There was once a tribe in these plains. The name of this tribe was Borjigin and its chief was Yesugei. More than 800 years ago, this tribe clashed with the Tartars an important Tartar chieftain was arrested in the battle. In chains, Temujin was standing before the chief of the Borjigin tribe. At this time Yesugai received the news of his son's birth. Yesugai named his son Temujin after the same prisoner.
When Tomujan was born, he had a blood clot in his hand. According to the legend, when the tribal elders came to know about it. They predicted that the boy will become a great conqueror in the future. And the history proved that. There is the River Onan It flows through Mongolia into Russia. The river is 1800 km long. Vast fields of grass and lush green hills lay on both sides of it.
Centuries ago, Mongol tribes lived somewhere along the banks of the same river. The ancient Mongols believed that all Mongols were descendants of a wolf living along the same river. About 850 years ago, A Mongolian horseman was hunting with his falcon near the river. He was the leader of Borjigin tribe, Yesugai. During the hunt, he suddenly caught sight of a cart.
A person from Merkit trbit was leading this cart. When Yesugai went closer, he saw a sixteen-year-old girl sitting in the cart. He fell in love with the girl and wanted to marry her Yesugai attacked the man with his two brothers. The man had no power or will to fight so He left behind the girl who was his wife and fled. The girl belonged to another tribe Olkhund, her name was Hoelun. Now she was in the custody of Yesugai.
Yesugai married her. Around 1162 AD, She gave birth to a child. He was named Temujin. Temujin means 'blacksmith'. This is Delüün Boldog, an area in northeastern Mongolia where Temujin or Genghis Khan was born. At that time, Mongol tribes were backward. They were nomads. They wandered from one meadow to another. That means they only stayed where food and fodder was better.
They were expert hunters and shot at their prey and enemy with accuracy from horseback. Young Tumjan also learned horse riding and archery. When he was 9 years old, his father betrothed him to a 10-years-old girl Borte. Yesugai left Temujim with his in-laws on their request and returned home. But he advised them to keep Temujin away from dogs. On his return journey, he felt thirsty.
He found some Mongols feasting near a mountain. These were Tartary people who were his enemies. But he was sure nobody would recognise him there. He thought that he would leave after eating and drinking some water. So he joined the feast. It was Mongol tradition to welcome strangers in a feast. But Yesugai falsely believed that nobody would recognise him.
Someone in the feast recognized him. He also informed the other people about him. Tartars gave Yesugai poisoned food. Yesugai left the feast thinking he had a wonderful time there. But on the way, his condition started to deteriorate and he understood the poison was beginning to show its effect. Yet he somehow reached home. On the third day of poisoning, he breathed his last in his tent.
But before he died, he told his people that he was poisoned by Tartars. When Yesugai died, it was a problem that who would be new chief of the tribe. This small nomadic tribe followed its traditions. They only accepted a powerful man as their leader. They refused to accept the leadership of his wife and young sons. Rather, they soon abandoned them and started leaving.
By that time, Temujin had also returned from his father-in-law's house. He and his mother tried to stop the tribe, but they could not stop anyone except the few loyalists. The remaining people now lived by the river. They relied on fishing and hunting birds for food. They made arrows from wood and knuckle bones and wore garments made from the skins of mice and dogs.
This was a very difficult time for the family of Temujin. These hardships made Temujin hard and cruel. He struggled for food and faced many dangers. One day he fought his half-brother Bektar. His half-brother had stolen his bird. Temujin was so ruthless. When the same brother stole his fish, Temujin killed him with an arrow. Temujin was the eldest of his five siblings.
He also had two half-brothers. He had killed one of them. So Temujin was now head of his family in a very early age. Other people noticed his abilities and fighting skills. These people informed his breakaway tribe that Temujin was getting stronger. And that he has special qualities. He could also try to reclaim the leadership of his tribe. Perhaps it was this fear that one day some people of his tribe attacked his camp.
But Temujin and his companions were ready for this attack. They had built a strong fence around their camp. Taking positions behind the fence, they stopped the attackers for a while. The attackers were also short in numbers. They promised that if Temujin is handed over to them, they will spare everyone in the camp. But the people in the camp refused. But during this conversation, Temujin had a chance to escape.
He rode a horse and fled to the jungle. When the attackers saw him fleeing, they chased him. Now Temujin was running for his life. Somehow he reached a nearby forest and hid in it. His enemies surrounded that part of the jungle and waited for his return. The Secret History of the Mongols says Temujin spent 3 days and 3 nights in the forest without food. On the 4th day he decided to move out.
But as he stepped out, the horse's saddle fell. He saw it as a divine signal. So he turned back and hid again. He spent 3 more days in the jungle He had nothing to eat. Maybe he ate leaves, chewed the bark of trees, or maybe something else. Whatever it was, he kept himself alive. On the 4th day he moved out again. But this time a white rock blocked his path.
Temujin again considered it a divine signal and didn't move out of the jungle. He spent 3 more days in the woods. But now it was difficult for him to control his hunger and thirst. He wanted to get out of the jungle at all costs. Anyway, he believed that by now his enemies would have abandoned the siege. So he pulled out his knife. And he cut the bushes around the white rock and cleared his path.
