The Great Khan

Move over Alexander and Napoleon, Genghis Khan is taking his rightful place in history’s consciousness, or at least mine.  Genghis Khan was a badass, to use the technical term.  He rose from an outcast family to unite Mongolia, and then with innovative strategies that took few mercies and a powerful cavalry he built an empire that stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean in 1260.  Whether measured by the number of people defeated, countries annexed, or area occupied, Genghis Khan conquered more than twice as much as any man in history, and at its height, the contiguous Mongol Empire was about the size of the African continent. 

And the great Khan could not only fight, he could govern.  He created a system of government based on merit and achievement, created history’s largest free-trade zone along the Silk Road, established the world’s first international postal system, guaranteed religious freedom, lowered taxes (abolishing them entirely for doctors, teachers, and priests), conducted a regular census, abolished torture, and instituted diplomatic immunity for ambassadors and envoys.  Quality of life for conquered nations could improve while cultures were still able to retain their traditional way of life, and this flexibility and success made helped strongly establish Genghis Khan’s empire; so much so that after Genghis died, the Mongol Empire continued growing for another 150 years.  This is rather remarkable because while Genghis spent his life developing an empire, he was not one for family values, raising a family of alcoholics to take his place who would almost all struggle as leaders. 

Genghis Khan succeeded in conquering and connecting.  He built systems that allowed culture, business, and government to thrive because of a foundation based on merit and achievement.  These systems were international in scope and thought.  Always proactive and strategic, the Mongols captured craftsmen, educators, translators, anyone who had an ability that would enable them to improve some aspect of their empire.  In that quest, they spread ideas and technology throughout the world as they learned and incorporated other society’s skills, strategy, and thought into their own empire.  They were the ultimate delegators and connectors, led by one of history’s greatest leaders.

If you are interested to learn more about the great Khan, I recommend Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford, who shores the history textbooks shortcomings to give a well-rounded, informational, and engaging account of Mongolia and the great man responsible for its success.  I am currently reading Modern Mongolia by Morris Rossabi, so hopefully you can look forward to a summary of Mongolia’s more recent history.