Genghis Khan

Who was Genghis Khan?

Genghis Khan was a man who personified the land in which he'd been born and would someday rule. Click below for Genghis Khan biography, history and his life.

How Ruthless is Genghis Khan?

Genghis Khan was rugged and fierce, but he could be generous and rewarding. Genghis Khan could glow like warm sunshine on those who were loyal and he could blow like a devastating gale through towns that had betrayed him. In his path he could leave bounty or destruction, depending on his whim. And like Mongolia itself, Genghis Khan seemed invincible.

The land stretched for hundreds and hundreds of miles - so vast it seemed to have no end. It was a land of variety - there were towering mountain ranges, thick forests, raging rivers and calm lakes, barren deserts, and most of all there was the huge expanse of grassy plains called the steppes. There was no ocean for thousands of miles in any direction.

In the spring the weather was mild and the plains were covered with rich green grass. But in summer the plains were scorched dry by a relentless, burning sun. In winter, raging blizzards swept across and any waterways were frozen solid. During some times of the year the temperature in one day could swing from a low of 45 degrees Fahrenheit to a high of 101 degrees. And all year round, no matter what season, the plains were swept by forceful winds that could knock a man off his feet.

This was Mongolia. It was the terrain that, in the 12th century, would give birth to one of the most powerful conquerors and greatest military geniuses of history - the greatly admired and equally greatly feared, Genghis Khan.

• Mongols Before Genghis Khan
• Biography of Genghis Khan
• Life of Genghis Khan
• Genghis Khan Information