The Untold Story of the Most Evil Conqueror of All Time

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Genghis Khan was one of the most prolific conquerors in world history. From humble nomadic pastoralist beginnings, he united tribes scattered across the Central Asian steppe and built an efficient military machine. By the time of his death in 1227, the Mongol Empire was two and a half times larger than the Roman Empire at its peak. His grandsons would expand their territory even further, giving the Mongols the largest contiguous land empire in the history of civilization. Yet, while Genghis Khan is often portrayed simply as a brutal warlord, he was a complex man of many talents.

Welcome back to Nutty History! Today, we’re exploring the life of one of the world’s greatest conquerors. Discretion is advised for this video, as some content may be offensive or disturbing. We, the makers of this video, in no way support or condone the actions of the subjects featured.

Genghis Khan, who started off life with the name Temüjin, may have grown up to be one of the most feared warriors on the planet, but he had a rough start as a child. According to “The Secret Life of the Mongols,” the oldest surviving written work in the Mongolian language that recounts the life of the great Khan, Temüjin was born with a blood clot in his hand, a medical issue but also a sign that he would become a great leader. When Temüjin was nine, his father took him to meet the family of his future bride. However, his father was poisoned by members of a rival tribe and died, leaving the young Temüjin to fend for himself. Eventually, he made it home, but his clan had already exiled him and his family, refusing to recognize his claim as leader. He and his six brothers were forced to eke out a living foraging for food on the outskirts of society.

As a teenager, things didn’t improve much. Some accounts say he may have ended his half-brother in a hunting dispute. He eventually married his first wife, Börte, when he was 16, but she was taken by a rival tribe and married off to its chieftain. Temüjin was not pleased about this and eventually rescued her. She then gave birth to their first son, but Börte’s captivity and marriage to the other tribal chieftain cast some doubt about whether or not he was truly their son.

By 1206, Temüjin had left his tough past behind and risen to become the most powerful Mongolian in history. He had defeated rivals and united tribes through shrewd military strategy and politicking, eventually taking the name we know him by today: Genghis Khan, which means “Universal Ruler.” Despite his reputation as a battle-thirsty warlord, Genghis Khan was actually very tolerant of all types of religion—a very progressive mindset for his time. Like many Mongols, he primarily believed in shamanistic spirituality and worshiped certain spirits of the sky, mountains, and winds. However, the steppe people from which he came were quite diverse; some were Christian, others were Buddhist, and others were Muslim. Genghis was deeply spiritual and was said to have locked himself in his tent for days at a time to pray before important battles. He met with religious leaders of many faiths during his reign and was said to be deeply interested in all forms of spirituality.

Genghis Khan’s religious tolerance had a practical aspect too. Allowing people to continue practicing their faith after being conquered made them more likely to accept Mongol rule and decreased any antagonism they may have harbored towards their Mongol overlords. He recognized this fact early on and, by exempting religious leaders of any faith from taxation and allowing people to practice whatever religion they liked, he was able to sweep across the Asian continent.

Genghis Khan had a number of accomplished generals whose military genius helped the Mongol Empire expand rapidly. Another of Genghis Khan’s progressive policies involved a meritocracy-based system where anyone could rise up the ranks regardless of class, family clout, or religion. Two of the most prolific of Genghis Khan’s generals actually came from the ranks of his enemies. The first, Jebe, joined Genghis early on in his military campaigns. Jebe was a soldier in a rival tribe, and during a battle known as the Battle of the 13 Sides, he wounded Genghis with an arrow. After Genghis and his allies won, he asked the defeated soldiers who had fired the near-fatal shot. Jebe stepped up, expecting to be eliminated, but Genghis was impressed by his bravery and allowed him to join the ranks of his army. In just three years, Jebe became one of the top leaders in the Mongolian Army, leading successful campaigns into the Khwarezmian Dynasty to the south and into the Kievan Rus in the west. Jebe ended up going down as one of the greatest cavalry generals in history, known for his daring and unorthodox fighting strategies.

Then there was Mukali. Mukali was a servant in a rival tribe. After Genghis defeated the tribe, he took the young Mukali, just 15 at the time, under his wing. Mukali went on to become another of the most prolific generals in military history. He pioneered one of the Mongols’ most effective battle strategies called the “scattered rice tactic.” It involved Mongol troops pretending to be defeated and giving the impression of scattering away in all directions. The enemy would then leave their fortifications in pursuit, confident they had the advantage. The Mongols would then set up an ambush, reassemble, and bear down on the enemy from all angles. It was one of the most effective tactics in military history and was a big part of how the Mongols managed to capture so much territory.

