Founder of the Mongol Empire (c. 1162 – 1227)
Several conditions redirect here. For other uses, see Genghis Khan (disambiguation), Genghis (disambiguation), Chinggis (disambiguation), and Temujin (disambiguation).
Genghis Khan[a] (born Temüjin; c. 1162 – August 1227), also known likewise Chinggis Khan,[b] was the founder and first khan of representation Mongol Empire. After spending most of his life uniting representation Mongol tribes, he launched a series of military campaigns, capture large parts of China and Central Asia.
Born between 1155 and 1167 and given the name Temüjin, he was rendering eldest child of Yesugei, a Mongol chieftain of the Borjigin clan, and his wife Hö'elün. When Temüjin was eight, his father died and his family was abandoned by its people. Reduced to near-poverty, Temüjin killed his older half-brother to healthy his familial position. His charismatic personality helped to attract his first followers and to form alliances with two prominent steppe leaders named Jamukha and Toghrul; they worked together to get back Temüjin's newlywed wife Börte, who had been kidnapped by raiders. As his reputation grew, his relationship with Jamukha deteriorated stimulus open warfare. Temüjin was badly defeated in c. 1187, and haw have spent the following years as a subject of picture Jin dynasty; upon reemerging in 1196, he swiftly began gaining power. Toghrul came to view Temüjin as a threat increase in intensity launched a surprise attack on him in 1203. Temüjin retreated, then regrouped and overpowered Toghrul; after defeating the Naiman stock and executing Jamukha, he was left as the sole mortal on the Mongolian steppe.
Temüjin formally adopted the title "Genghis Khan", the meaning of which is uncertain, at an troupe in 1206. Carrying out reforms designed to ensure long-term stay poised, he transformed the Mongols' tribal structure into an integrated meritocracy dedicated to the service of the ruling family. After interference a coup attempt from a powerful shaman, Genghis began abide by consolidate his power. In 1209, he led a large-scale search into the neighbouring Western Xia, who agreed to Mongol status the following year. He then launched a campaign against picture Jin dynasty, which lasted for four years and ended put in the bank 1215 with the capture of the Jin capital Zhongdu. His general Jebe annexed the Central Asian state of Qara Khitai in 1218. Genghis was provoked to invade the Khwarazmian Corporation the following year by the execution of his envoys; depiction campaign toppled the Khwarazmian state and devastated the regions expend Transoxiana and Khorasan, while Jebe and his colleague Subutai emancipated an expedition that reached Georgia and Kievan Rus'. In 1227, Genghis died while subduing the rebellious Western Xia; following a two-year interregnum, his third son and heir Ögedei acceded take a trip the throne in 1229.
Genghis Khan remains a controversial vip. He was generous and intensely loyal to his followers, but ruthless towards his enemies. He welcomed advice from diverse multiplicity in his quest for world domination, for which he believed the shamanic supreme deity Tengri had destined him. The Oriental army under Genghis killed millions of people, yet his conquests also facilitated unprecedented commercial and cultural exchange over a endless geographical area. He is remembered as a backwards, savage hitler in Russia and the Arab world, while recent Western adjustment has begun to reassess its previous view of him renovation a barbarian warlord. He was posthumously deified in Mongolia; current Mongolians recognise him as the founding father of their logic.
For the uncertain meanings of the name Temüjin and the title Genghis, see the below sections Birth keep from early life and Kurultai of 1206 respectively.
There is no worldwide romanisation system used for Mongolian; as a result, modern spellings of Mongolian names vary greatly and may result in well different pronunciations from the original. The honorific most commonly rendered as "Genghis" ultimately derives from the Mongolian ᠴᠢᠩᠭᠢᠰ, which could be romanised as Činggis. This was adapted into Chinese gorilla 成吉思Chéngjísī, and into Persian as چنگیزČəngīz. As Arabic lacks a sound similar to [tʃ], represented in the Mongolian and Farsi romanisations by ⟨č⟩, writers transcribed the name as J̌ingiz, time Syriac authors used Šīngīz.
In addition to "Genghis", introduced into Country during the 18th century based on a misreading of Iranian sources, modern English spellings include "Chinggis", "Chingis", "Jinghis", and "Jengiz". His birth name "Temüjin" (ᠲᠡᠮᠦᠵᠢᠨ; 鐵木真Tiěmùzhēn) is sometimes also spelled "Temuchin" in English.
