In Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world, Jack Weatherford argues that despite villainization by historians Genghis khan rose from a remote tribal culture to unify the mongols as conquerors who promoted cultural communication, trade, and legal rights in one of the largest empires in history.The author asks how Genghis Khan became an influential ruler, how he conquered a huge amount of land, and how he left a legacy and contribution to modern society. The Mongols spread revolutionary ideas of culture and civilization throughout Asia, in an empire created by Genghis Khan. Yet, he and the Mongols were portrayed in a false version of history that as the author points out largely demonizes the Mongols. The Mongols increased trade and communication across Asia, while Europe was still backlogged in superstition. Mongol culture was nomadic and egalitarian. There was no government or unity, the Mongols lived in separate tribal bands.Infighting was the norm, as well as murder,kidnapping, and enslavement.Women were not actively oppressed, however. Although he came from humble beginnings, the son of a kidnapped woman and raised in a yurt Genghis Khan gained power and united the Mongols under a core ethnic identity.
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With this unified identity they stopped battling each other over minor disagreements, and instead worked together under Genghis Khan's leadership to conquer. He was an extremely effective fighter, adapting techniques from all over Asia to use in his military. The Mongols had a uniform code of laws, ridding the steppes of theft, kidnapping and petty battles.He established religious toleration and meritocracy. Previously Mongols tribes judged based on birth. He forbid The Mongols to abduct and enslave one another, recognizing the harmful animosity it created. Stealing animals was a capital offense as herding was an essential component of Mongol life. Genghis Khan also established a set hunting period, giving animals between March and October to breed in safety. He named the new Mongol nation Yeke Mongol Ulus, the Great Mongol Empire. Genghis Khan's style of warfare won him an empire twice as large as any other in history, measured through land size or population. In twenty-five years he conquered more lands and people than the Romans did in four hundred. His empire was approximately the size of the African continent, and today would include thirty countries and more than three billion people, stretching from Poland to Korea. Genghis Khan united smaller principalities into larger states, creating framework for modern Russia and China, as well as defining borders that exist to this day, such as korea and India. What makes this empire so impressive, was that Mongols only numbered million, and from that there only 100,000 warriors. But how did a group of illiterate, tribal hunters conqueror such an empire? Genghis Khan made his army stronger by looking for the best and most loyal men, not just those related to him. Mongol tradition was the closer a person was related you, the more status they had. Genghis Khan abolished this, and promoted warriors based on their skill and loyalty. His army was relatively small, never more than 100,000 men and relied on speed and archery. Genghis Khan's speed and tactics would later inspire the German Blitzkrieg, or “lightning war”. He studied other armies best techniques and weapons and adapted them for his army. His army was strong, because the naturally harsh life of the Mongols made his men tough, and they had an excellent diet of meat and dairy products. He recognized the power the written word had in changing people's opinions. Often cities he came across would surrender instantly, having heard of his deeds from written letters.He spread fear not by acts of barbarity, but by pen and paper. He treated the poor, religious scholars with mercy. Unlike other invaders,he did not spare the rich or use them for ransom. When he took a city, he ordered the residents to feed his horses, thus signifying their surrender and placing them under his protection. One of the greatest challenges his army faced was climate. They and their shaggy horses could not stand the heat and humidity. Their bows warped when faced with heat. That, along with illness from the heat, was one of
With this unified identity they stopped battling each other over minor disagreements, and instead worked together under Genghis Khan's leadership to conquer. He was an extremely effective fighter, adapting techniques from all over Asia to use in his military. The Mongols had a uniform code of laws, ridding the steppes of theft, kidnapping and petty battles.He established religious toleration and meritocracy. Previously Mongols tribes judged based on birth. He forbid The Mongols to abduct and enslave one another, recognizing the harmful animosity it created. Stealing animals was a capital offense as herding was an essential component of Mongol life. Genghis Khan also established a set hunting period, giving animals between March and October to breed in safety. He named the new Mongol nation Yeke Mongol Ulus, the Great Mongol Empire. Genghis Khan's style of warfare won him an empire twice as large as any other in history, measured through land size or population. In twenty-five years he conquered more lands and people than the Romans did in four hundred. His empire was approximately the size of the African continent, and today would include thirty countries and more than three billion people, stretching from Poland to Korea. Genghis Khan united smaller principalities into larger states, creating framework for modern Russia and China, as well as defining borders that exist to this day, such as korea and India. What makes this empire so impressive, was that Mongols only numbered million, and from that there only 100,000 warriors. But how did a group of illiterate, tribal hunters conqueror such an empire? Genghis Khan made his army stronger by looking for the best and most loyal men, not just those related to him. Mongol tradition was the closer a person was related you, the more status they had. Genghis Khan abolished this, and promoted warriors based on their skill and loyalty. His army was relatively small, never more than 100,000 men and relied on speed and archery. Genghis Khan's speed and tactics would later inspire the German Blitzkrieg, or “lightning war”. He studied other armies best techniques and weapons and adapted them for his army. His army was strong, because the naturally harsh life of the Mongols made his men tough, and they had an excellent diet of meat and dairy products. He recognized the power the written word had in changing people's opinions. Often cities he came across would surrender instantly, having heard of his deeds from written letters.He spread fear not by acts of barbarity, but by pen and paper. He treated the poor, religious scholars with mercy. Unlike other invaders,he did not spare the rich or use them for ransom. When he took a city, he ordered the residents to feed his horses, thus signifying their surrender and placing them under his protection. One of the greatest challenges his army faced was climate. They and their shaggy horses could not stand the heat and humidity. Their bows warped when faced with heat. That, along with illness from the heat, was one of