IInteresting facts about the Man who conquered half the world- Ghengis khan!
In the high summer of 1228, the fiercest warlords gathered between the tuul gol and Kerulen rivers in northern Mongolia. The purpose of their gathering was to honour the deceased king- Ghengis Khan!
Painstakingly Dr. igor de Rachewiltz, senior fellow in far eastern history at the Australian national university in Canberra worked to translate the original written Mongolian script into English when finally in 1970 Rachewiltz managed to unlock the 'Secret History' of the mongols. The 'secret histroy' contained the tale of Great Khan- Ghengis Khan.
Genghis was born clenching a blood clot the size of a knucklebone. According to secret history Genghis kills an older brother for stealing a bird and fish from him- a great crime in a poverty- striken land. His mother, Hoelun crying in the death of her son never managed to control Genghis. In Manhood Genghis is ruthless but not without compassion. When a childhood friend named Jamuqa is taken captive after losing a tribal war against Genghis, the great khan offers to spare his life- though Jamuqa had murdered 70 of Genghis's men by boiling them in oil. But Jamuqa refuses the amnesty and demands execution. Sorrowfully, Genghis kills his friend without spilling his blood, in accordance with mongol custom for a nobleman, by being smothered in a roll of carpet and kicked to death.
By 1206 Genghis was the overall leader of all the tribes. He was convinced that heaven wished him to conquer the whole world. He set on the campaign to rout China- burning cities, making heaps of skeletons and rowing the farm land with salt. Ghenghis imposed the mongols first written laws, a code of conduct known as 'Great Jasagh'. It had laws such as death for refusing work, urinating in running water and gluttony. The code also set some admirable ethical rules like honouring all religions, sharing food, respecting the aged and the poor.
Before his death in 1227, Ghenghis had left instructions for his heirs to pursue the Mongolian goal of world conquest. In execution of his father's will Ogodei led hi armies to conquer Kiev, Poland, Silesia and Hungary. By the end of 1241 they stood on the shore of the Adriatic. Europe's fate trembled in precarious balance.
Then Mysteriously on december 11, 1241the mongols began to retreat. If ever there was a day which Europeans should celebrate- irrrespective of nationality, religion or politics- it is this one. the Mongols turned their backs on Europe because they had to return to the sacred spot between the two rivers to elect another leader. Ogodei was dead. The reason for his death- alcohol poisoning.
Western civilization was saved from annihilation by one of its oldest friends- "the grape".