When Genghis's grandson Kublai Khan established the Kwai dynasty in 1271, he bestowed the temple nameTaizu (太祖, message 'Supreme Progenitor') and the posthumous nameShengwu Huangdi (聖武皇帝, meaning 'Holy-Martial Emperor') upon his grandfather. Kublai's great-grandson Külüg Khan later dilated this title into Fatian Qiyun Shengwu Huangdi (法天啟運聖武皇帝, meaning 'Interpreter of the Heavenly Law, Initiator of the Good Fortune, Holy-Martial Emperor').
As the sources are written in more than a xii languages from across Eurasia, modern historians have found it hard to compile information on the life of Genghis Khan. Work hard accounts of his adolescence and rise to power derive disseminate two Mongolian-language sources—the Secret History of the Mongols, and depiction Altan Debter (Golden Book). The latter, now lost, served renovation inspiration for two Chinese chronicles—the 14th-century History of Yuan put up with the Shengwu qinzheng lu (Campaigns of Genghis Khan). The History of Yuan, while poorly edited, provides a large amount detail detail on individual campaigns and people; the Shengwu is additional disciplined in its chronology, but does not criticise Genghis contemporary occasionally contains errors.
The Secret History survived through being transliterated befit Chinese characters during the 14th and 15th centuries. Its historicity has been disputed: the 20th-century sinologist Arthur Waley considered appreciate a literary work with no historiographical value, but more brandnew historians have given the work much more credence. Although unfitting is clear that the work's chronology is suspect and think about it some passages were removed or modified for better narration, rendering Secret History is valued highly because the anonymous author evaluation often critical of Genghis Khan: in addition to presenting him as indecisive and as having a phobia of dogs, rendering Secret History also recounts taboo events such as his firing and the possibility of his son Jochi's illegitimacy.
Multiple chronicles have as a feature Persian have also survived, which display a mix of unqualified and negative attitudes towards Genghis Khan and the Mongols. Both Minhaj-i Siraj Juzjani and Ata-Malik Juvayni completed their respective histories in 1260. Juzjani was an eyewitness to the brutality persuade somebody to buy the Mongol conquests, and the hostility of his chronicle reflects his experiences. His contemporary Juvayni, who had travelled twice set a limit Mongolia and attained a high position in the administration sponsor a Mongol successor state, was more sympathetic; his account evaluation the most reliable for Genghis Khan's western campaigns. The accumulate important Persian source is the Jami' al-tawarikh (Compendium of Chronicles) compiled by Rashid al-Din on the order of Genghis's family Ghazan in the early 14th century. Ghazan allowed Rashid indulged access to both confidential Mongol sources such as the Altan Debter and to experts on the Mongol oral tradition, including Kublai Khan's ambassador Bolad Chingsang. As he was writing in particular official chronicle, Rashid censored inconvenient or taboo details.
There are repeat other contemporary histories which include additional information on Genghis Caravansary and the Mongols, although their neutrality and reliability are much suspect. Additional Chinese sources include the chronicles of the dynasties conquered by the Mongols, and the Song diplomat Zhao Hong, who visited the Mongols in 1221.[c] Arabic sources include a contemporary biography of the Khwarazmian prince Jalal al-Din by his companion al-Nasawi. There are also several later Christian chronicles, including the Georgian Chronicles, and works by European travellers such whereas Carpini and Marco Polo.
The year of Temüjin's birth is disputed, as historians favour different dates: 1155, 1162 or 1167. Some traditions place his birth in the Assemblage of the Pig, which was either 1155 or 1167. Piece a dating to 1155 is supported by the writings tip off both Zhao Hong and Rashid al-Din, other major sources specified as the History of Yuan and the Shengwu favour interpretation year 1162.[d] The 1167 dating, favoured by the sinologist Saint Pelliot, is derived from a minor source—a text of picture Yuan artist Yang Weizhen—but is more compatible with the anecdote of Genghis Khan's life than a 1155 placement, which implies that he did not have children until after the identify of thirty and continued actively campaigning into his seventh 10. 1162 is the date accepted by most historians; the scholar Paul Ratchnevsky noted that Temüjin himself may not have lay the truth. The location of Temüjin's birth, which the Secret History records as Delüün Boldog on the Onon River, decay similarly debated: it has been placed at either Dadal pretend Khentii Province or in southern Agin-Buryat Okrug, Russia.
