Genghis Khan

1. Brilliant Strategist? Or…. Genghis Khan Malicious Tyrant?

2. Thesis Paragraph • “Genghis Khan, was he a brilliant strategist, or a pure tyrant? “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” (Lincoln). Genghis Khan was given great power and he used it for good causes. He united nations, practiced discipline in a lawless world, and was a shining example of a religiously tolerant man (Lee 1). Despite what history says about Genghis Khan, he managed to be one of the world’s great and most influential leaders. By practicing the unification of all people and perfecting the tactics of war, Genghis Khan created a timeless empire, and an era of great conquests.”

3. A Little Background Information • Genghis Khan was born in 1167. • He was originally called ‘Temujin’ • In Mongolian dialect it means ‘ironworker’, ‘blacksmith’, or ‘man of iron’. • He had three brothers and one sister. Later his family adopted two half brothers. • “When Temujin was only years old, a rivaling clan captured his father, tortured and then killed him mercilessly” (Greenblatt 10). • Temujindid not have much time to grief—he was to be engaged the same year (Earle 44). • Now left alone to fend for the rest of the family, Temujin—being one of the youngest had to learn advanced skills of survival in order to make it through the day. It was a tough life that required malnutrition and strict punishment. Temujin, now as patriarch of his family, had no choice but to grow up. This significant period in his life (ages 9-16) would change his views on the world forever. • At age sixteen Temujin married to Borte of the Konkirat tribe. • Slowly, and eerily the kid that virtually no hope of rising past his childhood trials, had become a Khan. He became an influential man and made drastic changes for the best in everyone’s life. (Quote from Paper)

4. What I Think About the Subject • “A shaman said “God spoke to me, saying: ‘I have given the whole Earth to [Temujin] and his sons and I have named him Genghis Khan. See that he rules justly.”” (Earle). • I personally believe that Genghis Khan was a moral and a strong influential man. Just because he had a hard life and practiced a bit of tough love, doesn’t mean he didn’t have a good intention. A man doesn’t have to be a GOOD GUY to do something GOOD. And just because it isn’t the best thing doesn’t mean it isn’t the right thing. • He liberated his people from the rule of China and gave them an identity. If this isn’t enough proof– every year the Mongolian people celebrate his greatness. If he didn’t do something good for them– if he truly persecuted these people, would they celebrate him?

5. My Proof • His own people support his claim. • They celebrate him every year. • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5167718.stm • So far the only people who have called this great man a ‘ruthless tyrant’ are countries that have been under his rule. • Mostly it has been the Chinese who feel his feint tactics were barbaric. • I have proved that he only used such tactics because his armies were significantly smaller than those who attacked him. • Thus disproving the myth that he had millions of soldiers. • He only had 80,000 to 90,000 men at any given time. • He allowed religious tolerance. • Most dictators would NEVER do that. • Most of his people has switched to more monotheistic religious like Christianity. He himself wasn’t even a Christian, he was a Tengrist which was a form of shamanism– he highly believed in the ancient ways, but did not disprove of God as he spoke of him many times. • No rebellions have been held for the entirety of his rule. • Granted he stopped some of them before they can happen. • But none of the rebels were his own people. Mostly other countries in Asia who were insulted to be conquered by such a ‘barbarian’. And FINALLY… • The first book about him was written 20 years later by his jealous half brother.

6. The Good of All? • But there is little proof supporting this man because so many want to paint this man as a barbarian. He was just a strict person– which is accepted with his childhood perils. He could have come out much worse. The Yassaq is a softer version of the Code of Hammurabi. And I use that word VERY liberally. He still had some kinks to work out with it, but it surely brought a chivalry that not only soldiers had to obey. • For the most part Genghis Khan has made changes for the good of all his people. It was because he had such a difficult life that he was able to be as successful as he was almost 900 years ago. He could relate to the people’s hardships and created affective laws to ensure all aspects of lively hoods were respected. • Genghis Khan was a brilliant strategist that believed strongly that to win you have to unite at the swords and with the heart. He was given great power and never used it to abuse his office. He brought laws into the country that would be used until 300 years later when his empire came to an end. Genghis Khan was a shining example of a man that used his ‘tough love’ methods to make his people (and many other people), stronger. He is one of the world’s most influential people, and daresay a hero to the Mongolian people.

7. Sources • Lee, Jacob. “Yuan Dynasty.” Yuan Dynasty EBSCOHOST. Bradford Area High School. March4, 2008 • Iggulden, Conn. Genghis: Birth of an Empire. New York City: Bantam Dell. 2007. • Rice, Earle Jr. Empire in the East: The Story of Genghis Khan. Greensboro Morgan Reynolds, 2005. • Quezzaire, Pilar. “Genghis Khan”. Genghis Khan EBSCHOST. Bradford Area High School. March 17, 2008. • Edwards, Mike, and Stanfield, James L. “Genghis Khan”. National Geographic. Vol. 190. Issue 6. 1996. • Greenblatt, Miriam. Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire. Tarrytown: Benchmark Books. 2002. • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5167718.stm