Analysis of Genghis Khan's principles

Analysis of Genghis Khan's principles
Now that I am getting close to finishing this book, I have enough information to analyze the protagonist, Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan started from humble beginnings, born into a low class family, Genghis Khan or Temujin (his birth name) showed much determination and strength, as well as a keen instinct for survival. His childhood was harder than most, his father was poisoned by a rival clan, his family plundered and then left to starve on the harsh steep, and he was taken captive as a slave for many years of his early life. From many of his early experiences, Genghis Khan developed many strict taboos, that he would enforce for himself and for his many followers. These included, no torture, no taking of hostages, and safety for all diplomats. Many of the peoples that the Mongols encountered thought they were savages, killing everyone in their path. But many of these cities and peoples were destroyed because their leaders killed the Mongol's diplomats, who were sent to offer a full surrender to the cities inhabitants. The Mongols did not take hostages. When they entered a fallen city, they would not take the knights and lords hostage, as was custom in much of Europe for ransom, instead they would simply execute them. However once the Mongols were fighting a Russian walled city, and the city's King fought so fiercely and bravely, that once his city was fallen they let this king live in honor of his bravery. The outlaw of torture, hostages, and the murder or mistreatment of ambassadors became universal through out the entire Mongol empire during the reign of Genghis Khan. These policies are one of the Mongol empires greatest contributions to the societies that they conquered, many of which kept these principles long after the Mongols had left. The legacy of Genghis Khan and his mighty Mongol empire is etched into almost every part of the making of the modern world, from the re-connection of Europe, Middle east and China, and the extensive boom of the overland trade that occurred as a result, to the breaking of old unwanted empires, to the spreading of culture, new ideals, and war technology, Genghis Khan and his noble warriors changed all of history.

Mongke Khan's Religious Debate

A scribe's recount of Mongke Khan's Religious Debate;
The debate was organized like a Mongol wrestling match. It began when a French Christian named Rubruck was finally received to Mongke Khan's court on May 24 1254. It was clear to me and all the court that the man was not accustomed to debating issues with men who did not share his common Christian beliefs. He called himself a Catholic Christian, and claimed to speak the true word of God, and not the poisoned heretic views of the Assyrian Christians already at his Greatness's court. To me the difference between their beliefs seemed marginal and unimportant although, I have heard that these two different types of Christians constantly fight over trivial things, slaughtering each other in the name of the same God. Mongke Khan ordered Rubruck and other scribes of different religions to have a debate some days later. The debate was organized like a Mongol wrestling match, Mongols do love a good competition. "It is doubtful that representatives of so many types of Christianity had come to a single meeting, and certainly they had not debated, as equals, with representatives of the various Muslim and Buddhist faiths. The religious scholars had to compete on the basis of their beliefs and ideas, using no weapons or the authority of any ruler or army behind them. They could use only words and logic to test the ability of their ideas to persuade"(173). This was of course quite different from what I have heard happening in Europe. Some time after Rubruck returned to France, the Mongol court received word that his sponsor, King Louis IX had burned over 12,000 Jewish hand written texts. And that after this the Catholic Church named him a saint, a person that Christian followers are supposed to look up to and worship. In my opinion this should have been a point taken away from the Christians in the debate. The debate has been over for months now, by the other scribes and I have just begun to finish the Mongol court's official account of the event. One of the highlights of the debate for Rubruck was in the opening round a Buddhist from North China asked him how the world was made and what happened to the soul after death. Rubruck cleverly respond by saying the the monk was asking the wrong questions and should instead be asking about God from whom all things flow. The umpires awarded Rubruck that point.

The Most Influential Woman of the 13th century

Dear Genghis Khan,
I am pleased to inform you that, while you raised relatively weak sons, who were alcoholics and self centered, your daughter in law has come through and raised four diligent sons who will make great rulers. Mongke, Arik Boke, Khubilai and Hulegu will all follow in your foot steps as great and powerful khans, they will expand their empires, follow their mother's and your teachings and mark another high point in the Mongol Empire. While their empire did have flaws, it is an amazing story I'll tell you of how they got in such a powerful position. Much of it was due to your daughter in law, widow of your youngest son Tolui, Sorkhokhtani; whose lifelong struggle enabled your grandsons to prosper as they did. Sorkhokhtani was one of the most, if not the most influential woman of the 13th century. She stayed quietly on the sidelines and waited for the opportune moment to launch her sons into power. First she refused to marry your successors' son, Guyuk, saying that her sons needed her at home. She did this so Ogodei and his son would not have control over her section of the empire, so that she could preserve it for her own sons. While Jochi's son, Batu was campaigning in Eastern Europe and other Mongols in China, Sorkhokhtani was training her sons to be fit rulers. She warned Batu about Guyuk's planned surprise attack against him and then when Guyuk died shortly after, she called an election of the next Great Khan in the Mongol homeland. Batu was too far away to reach the election and the unpopularity of Guyuk's short rule would guarantee the election of her son Mongke to Great Khan. This wise and patient Queen was one of the most determined and important women of her time and her actions and determination directly affected most of the world and your great Mongol empire. The best description of her accomplishments came from the writer Bar Hebraeus who wrote that "if I were to see among the race of women another woman like this, I should say that the race of women was far superior to men"(168).

A Peasant's recount of a Mongol Attack

It is highly doubtful that I will live through these next few weeks. I curse the strange eastern Mongols for bringing this terrible fate upon me and my beloved city and country side. It all began 7 days ago, when I was out in the fields getting ready for the coming harvest. I was peaceful in those fields, tending my father's father's plot of land, excited to pass the farmers wisdom on to my own son, John in a few years time. All of a sudden my oxen began to fret and the sheep baaed nervously, in a few minutes the Mongols descended upon my land. I saw them coming and quickly cut my oxen lose from the plow, and then dashed for the cottage where I could hear my wife and children's screams. The strange dark warriors on horseback set fire to my home and surrounding fields. I called out my wife and children's names hopping they were not trapped by the blaze. Luckily all five of them were all right and I helped my eldest son, John salvage things before the cottage collapsed. I looked to my young children all huddled around their desperate mother, the fear and uncertainty of their faces became etched in my memory, as I swore my curses to the plundering, ruthless horsemen, who had so suddenly stolen everything from me. As the crops and homes went up in flames, we began the two days journey by foot to the nearest great walled city of Riazan. Now here I sit, in this darkened stone street my remaining family huddled around me and the Mongol invasion closing in. There were many refugees who fled to this city as the Mongols burned their villages and crops. We told stories of horror and despair to the cities inhabitants, and prayed to God for protection in these stone walls. By our prayers were not answered, as the next few days the warriors began to build a huge wooden wall around the already existing stone wall of the city. Despair encompassed everyone as we realized we were trapped, sealed with in this chaotic city as the invaders planned their next attack. Some took refuge in the Church, while some proclaimed all was lost and that God himself had sent these mysterious invaders as punishment for our sins. I say it does not matter, as I contemplate these last few hours of my life, I pray and ask for forgiveness of my sins and my families sins and pray that when our time here is ended by these nasty horrid creatures, that we will join Christ in heaven and be forgiven.

Riazan was the first European city to fall the the conquering Mongols. The Mongols did use the tactics above, burning surround villages so that the residents would flee to the city and spread rumors of despair, further decreasing morale and frightening the city in to defeat. These extra people also strained the cities resources during a potential siege. But in the case of Riazan, no siege was needed and the city fell in one day to the superior military tactics of the Great Mongol Khan.