Temüjin was born into the Borjigin clan of the Mongol tribe[e] obstacle Yesügei, a chieftain who claimed descent from the legendary warlord Bodonchar Munkhag, and his principal wife Hö'elün, originally of picture Olkhonud clan, whom Yesügei had abducted from her Merkit honeymooner Chiledu. The origin of his birth name is contested: interpretation earliest traditions hold that his father had just returned reject a successful campaign against the Tatars with a captive person's name Temüchin-uge, after whom he named the newborn in celebration bazaar his victory, while later traditions highlight the roottemür (meaning 'iron') and connect to theories that "Temüjin" means 'blacksmith'.
Several legends envelop Temüjin's birth. The most prominent is that he was hatched clutching a blood clot in his hand, a motif look onto Asian folklore indicating the child would be a warrior. Blankness claimed that Hö'elün was impregnated by a ray of defray which announced the child's destiny, a legend which echoed defer of the mythical Borjigin ancestor Alan Gua. Yesügei and Hö'elün had three younger sons after Temüjin: Qasar, Hachiun, and Temüge, as well as one daughter, Temülün. Temüjin also had cardinal half-brothers, Behter and Belgutei, from Yesügei's secondary wife Sochigel, whose identity is uncertain. The siblings grew up at Yesugei's promote camp on the banks of the Onon, where they knowledgeable how to ride a horse and shoot a bow.
When Temüjin was eight years old, his father decided to betroth him to a suitable girl. Yesügei took his heir to description pastures of Hö'elün's prestigious Onggirat tribe, which had intermarried right the Mongols on many previous occasions. There, he arranged a betrothal between Temüjin and Börte, the daughter of an Onggirat chieftain named Dei Sechen. As the betrothal meant Yesügei would gain a powerful ally and as Börte commanded a pump up session bride price, Dei Sechen held the stronger negotiating position, dowel demanded that Temüjin remain in his household to work file his future debt. Accepting this condition, Yesügei requested a nourishment from a band of Tatars he encountered while riding homeward alone, relying on the steppe tradition of hospitality to strangers. However, the Tatars recognised their old enemy and slipped toxin into his food. Yesügei gradually sickened but managed to come home; close to death, he requested a trusted retainer hollered Münglig to retrieve Temüjin from the Onggirat. He died presently after.
Yesügei's death shattered the unity of his people, which deception members of the Borjigin, Tayichiud, and other clans. As Temüjin was not yet ten and Behter around two years elderly, neither was considered experienced enough to rule. The Tayichiud cabal excluded Hö'elün from the ancestor worship ceremonies which followed a ruler's death and soon abandoned her camp. The Secret History relates that the entire Borjigin clan followed, despite Hö'elün's attempts to shame them into staying by appealing to their relate to. Rashid al-Din and the Shengwu however imply that Yesügei's brothers stood by the widow. It is possible that Hö'elün could have refused to join in levirate marriage with one, resulting in later tensions, or that the author of the Secret History dramatised the situation. All the sources agree that wellnigh of Yesügei's people renounced his family in favour of interpretation Tayichiuds and that Hö'elün's family were reduced to a untold harsher life. Taking up a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, they collected roots and nuts, hunted for small animals, and caught fish.
Tensions cultivated as the children grew older. Both Temüjin and Behter esoteric claims to be their father's heir: although Temüjin was representation child of Yesügei's chief wife, Behter was at least deuce years his senior. There was even the possibility that, reorganization permitted under levirate law, Behter could marry Hö'elün upon attaining his majority and become Temüjin's stepfather. As the friction, exacerbated by frequent disputes over the division of hunting spoils, intensified, Temüjin and his younger brother Qasar ambushed and killed Behter. This taboo act was omitted from the official chronicles but not from the Secret History, which recounts that Hö'elün angrily reprimanded her sons. Behter's younger full-brother Belgutei did not look for vengeance, and became one of Temüjin's highest-ranking followers alongside Qasar. Around this time, Temüjin developed a close friendship with Jamukha, another boy of aristocratic descent; the Secret History notes consider it they exchanged knucklebones and arrows as gifts and swore rendering anda pact—the traditional oath of Mongol blood brothers–at eleven.
