Brief Biography of Chingis Khan

It is said in “The Secret History of Mongols” that Temuujin was born on a clear day in the first month of the summer in the year of the water horse in the third 60-year cycle of the Mongolian Lunar calendar, which corresponds to April 16, 1162 of the Gregorian calendar. He was born on hilltop of a mount called Deluun Boldog, which has retained its name and its natural beauty to this day, near the banks of the Onon river in Hentii aimag. He was born as the grandson of Habul, the king of all Mongols, in the ger of his father Esugei from the womb of Queen Uelun, his mother. His father, Yesugei, was a leader of the Kiyat-Borjigin tribe. Because his father died during Temuujin’s early childhood, Temuujin’s mother Uelun taught her children knowledge and skills based on their talent and intellectual potential.

From childhood, Temuujin’s astute mind, good marksmanship, courage, ability and leadership were clear. This proved true as from 1185 to 1205 Chingis led about 80 ethnic clans, uniting the separated country and joining the broken nation together. The Great Hurildai (Assembly) in 1206 established a new government of Mongolia, and placed Temuujin as the king of all Mongols under the title of Chingis Khan.

In 1211, Chingis Khan attacked his southern neighbour, Altan State, in a big war. From 1219 to 1227, Horesm or the kingdom Sartaul and the Tanguds were united through Chingis Khan’s military power, allowing him to expand the country to the west and east, creating the empire of Great Mongolia.

Chingis set up his capital at Karakorum, in present-day Kharkhorin (Avarga, in Delgerkhaan district of the Khentii province, also claims to be Chinggis’ capital), gathered a loyal army (possibly up to 200,000 men from many ethnic groups) and went on to create the largest empire the world has ever seen

Even though in the west, Chingis Khan’s name lives on as the epitome of mercilessness and ravaging war, to Mongolians, he embodies strength, unity, law and order of our culture and community. He is the young king who united the warring clans, stamped out feuds, and gave Mongolians a sense of direction. Until the end of the 12th century, the Mongols were little more than a loose confederation of rival clans. By the time of his death in 1227, the Mongol empire extended from Beijing to the Caspian Sea.