Key Idea: Genghis Khan (born Temujin) united the warring Mongol tribes in 1206, then built the largest land empire the world had yet seen. His legacy is mixed: terror and destruction in war, but order, trade and law after conquest.
👑 1.1.1 — Leadership
Genghis Khan's birth name was Temujin. He grew up poor after enemies poisoned his father, but he rose by winning loyalty and beating his rivals one by one (the Tatars, Kereit and Naiman). In 1206 a great meeting of chiefs, the kurultai, named him Genghis Khan. He led by skill and loyalty, not by birth, and split his army into a decimal system of units of 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000. The key exam debate: was the Mongols' success mainly his leadership, or other factors like weak, divided enemies and the Mongols' old skill on horseback?
- Temujin — Genghis Khan's birth name, before his 1206 title.
- Kurultai (1206) — the meeting of chiefs that named him Genghis Khan.
- Decimal system — army units of 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000.
- Anda — a sworn brother; Temujin and Jamukha were andas, then rivals.
For the 9-mark question, always judge: weigh his leadership against weak enemies and Mongol riding skill, then decide which mattered most.
⚔️ 1.1.2 — Campaigns
Genghis Khan fought two great campaigns. Against the Jin in north China (from 1211) the Mongols used scouts, fake retreats and captured siege engineers, and sacked the capital Zhongdu in 1215 — though the Jin survived, weakened, in the south until 1234. Against Khwarezmia in Central Asia (1219–21) he invaded for revenge, after the governor of Otrar seized his merchants and killed them. In both wars the Mongol way of war — speed, discipline and terror — was decisive.
- Zhongdu — the Jin capital (near modern Beijing), sacked 1215.
- Khwarezmia — a rich Central Asian empire, conquered 1219–21.
- Otrar — where Mongol merchants were killed, triggering the war.
- Fake retreat — pretending to flee, then turning to destroy the chasing enemy.
Khwarezmia lets you explain both why a war began (trade, insult, revenge) and how the Mongols won (speed, columns, terror).
🏛️ 1.1.3 — Impact
His impact was mixed. In war the Mongols brought terror: cities that resisted were destroyed and their people killed. After conquest they brought order — they protected the Silk Road, ran the Yam messenger network, enforced the Yassa law code, and allowed different religions. Historians disagree because they ask different questions. The strongest answer recognises both sides: destruction helped him conquer, and order helped Mongol power last.
- Silk Road — trade routes the Mongols protected, linking Asia and Europe.
- Yam — a relay network of posts, horses and messengers for fast orders.
- Yassa — Genghis Khan's strict law code, bringing discipline.
- Religious tolerance — allowing many faiths, making diverse rule easier.
Never pick one side. Explain that destruction helped him conquer, and order helped Mongol power last.
✍️ IB-style questions
Using the sources and your own knowledge, to what extent were the Mongols' conquests under Genghis Khan due to his personal leadership?
🔒 Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Using the sources and your own knowledge, discuss the view that Genghis Khan's conquests were purely destructive.
🔒 Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
✅ Quick self-check
Why was Genghis Khan named in 1206? At the kurultai (a meeting of chiefs), after he had united the tribes by beating his rivals.
Why did Genghis attack Khwarezmia? For revenge: the Otrar governor seized his trade caravan and killed the merchants.
Why is the impact called 'mixed'? Terror and destruction in war, but order, trade (Silk Road), law (Yassa) and tolerance after conquest.
Did the Jin survive the 1215 sack? Yes — weakened, in the south — until 1234, when Genghis's successors finished them off.
Key exam move for a 9-mark question? Weigh both sides, then reach a clear judgement backed with evidence.