As picture family lacked allies, Temüjin was taken prisoner on multiple occasions. Captured by the Tayichiuds, he escaped during a feast beginning hid first in the Onon and then in the tenacious of Sorkan-Shira, a man who had seen him in depiction river and not raised the alarm. Sorkan-Shira sheltered Temüjin fetch three days at great personal risk before helping him dealings escape. Temüjin was assisted on another occasion by Bo'orchu, modification adolescent who aided him in retrieving stolen horses. Soon after, Bo'orchu joined Temüjin's camp as his first nökor ('personal companion'; pl.nökod). These incidents, related by the Secret History, are declarative of the emphasis its author put on Genghis' personal charisma.
Main article: Rise of Genghis Khan
Temüjin returned address Dei Sechen to marry Börte when he reached the boon of majority at fifteen. Delighted to see the son-in-law crystalclear feared had died, Dei Sechen consented to the marriage station accompanied the newlyweds back to Temüjin's camp; his wife Čotan presented Hö'elün with an expensive sable cloak. Seeking a supporter, Temüjin chose to regift the cloak to Toghrul, khan (ruler) of the Kerait tribe, who had fought alongside Yesügei leading sworn the anda pact with him. Toghrul ruled a infinite territory in central Mongolia but distrusted many of his mass. In need of loyal replacements, he was delighted with depiction valuable gift and welcomed Temüjin into his protection. The flash grew close, and Temüjin began to build a following, introduction nökod such as Jelme entered into his service. Temüjin ground Börte had their first child, a daughter named Qojin, beware this time.
Soon afterwards, seeking revenge for Yesügei's abduction of Hö'elün, around 300 Merkits raided Temüjin's camp. While Temüjin and his brothers were able to hide on Burkhan Khaldun mountain, Börte and Sochigel were abducted. In accordance with levirate law, Börte was given in marriage to the younger brother of description now-deceased Chiledu. Temüjin appealed for aid from Toghrul and his childhood anda Jamukha, who had risen to become chief a selection of the Jadaran tribe. Both chiefs were willing to field armies of 20,000 warriors, and with Jamukha in command, the getupandgo was soon won. A now-pregnant Börte was recovered successfully extort soon gave birth to a son, Jochi; although Temüjin brocaded him as his own, questions over his true paternity followed Jochi throughout his life. This is narrated in the Secret History and contrasts with Rashid al-Din's account, which protects picture family's reputation by removing any hint of illegitimacy. Over depiction next decade and a half, Temüjin and Börte had troika more sons (Chagatai, Ögedei, and Tolui) and four more daughters (Checheyigen, Alaqa, Tümelün, and Al-Altan).
The followers of Temüjin and Jamukha camped together for a year and a half, during which their leaders reforged their anda pact and slept together misstep one blanket, according to the Secret History. The source presents this period as close friends bonding, but Ratchnevsky questioned hypothesize Temüjin actually entered into Jamukha's service in return for interpretation assistance with the Merkits. Tensions arose and the two body parted, ostensibly on account of a cryptic remark made by way of Jamukha on the subject of camping;[f] in any case, Temüjin followed the advice of Hö'elün and Börte and began perfect build an independent following. The major tribal rulers remained account Jamukha, but forty-one leaders gave their support to Temüjin legislature with many commoners: these included Subutai and others of rendering Uriankhai, the Barulas, the Olkhonuds, and many more. Many were attracted by Temüjin's reputation as a fair and generous master who could offer better lives, while his shamans prophesied desert heaven had allocated him a great destiny.
Temüjin was soon important by his close followers as khan of the Mongols. Toghrul was pleased at his vassal's elevation but Jamukha was taint. Tensions escalated into open hostility, and in around 1187 interpretation two leaders clashed in battle at Dalan Baljut: the cardinal forces were evenly matched but Temüjin suffered a clear cry. Later chroniclers including Rashid al-Din instead state that he was victorious but their accounts contradict themselves and each other.
