Genghis Khan was one of the greatest battlefield commanders in military history. He was a ruthless, inspirational, tolerant, and just leader. He allowed conquered peoples to follow their own religions. By 1206, he had unified the Mongolian tribes, reorganized the army, and had set off on a voyage of conquest. In 1215, he conquered northern China, and in 1220 he took the central Asian cities of Bukhara and Samarkand. When Genghis died, his empire stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Black Sea.

His principle military campaigns included the unification of Mongol tribes from 1190 to 1206, the war against Western Asia from 1205 to 1209, the war against the Chin Dynasty from 1211 to 1215, the war against Khwarizm from 1218 to 1224, and the invasion of North China from 1225 to 1227. His primary engagements included the battle of Chakrimont in 1204, the battle of Shansi in 1211, the battle of Peking in 1215, the battle of Indus in 1221, and the battle of Yellow River in 1226.

Genghis Khan

According to legend, Genghis Khan was born with a blood clot in his hand, revealing his conqueror destiny. To establish an alliance with Toghril, Genghis Khan presented him with a fur cloak that he had received as a wedding gift from his wife’s father. Subsequent to defeating the Tatars, Genghis Khan ordered the slaughter of all people taller than a cart handle, ensuring the next generation’s loyalty. Mongol forces expanded quickly because defeated people were offered the choice between death and allegiance to the khan. Genghis Khan was the grandfather of Kublai Khan, Mongol leader and first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty in China.

Mongolian Empire and Army

The Mongols were nomadic tribes from Central Asia and they built a vast empire under the leadership of Genghis Kan and his successors. The Mongolian Empire was larger than the empires of Alexander the Great of Macedonia and Caesar of Rome because it included portions of Russia, Persia, and China.

Genghis Khan transformed the rough and undisciplined Mongolian warriors into a potent fighting machine. He imposed strict training and discipline; any warrior found disobeying orders was executed. Fighting on horseback gave the Mongols mobility, agility, and speed. When conducting a war campaign, a warrior sometimes had three extra horses, traveled light, wore a helmet, and protected himself with leather body armor, while carrying few provisions. If necessary a warrior opened a vein in his horses’ body and drank the blood. A warrior’s main weapon system was a deadly bow and arrow, which could kill opponents from long range. A warrior was also equipped with a lethal curved sword for close-quarter combat operations.

Mongolian Bow and Arrow

The Mongols primary killing weapon system was the bow and arrow, which was made from animal horn, wood, and layers of sinew. Their bows were designed with both ends curved away from the archer, which gave increased power when the bow was fired by a strong Mongolian warrior. The bows had a range of 300 meters and their arrows could pierce chain mail. Their bows were quite small and light, which facilitated a warrior’s ability to carry more than one bow and to shoot arrows while he galloped along during combat. Armored with at least 60 armor piercing arrows, Mongolian horsemen could inflict a devastating rain of fire on enemy armies before the actual charge.

Mongolian Battle Tactics

Mongolian armies used clever tactics. One of their trademark maneuvers was a false retreat from the enemy. During a crucial point in the battle, Mongolian units retreated from the heat of battle. Their opponents would chase the Mongols only to find themselves drawn into an area surrounded by Mongols where arrows would rain down on them suddenly.

In January 1258, the Mongols advanced on Baghdad, then the capital of the Islamic world. About 30 miles west of the city a huge Islamic Army met them. When the Mongol Army began its pretend retreat, the Muslims followed them into a deadly trap. The Muslims found themselves on difficult terrain when the Mongols opened dikes on the Euphrates River, flooding the fields behind the Muslim warriors. The Mongols later fell upon the Islamic forces and destroyed all the Muslim warriors.

The Mongols employed preparation, intelligence, and psychological warfare. Before every campaign a military council decided on the vicious course of action. Spies, travelers, and traders collected sensitive information about the enemy’s size, strengths, and weaknesses. While on the campaign, scouts were sent to report on the enemy’s movement and formation. When the Mongolians captured a town, they terrorized the residents, often massacring all the inhabitants. However, a few survivors were permitted to live to spread their experience of Mongolian ferocity and cruelty during battle

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Genghis Khan’s Legacy

Genghis Khan was one of the greatest conquerors and battlefield commanders of all military history. His success was due to his superior capabilities as a strategist, a tactician, and an organizer of violent men. He added a heavy shock element with Mongolian horse and archer tactics, while instilling a spirit of discipline, which made the Mongol armies far superior to their opponents. His conquests were impressive and his administration of the conquered lands was efficient and just. Genghis Khan never lost a military engagement throughout his violent career.

Related Sources: Grant, R.G.; Battle; D.K. Publications: New York, 2005. Roberts, Andrew and others; The Art of War; Quercus Publication, 2009. Zimmerman, Dwight, D.; The Book of War; Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2008. Zimmerman, Dwight, D.; The Book of Weapons; Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, 2009.