When the path was clear, he got out of the jungle. But he was wrong. His enemies were waiting for him outside the forest. They arrested him and took him away. Now Temujin's life was in their hands. But soon they decided that they would not kill him but keep him as their slave. They placed a wooden yoke over his neck. Now he was unable to escape easily.
Then they held a celebration. Temujin was there too. The yoke was still around his neck. A young boy was guarding him. The tribe was busy in dancing and celebrating. But soon the people scattered around. This was a chance for Temujin. He hit his guard on the head. The boy fell to the ground Temujin escaped. The injured boy shouted. But the other people didn't understand the situation quickly.
But when they realized it, they moved quickly and searched the nearby forests and streams. The could see everything in the moonlight. Temujin's yoke was also heavy. It was impossible for him to escape with the yoke. The tribesmen were convinced that he could not go far. They searched everywhere but could not find him. Tumujin was so clever. He had not gone far from the camp.
He was hiding in weeds of a nearby river. Now he was waiting for an opportunity, but then a person saw him hiding in the river. It could have been the last day of Temujin, but the man was Temujin’s secret sympathizer. He didn't tell anyone else. He asked Temujin to go to his mother and brothers. He also promised to remain silent. With this advice, he quietly returned to his tent without telling anyone.
But then at night, someone entered his tent. It was Temujin. He needed his sympathizer's help. Because he couldn't move easily with the heavy yoke around his neck. The person helped him again. He and his sons burned the yoke. But guards were also searching tents. So the sympathizer's family hid Temujin in a cart under a heap of wool. Now the guards came to search the cart.
They started removing the wool. Temujin's end was near. But his supporter was very clever. He saw that the guards were sweating. He said that it was difficult even to stand near the wool in such intense heat. So Temujin can't hide here. The guards were already tired of searching. So they abandoned their search and returned. So the supporters saved Temujin in the last second.
When the guards returned, Temujin moved out of the cart. He gave him a mare to travel, meat, a bow and two arrows. Now Temujin returned to his camp. But now there was nothing, his family had moved away. But Tumjan could track them. He tracked his family with the help of horses' footprints. He soon joined his family. After that, Temujin took his small family to the mountains.
Now enemies could not chase him there. Temujin and his followers stayed at a safe place. But it was difficult to find food here. Even they ate rats. Robbers also attacked them. But they faced all these hardships with courage.
Now you remember that Temujin had a fiancée?
He was now 16 years old. He was thinking about her. So he went to his father-in-law's house. He married Borte. His in-laws gave him a fur coat as wedding gift. Temujin returned home with his bride and the fur coat. He started a new and peaceful life. But he didn't know about his future. His bride and fur coat would change his life forever. Temujin was living near the rivers like nomads.
He hunted animals, fish and ate fruits. Then one day he was informed that a powerful Mongol tribe "Kereit Tribe" was staying near his camp. Toghril was their chief. He was also knows as Ong Khan. He and Temujin's father, Yesugai, were close friends. So he decided to meet Ong Khan. Temujin also took his fur coat with him. He gifted fur coat to Ong Khan and told him that he was his friend's son.
Ong Khan was happy to see his old friend's son. He made Temujin his ally. He was also happy to see the fur coat. "In return I will bring your scattered tribe back to your control." Temujin now returned from Ong Khan's camp. He was happy and was sure that he would soon regain control of his tribe and he doesn't have to wander any further. But a few days after his return, something terrible happened to him that was a big shock to his ego.
One morning when the sun was rising. Temujin and his family were still in their beds when their enemy attacked. This was Merkit tribe. Who were enemies of his father? Yesugai had snatched Temujin's mother from a person of their tribe. Temujin realized that they were coming for revenge. So Tamujin immediately hid his wife, Borte, in a cart. Then he told his old servant to take the cart away.
Temujin sent his wife away. Then he and his family went on another path. He thought the attackers would chase him and spare his wife. But ironically, his wife's cart was caught. While Temujin was safe. Merkit tribe had taken their revenge. Now Temujin's wife was their prisoner. AS their woman Hoelun was once Yesugai's prisoner. When Temujin learned that his wife had been abducted.
He was angry and asked Ong Khan to help him. He wanted his wife back. Ong Khan decided to help Temujin. He sent 20 thousand troops to help Temujin. Meanwhile, his childhood friend, Jamuka, also brought 20,000 fighters to help him. Now Temujin was confident. He chased the Merkits everywhere. But obviously that tribe was also a nomad. There were always on the move.
So Temujin's army traveled 400 km before they found them. Now they were near the largest freshwater lake in the world. This lake is in Russia. It is also the deepest lake in the world. His enemies camped on the banks of this lake. Temujin attacked at night. Many people fled after seeing such a large army. Those who didn't flee, started fighting. Clash of swords, screams and neighing of horses rattled the night.
Temujin was shouting... "Borte, Borte, Borte." But ironically, Borte did not know that the invaders were of his own tribe. And Temujin was with them. So she was also fleeing on a cart. But when she heard Temujin's voice. She recognized it. She left the cart and ran to her husband. Temujin took him on a horse. After that they remained together till the end. After that many of the Merkit people were wiped out.
But there was a problem with Borte. During her eight months in captivity, she was now pregnant. A few weeks after her return, she gave birth to a son. The son was named Jochi Khan. Temujin's family called him a son of the Merkit tribe. They refused to adopt the child. But Temujin loved Borte. So he adopted her son. This was the time when Temujin was going to make history.
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