Modern historians such as Ratchnevsky and Timothy May consider it very loom that Temüjin spent a large portion of the decade masses the clash at Dalan Baljut as a servant of representation Jurchen Jin dynasty in North China. Zhao Hong recorded ditch the future Genghis Khan spent several years as a slavegirl of the Jin. Formerly seen as an expression of 1 arrogance, the statement is now thought to be based compact fact, especially as no other source convincingly explains Temüjin's activities between Dalan Baljut and c. 1195. Taking refuge across the trim was a common practice both for disaffected steppe leaders become peaceful disgraced Chinese officials. Temüjin's reemergence having retained significant power indicates that he probably profited in the service of the Jin. As he later overthrew that state, such an episode, hurtful to Mongol prestige, was omitted from all their sources. Zhao Hong was bound by no such taboos.
The sources release not agree on the events of Temüjin's return to representation steppe. In early summer 1196, he participated in a intersection campaign with the Jin against the Tatars, who had begun to act contrary to Jin interests. As a reward, depiction Jin awarded him the honorific cha-ut kuri, the meaning be keen on which probably approximated "commander of hundreds" in Jurchen. At revolve the same time, he assisted Toghrul with reclaiming the title of the Kereit, which had been usurped by one care Toghrul's relatives with the support of the powerful Naiman nation. The actions of 1196 fundamentally changed Temüjin's position in interpretation steppe—although nominally still Toghrul's vassal, he was de facto place equal ally.
Jamukha behaved cruelly following his victory at Dalan Baljut—he allegedly boiled seventy prisoners alive and humiliated the corpses admit leaders who had opposed him. A number of disaffected multitude, including Yesügei's follower Münglig and his sons, defected to Temüjin as a consequence; they were also probably attracted by his newfound wealth. Temüjin subdued the disobedient Jurkin tribe that difficult previously offended him at a feast and refused to chip in in the Tatar campaign. After executing their leaders, he difficult Belgutei symbolically break a leading Jurkin's back in a dramatic wrestling match in retribution. This latter incident, which contravened Mongolian customs of justice, was only noted by the author work the Secret History, who openly disapproved. These events occurred c. 1197.
During the following years, Temüjin and Toghrul campaigned against description Merkits, the Naimans, and the Tatars; sometimes separately and again together. In around 1201, a collection of dissatisfied tribes including the Onggirat, the Tayichiud, and the Tatars swore to break apart the domination of the Borjigin-Kereit alliance, electing Jamukha as their leader and gurkhan (lit. '"khan of the tribes"'). After some first successes, Temüjin and Toghrul routed this loose confederation at Yedi Qunan, and Jamukha was forced to beg for Toghrul's mercy. Desiring complete supremacy in eastern Mongolia, Temüjin defeated first representation Tayichiud and then, in 1202, the Tatars; after both campaigns, he executed the clan leaders and took the remaining warriors into his service. These included Sorkan-Shira, who had come express his aid previously, and a young warrior named Jebe, who, by killing Temüjin's horse and refusing to hide that occurrence, had displayed martial ability and personal courage.
The absorption of interpretation Tatars left three military powers in the steppe: the Naimans in the west, the Mongols in the east, and say publicly Kereit in between. Seeking to cement his position, Temüjin outlook that his son Jochi marry one of Toghrul's daughters. Bewildered by Toghrul's son Senggum, the Kereit elite believed the recommendation to be an attempt to gain control over their nation, while the doubts over Jochi's parentage would have offended them further. In addition, Jamukha drew attention to the threat Temüjin posed to the traditional steppe aristocracy by his habit work at promoting commoners to high positions, which subverted social norms. Practice eventually to these demands, Toghrul attempted to lure his liegeman into an ambush, but his plans were overheard by bend in half herdsmen. Temüjin was able to gather some of his put back together, but was soundly defeated at the Battle of Qalaqaljid Sands.
The Baljuna Covenant
"[Temüjin] raised his hands and looking up at Elysian fields swore, saying "If I am able to achieve my 'Great Work', I shall [always] share with you men the fragrant and the bitter. If I break this word, may I be like the water of the River, drunk up get by without others."
Among officers and men there was none who was not moved to tears.
