Synthesis Essay : Genghis Khan

The book I have chosen is called Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. This book describes the Mongol Legacy and how his achievements have impacted the globe since he was first found. This book consists of Jack Weatherford’s take of how the Mongolian empire impacted the world. This book is divided into sections that talk about the stages of the Mongol influence.

When the word “Mongol” is said I automatically think negative thoughts about uncultured, barbaric people who are horribly cruel and violent. That is only because I have only heard the word used to describe such a person. I have never really registered any initial information I have been taught about the subject pass the point of needing and having to know it. I felt quite incompetent on the subject and once I was given an assignment on the book, Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern Age, I was very perplexed for two reasons. One I have to read an outside book for a class that already requires a substantial amount of time reading the text, and secondly I have to write a research paper in History. I got over it and read the book, which

Some people argue that Genghis Khan was just a bloodthirsty tyrant destroyed cities and civilizations, they believe that he is a tyrant who only brought massacres to the mankind. Because that the death and destruction created by the Mongol Empire from the Mongol conquests have been widely noted in both the scholarly literature and public memories. But in fact Genghis Khan’s main goal was to unify tribes, instead of creating disasters. Genghis Khan often gives enemy tribe chance to join their empire, “If a city he was besieging gave up without a fight, its people would usually be spared”(Darwin 3). Instead of killing enemy tribes Genghis Khan would try to unify them under Mongol Empire, Although many resisted to the conquered of Genghis Khan.

Almost everyone in the world has heard the name Genghis Khan, but how they view his legacy varies greatly depending on what part of the world they live in. In Europe and the Americas the name Genghis Khan is synonymous with barbarism, cruelty, murder and destruction, but in much of Asia he is viewed as a hero, a unifier and a military genius. Even his date of birth is a subject of some debate. Whatever perspective you choose to take, the one thing that is undeniable, is the fact that a boy named Temujin, the son of a Mongol chieftain, would change the face of an entire continent.

Genghis Khan was a military and political leader, a father, and a tyrant or a hero depending on which side of the battle you were on. By the time Genghis Khan died you could fit four Roman Empires within the Mongolian border. He became strong because of the hardships and experiences of his childhood. He transformed the Mongolian tribes into a country much like the Persian wars united the Greek city states into Greece.

The Pax Mongolica, also known as the Mongol Peace and Pax Tatarica, was brought up at the end of the time of Mongols’ conquests. Western Scholars designated the fourteenth century as the Pax Mongolica. The Pax Mongolica contributed to the development of a new global culture because the Mongol Khans pursued peaceful trade and diplomacy (220). The bubonic plague epidemic of the 1300s led to the destruction of the Mongol Empire because of the deaths it caused; also, the plague had demoralized the living and deprived the Mongol Golden Family of its primary source of support by cutting off trade and tribute (247).

Genghis Khan, or Temujin, as he was referred to in his early life, was born around 1167 into the pastoral nomadic lifestyle of the Mongols. Mongolian life was centered on several fragmented tribes that continuously fought each other, led by individual khans. “Temujin enjoyed years of successful conquest in these tribal wars” (Adler and Pouwels, 239-41). At the age of sixteen, Temujin married Borte, a woman from another tribe. “Temujin married Borte, cementing the alliance between the Konkirat tribe and his own.” ("Biography.com"). Temujin was greatly feared among the Mongols, as he was known for his ruthlessness, cunning, and his ferocity. “…by 1196 he had become powerful enough to assert personal control over all of the

When Mongol warriors first attacked and conquered no one had known where they had developed from. Because of this fact, the Mongols had the upper hand in attacking and conquering greater lands. Genghis Khan was one of the great rulers of the Mongols. His strategy in the army was to unite soldiers more but in a forcing manner. A soldier could be killed if they or people from their quad had run away from battle, or if some soldiers are brave and go straight

The rise of the Mongol empire is greatly due to their leader Temjuin who was later known as Chinggis Khan, which translates to supreme leader (Bulliet, Crossley, Headrick etc.) Temujin was born

The leader who I chose for this assignment is Genghis Khan. From a young age Temüjin, later to be known as Genghis had to learn how to be resilient. Before the age of 10, his father was poisoned by an enemy clan. Temüjin’s own clan then deserted him, leaving his family to fend for themselves. During a point in his early life, he was captured and enslaved by the clan that had abandoned him, but he was eventually able to escape. The escape earned Temüjin a reputation. A reputation that would ultimately be his success and his descendants would later help extend the Mongol Empire across most of Eurasia by conquering vassal states in all of modern-day China, Korea, Central Asia, and substantial portions of Eastern

In conclusion, Chinggis Khan was a huge factor in the shaping of the world. He is a direct ancestor of one in twenty people, and is probably related to nearly everyone alive. His savagery and generosity were unseen in major rulers of his time, the former still being unseen. Chinggis Khan’s name is synonymous with ruthlessness, but he truly was the most civilized, merciful, and eco-friendly ruler of his time. (Ghenghis

Jack Weatherford’s Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World provides a refreshing and insightful perspective on the Mongol Empire and their impact on history. Weatherford ardently dispels stereotypes often associated with Genghis Khan and the Mongols while highlighting their significant achievements that immensely induced them and the modern world. As Weatherford explained the history of Temujin, I found myself admiring how he overcame various hardships and created a destiny for himself. He not only created an empire, “he built a new and unique system based on individual merit, loyalty, and achievement.” (Weatherford xix)

His name struck anguish in the hearts across Asia, yet he remains an icon to the people of Mongolia. He could slay thousands without flinching. He was considered one of the most barbaric people ever, yet he ruled fairly. He gave his enemies one simple choice: surrender and be enslaved, or die. By consistently enforcing discipline, rewarding skill and allegiance, and punishing those who opposed him, he established a vast empire.

The Mongolians had such a strong and powerful empire that made a great impact throughout history. Through the novel Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, which was written by Jack Weatherford we learn many aspects that assisted the Mongol empire into building the largest contiguous empire to ever exist. The Mongolian empire began at around 1200 A.D. and throughout the empires very long and fairly large existence, there were very influential aspects that were created. The most powerful aspect was that the Mongolian empire had a very strong and very powerful line of rulers all coming from the family line of Genghis Kahn, also referred to as the Great Kahn. Under the rule of Genghis, the Mongol society would be changed entirely. Their military is another aspect that assisted the Mongols to became dominant due to their discipline. And they also had very strong tribal unity having faith and loyalty in each other and working hard together to accomplish their set tasks. These aspects would assist the Mongols in building the world’s largest contiguous empire in human history.

Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan was directed by a Russian filmmaker, Sergei Bodrov. The film was a co-production with companies from Russia, Germany, and Kazakhstan. The filming took place in a China, but particularly in inner Mongolia. It was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film contains some graphic scenes of violence and blood shed along with an occasional romance scenario. It follows traditional myths and legends of the powerful Temujin while also giving sightings of the nomadic life and customs. The movie is beautifully done while also staying authentic and true. It reveals Temujin’s life, who later becomes Genghis Khan, from a little boy to the Mongol Khan he later becomes. Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan follows the unwritten stories of Genghis Khan and his life with a little hint of mythical belief, but also adding Mongolian beliefs and way of life.