Genghis Khan may have been religiously tolerant and accepting of promoting worthy enemies and servants to high-ranking generals, but he wasn’t afraid to flex his military muscle and often did so without mercy. If his enemy surrendered, they were often shown leniency; however, if they did not, it was very likely they would be dealt with ruthlessly. Genghis built a reputation for being particularly ruthless. If any of his enemies refused to surrender or if any of his perceived allies broke a treaty or failed to help the Mongol cause in any way he deemed dishonorable, he would respond decisively.

One of the most unfortunate empires to draw the wrath of Genghis Khan was the Khwarezmian Empire, which covered parts of Central Asia and modern-day Iran and Afghanistan. When the ruler of the empire broke a treaty with the Mongols in 1219 by executing a Mongol emissary sent to broker an agreement about trading on the Silk Road, Genghis Khan invaded. Millions of lives were lost due to their government’s ignorance, and the Khwarezmian Empire was left in ruins. Genghis then set his sights on the Xi Xia and the Tanguts, who had refused to help him in his conquest of the Khwarezmian Empire, leading to a style of warfare that left the region devastated.

Despite Genghis Khan’s penchant for swift and ruthless revenge, he was also able to unify a vast territory. With that unification, trade flourished in a way it never had before. In fact, the height of Mongol power was the first and only time in history that one empire controlled the entirety of the Silk Road. This era has been called Pax Mongolica, or the Mongol Peace. While many know the Mongols for their military might, the reality that they actually helped bring about a period of stability is often overlooked.

Genghis Khan saw the need for an effective system of communication across the vast empire he came to control, so he started an empire-wide postal system called the Yam. His son Ögedei and his grandson Kublai further expanded the postal network, creating extensive roads, employing tens of thousands of couriers on horseback, and constructing way stations. In the Far East alone, Kublai had built more than 1,400 postal stations by the end of his reign, and there were thousands of horses, oxen, carts, and boats at the disposal of the postal service.

Aside from being one of the most prolific military leaders in history, Genghis Khan was also known for his extensive progeny. It is said that in the regions within Mongol control, Genghis Khan’s DNA can be found in about 8% of the male population, which translates to about 0.5% worldwide or about 16 million people. That’s a staggering number of descendants from just one man. Researchers figured this out by looking at random mutations called markers in the DNA of the regions in which the Mongols ruled. These markers can be used to trace lineages back to a common ancestor. According to the data, Genghis Khan’s grandfather or great-grandfather could perhaps have been the recipient of a mutation that was then proliferated by the great Khan himself. In Mongol society, it was common practice for men to have a large harem of women, resulting in many children. Kublai had 22 legitimate children, not to mention many more that were illegitimate. The combination of a vast empire and the fact that nearly all the Mongolian Khans were descendants of Genghis ended up creating a perfect storm of genetic lineage that has perhaps made Genghis Khan one of the greatest grandfathers in history.

Finally, there are the twin mysteries of how Genghis died and where exactly he was buried. There are many legends surrounding the demise of the great Mongol ruler. Some say he succumbed to injuries after falling from his horse while fighting against the armies of Western Xia. Others say he died from an infected arrow wound. There are many speculations about his passing, but we may never know the truth. Another possibility, which is perhaps the least exciting but possibly the most likely, is that Genghis Khan was taken out by an invisible foe: the bubonic plague. According to a Ming Dynasty text called “The History of Yuan,” he had been suffering from a fever for more than a week before his death. Other descriptions of Khan’s illness in the text seem to match up with the symptoms of the bubonic plague, an illness that was circulating through Eurasia at the time.

Many of these stories cannot be verified because we don’t know where Genghis was buried. Many think his tomb lies on the sacred mountain of Burkan Khaldun, a mountain with important spiritual significance for the Mongol ruler. However, the area has been off-limits to researchers since it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Legend also says that it was Genghis Khan’s wish to keep his final resting place a secret, so everyone involved in the burial was dealt with. We may never know where one of history’s most famous rulers was buried, but his legacy has lived on, for better or worse.

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