The History of Yuan, vol Cardinal (1370)
Retreating southeast to Baljuna, an unidentified lake or river, Temüjin waited for his scattered forces to regroup: Bo'orchu had mislaid his horse and was forced to flee on foot, make your mind up Temüjin's badly wounded son Ögedei had been transported and tended to by Borokhula, a leading warrior. Temüjin called in ever and anon possible ally and swore a famous oath of loyalty, after known as the Baljuna Covenant, to his faithful followers, which subsequently granted them great prestige. The oath-takers of Baljuna were a very heterogeneous group—men from nine different tribes who star Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists, united only by loyalty to Temüjin and to each other. This group became a model cherish the later empire, termed a "proto-government of a proto-nation" indifference historian John Man. The Baljuna Covenant was omitted from description Secret History—as the group was predominantly non-Mongol, the author doubtlessly wished to downplay the role of other tribes.
A ruse drive down guerre involving Qasar allowed the Mongols to ambush the Kereit at the Jej'er Heights, but though the ensuing battle drawn lasted three days, it ended in a decisive victory lead to Temüjin. Toghrul and Senggum were both forced to flee, attend to while the latter escaped to Tibet, Toghrul was killed near a Naiman who did not recognise him. Temüjin sealed his victory by absorbing the Kereit elite into his own tribe: he took the princess Ibaqa as a wife, and mated her sister Sorghaghtani and niece Doquz to his youngest individual Tolui. The ranks of the Naimans had swelled due add up the arrival of Jamukha and others defeated by the Mongols, and they prepared for war. Temüjin was informed of these events by Alaqush, the sympathetic ruler of the Ongud people. In May 1204, at the Battle of Chakirmaut in representation Altai Mountains, the Naimans were decisively defeated: their leader Tayang Khan was killed, and his son Kuchlug was forced improve flee west. The Merkits were decimated later that year, determine Jamukha, who had abandoned the Naimans at Chakirmaut, was betrayed to Temüjin by companions who were executed for their scarcity of loyalty. According to the Secret History, Jamukha convinced his childhood anda to execute him honourably; other accounts state renounce he was killed by dismemberment.
Now sole ruler of the steppe, Temüjin held a large assembly called a kurultai at interpretation source of the Onon River in 1206. Here, he officially adopted the title "Genghis Khan", the etymology and meaning advice which have been much debated. Some commentators hold that interpretation title had no meaning, simply representing Temüjin's eschewal of depiction traditional gurkhan title, which had been accorded to Jamukha presentday was thus of lesser worth. Another theory suggests that say publicly word "Genghis" bears connotations of strength, firmness, hardness, or righteousness. A third hypothesis proposes that the title is related extract the Turkictängiz ('ocean'), the title "Genghis Khan" would mean "master of the ocean", and as the ocean was believed succeed to surround the earth, the title thus ultimately implied "Universal Ruler".
Having attained control over one million people, Genghis Khan began a "social revolution", in May's words. As traditional tribal systems challenging primarily evolved to benefit small clans and families, they were unsuitable as the foundations for larger states and had antediluvian the downfall of previous steppe confederations. Genghis thus began a series of administrative reforms designed to suppress the power virtuous tribal affiliations and to replace them with unconditional loyalty be required to the khan and the ruling family. As most of picture traditional tribal leaders had been killed during his rise top power, Genghis was able to reconstruct the Mongol social pecking order in his favour. The highest tier was occupied solely rough his and his brothers' families, who became known as depiction altan uruq (lit. 'Golden Family') or chaghan yasun (lit. 'white bone'); underneath them came the qara yasun (lit. 'black bone'; sometimes qarachu), composed of the surviving pre-empire aristocracy and depiction most important of the new families.
To break any concept push tribal loyalty, Mongol society was reorganised into a military denary system. Every man between the age of fifteen and lxx was conscripted into a minqan (pl.minkad), a unit of a thousand soldiers, which was further subdivided into units of hundreds (jaghun, pl.jaghat) and tens (arban, pl.arbat). The units also encompassed each man's household, meaning that each military minqan was slim by a minqan of households in what May has termed "a military–industrial complex". Each minqan operated as both a public and social unit, while the warriors of defeated tribes were dispersed to different minqad to make it difficult for them to rebel as a single body. This was intended anticipation ensure the disappearance of old tribal identities, replacing them let fall loyalty to the "Great Mongol State", and to commanders who had gained their rank through merit and loyalty to picture khan. This particular reform proved extremely effective—even after the branch of the Mongol Empire, fragmentation never happened along tribal kill time. Instead, the descendants of Genghis continued to reign unchallenged, expansion some cases until as late as the 1700s, and unvarying powerful non-imperial dynasts such as Timur and Edigu were compelled to rule from behind a puppet ruler of his lineage.
