujin had also defeated the powerful Naiman tribe, thereby gaining control of central and eastern Mongolia.

The rapid success of the Mongol army owed much to Genghis Khan's brilliant military tactics, as well as to his understanding of the motives of his enemies. He used an extensive spy network and quickly adopted new technologies from his enemies. A well-trained Mongol army of 80,000 fighters was controlled complex system alarm - smoke and burning torches. Large drums sounded commands for charging, and further orders were transmitted by flag signals. Each soldier was fully equipped: he was armed with a bow, arrows, a shield, a dagger and a lasso. He had large saddle bags for food, tools and spare clothes. The bag was waterproof and could be inflated to prevent drowning when crossing deep and swift rivers. Cavalrymen carried a small sword, spears, body armor, a battle ax or mace, and a spear with a hook to push enemies off their horses. The Mongol attacks were very destructive. Since they could only control a galloping horse with their feet, their hands were free for archery. The entire army was followed by a well-organized supply system: food for soldiers and horses, military equipment, shamans for spiritual and medical assistance, and bookkeepers for keeping track of spoils.

After victories over the warring Mongol tribes, their leaders agreed to peace and gave Temujin the title "Genghis Khan", which means "universal ruler". The title had not only political, but also spiritual significance. The supreme shaman declared Genghis Khan to be the representative of Mongke Koko Tengri ("Eternal Blue Sky"), the supreme god of the Mongols. Divine status gave him the right to claim that his destiny was to rule the world. Although, ignoring the Great Khan was tantamount to ignoring the will of God. That is why, without any doubt, Genghis Khan will say to one of his enemies: “I am the Lord’s punishment. If you have not committed mortal sins, the Lord will not send you punishment in the face of me!”

The main conquests of Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan wasted no time in capitalizing on his newfound divinity. While his army was spiritually inspired, the Mongols found themselves faced with serious difficulties. Food and resources decreased as the population grew. In 1207, Genghis Khan marched his armies against the Xi Xia kingdom and forced it to surrender two years later. In 1211, the armies of Genghis Khan conquered the Jin dynasty in northern China, seduced by not artistic and scientific miracles great cities, but rather endless rice fields and easy enrichment.

Although the campaign against the Jin dynasty lasted almost 20 years, Genghis Khan's armies also fought actively in the west against the border empires and the Muslim world. Genghis Khan initially used diplomacy to establish trade relations with the Khorezm dynasty, an empire with its head in Turkey that included Turkestan, Persia and Afghanistan. But the Mongolian diplomatic caravan was approached by the governor of Otrar, who apparently thought that this was just a cover for a spy mission. When Genghis Khan heard about this insult, he demanded that he be given a governor, and for this purpose he sent an ambassador. Shah Muhammad, the head of the Khorezm dynasty, not only refused the demand, but also refused to receive the Mongol ambassador as a sign of protest.

This event could trigger a wave of resistance that would sweep Central Asia and eastern Europe. In 1219, Genghis Khan personally took charge of planning and executing a three-stage attack of 200,000 Mongol soldiers against the Khwarezm dynasty. The Mongols passed through all the fortified cities unhindered. Those who survived the assault were placed as human shields in front of the Mongol army as the Mongols took the next city. No one was left alive, including small domestic animals and livestock. The skulls of men, women and children were stacked in tall pyramids. One by one, the cities were conquered, and eventually Shah Muhammad and then his son were captured and killed, ending the Khorezm dynasty in 1221.

Scholars call the period after the Khorezm campaign Mongolian. Over time, Genghis Khan's conquests connected major shopping centers China and Europe. The empire was governed by a legal code known as the Yasa. This code was developed by Genghis Khan, was based on general Mongol law, but contained decrees prohibiting blood feud, adultery, theft and perjury. Yas also contained laws that reflected Mongol respect for the environment: a ban on swimming in rivers and streams, and an order for any soldier following another to pick up anything that the first soldier dropped. Violation of any of these laws was usually punishable by death. Advancement through the military and government ranks was based not on traditional lines of heredity or ethnicity, but on merit. There were tax benefits for high-ranking priests and some master craftsmen, and religious tolerance was enshrined, which reflected the long Mongol tradition of viewing religion as a personal belief, not subject to judgment or interference. This tradition had practical use, since there were so many different religious groups in the empire that it would be quite cumbersome to impose one religion on them.

With the destruction of the Khorezm dynasty, Genghis Khan again turned his attention to the east - to China. The Xi Xia Tanguts disobeyed his orders to send troops to the Khorezm campaign and openly protested. Capturing Tangut cities, Genghis Khan eventually took the capital of Ning Hia. Soon the Tangut dignitaries surrendered one after another, and the resistance ended. However, Genghis Khan had not yet fully avenged the betrayal - he ordered the execution of the imperial family, thereby destroying the Tangut state.

Genghis Khan died in 1227, shortly after conquering Xi Xia. The exact cause of his death is unknown. Some historians claim that he fell from his horse while hunting and died from fatigue and injuries. Others claim he died from a respiratory illness. Genghis Khan was buried in a secret place according to the customs of his tribe, somewhere in his homeland, near the Onon River and the Khentii Mountains in northern Mongolia. According to legend, the funeral escort killed everyone it encountered to hide the location of the burial, and a river was built over Genghis Khan's tomb, completely blocking access to it.

Before his death, Genghis Khan gave top management to his son Ogedei, who controlled most of East Asia, including China. The rest of the empire was divided among his other sons: he took central Asia and northern Iran; Tolui, being the youngest, received a small territory from the Mongol homeland; and Jochi (who was killed before Genghis Khan's death) and his son Batu took control modern Russia And . The expansion of the empire continued and reached its peak under Ögedei's leadership. Mongol armies eventually invaded Persia, the Song Dynasty in southern China, and the Balkans. When the Mongol troops reached the gates of Vienna (Austria), Supreme Commander Batu received news of the death of the Great Khan Ogedei and returned to Mongolia. The campaign subsequently fizzled out, marking the furthest Mongol invasion of Europe.

Among the many descendants of Genghis Khan is Kublai Khan, the son of Tolui's son, youngest son Genghis Khan. IN at a young age Kublai had a keen interest in Chinese civilization and did much throughout his life to incorporate Chinese customs and culture into Mongol rule. Kublai achieved prominence in 1251 when his elder brother Monkke became Khan of the Mongol Empire and appointed him governor of the southern territories. Kublai is remembered for the growth of agricultural production and the expansion of Mongolian territory. After Monkke's death, Kubilai and his other brother, Arik Boke, fought for control of the empire. After three years of tribal warfare, Kublai was victorious and became the Great Khan and Emperor of China's Yuan Dynasty.