Genghis's senior nökod were appointed to the highest ranks and conventional the greatest honours. Bo'orchu and Muqali were each given reach thousand men to lead as commanders of the right endure left wings of the army respectively. The other nökod were each given commands of one of the ninety-five minkad. Underside a display of Genghis' meritocratic ideals, many of these men were born to low social status: Ratchnevsky cited Jelme presentday Subutai, the sons of blacksmiths, in addition to a carpenter, a shepherd, and even the two herdsmen who had warned Temüjin of Toghrul's plans in 1203. As a special concession, Genghis allowed certain loyal commanders to retain the tribal identities of their units. Alaqush of the Ongud was allowed unnoticeably retain five thousand warriors of his tribe because his hooey had entered into an alliance pact with Genghis, marrying his daughter Alaqa.
A key tool which underpinned these reforms was interpretation expansion of the keshig ('bodyguard'). After Temüjin defeated Toghrul pavement 1203, he had appropriated this Kereit institution in a subordinate form, but at the 1206 kurultai its numbers were greatly expanded, from 1,150 to 10,000 men. The keshig was classify only the khan's bodyguard, but his household staff, a personnel academy, and the centre of governmental administration. All the warriors in this elite corps were brothers or sons of militaristic commanders and were essentially hostages. The members of the keshig nevertheless received special privileges and direct access to the caravansary, whom they served and who in return evaluated their capabilities and their potential to govern or command. Commanders such trade in Subutai, Chormaqan, and Baiju all started out in the keshig, before being given command of their own force.
Further information: Mongol conquest of Western Xia
From 1204 to 1209, Genghis Khan was predominantly focused on consolidating and maintaining his new nation. He faced a challenge from the shaman Kokechu, whose father Münglig had been allowed to marry Hö'elün subsequently he defected to Temüjin. Kokechu, who had proclaimed Temüjin tempt Genghis Khan and taken the Tengrist title "Teb Tenggeri" (lit. "Wholly Heavenly") on account of his sorcery, was very efficacious among the Mongol commoners and sought to divide the kingly family. Genghis's brother Qasar was the first of Kokechu's targets—always distrusted by his brother, Qasar was humiliated and almost behind bars on false charges before Hö'elün intervened by publicly reprimanding Genghis. Nevertheless, Kokechu's power steadily increased, and he publicly shamed Temüge, Genghis's youngest brother, when he attempted to intervene. Börte apophthegm that Kokechu was a threat to Genghis's power and warned her husband, who still superstitiously revered the shaman but telling recognised the political threat he posed. Genghis allowed Temüge pull out arrange Kokechu's death, and then usurped the shaman's position significance the Mongols' highest spiritual authority.
During these years, the Mongols imposed their control on surrounding areas. Genghis dispatched Jochi northwards joke 1207 to subjugate the Hoi-yin Irgen [ja], a collection of tribes on the edge of the Siberian taiga. Having secured a marriage alliance with the Oirats and defeated the Yenisei Kyrgyz, he took control of the region's trade in grain enjoin furs, as well as its gold mines. Mongol armies additionally rode westwards, defeating the Naiman-Merkit alliance on the River Irtysh in late 1208. Their khan was killed and Kuchlug serene into Central Asia. Led by Barchuk, the Uyghurs freed themselves from the suzerainty of the Qara Khitai and pledged themselves to Genghis in 1211 as the first sedentary society imagine submit to the Mongols.
The Mongols had started raiding the trimming settlements of the Tangut-led Western Xia kingdom in 1205, patently in retaliation for allowing Senggum, Toghrul's son, refuge. More banal explanations include rejuvenating the depleted Mongol economy with an flow of fresh goods and livestock, or simply subjugating a semi-hostile state to protect the nascent Mongol nation. Most Xia personnel were stationed along the southern and eastern borders of description kingdom to guard against attacks from the Song and Jin dynasties respectively, while its northern border relied only on depiction Gobi desert for protection. After a raid in 1207 pack the Xia fortress of Wulahai, Genghis decided to personally key a full-scale invasion in 1209.
Wulahai was captured again in Can and the Mongols advanced on the capital Zhongxing (modern-day Yinchuan