There is something formidable about the phrase ‘The Mongol Empire’ – almost as if it carries the expanse and terror characteristic of the empire itself. It is hard to believe that the largest contiguous empire in the world came to be thanks to a poor orphan boy whose family struggled to make ends meet.
Here we have gathered a list of interesting facts about the Mongol Empire missing from your history book.
1. Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, was a poor orphan
Genghis Khan spent his early years on the cold plains of Mongolia and got the nickname Temujin due to his stern and formidable nature – the word literally means ‘iron’ in English. He was abducted and imprisoned by a rival tribe as a child, but he managed to escape and grew up to be one of the biggest conquerors in the world.
2. The Mongols were nomads
For as long as the Mongol Empire lasted, the Mongols remained nomads. They were always traveling, searching for food and water, never making a permanent settlement in any of the territories they conquered. This also explains why they were able to maintain the largest contiguous empire in the world.
3. The Mongol Empire was based on brutality
Mongols are notorious for their merciless nature. They murdered everyone wherever they went, leaving no prisoners, and they also destroyed everything in all of their conquests. Genghis Khan and his army killed about 40 million people in their conquest battles. They were afraid to be exterminated as a race and so erased many races in Eurasia.
4. Mongols were excellent warriors
Mongol parents trained their children from a very young age and thus these children ended up becoming excellent swimmers, horse-riders, spear-hunters, and swordsmen. They evolved in the harsh climate of the Eurasian steppes and mountains making them well adapted to both extremely hot and cold weather.
5. The empire expanded due to Mongol’s excellent strategies
Mongols were masters of devising clever war strategies. The Mongol Empire not only expanded due to their excellent war skills but also because of the strategies they used to execute them. One of their important and infamous steps in every battle was to encircle the enemy from all sides. This made the enemy feel entrapped and helpless.
The Mongols were finally defeated by the Ming Dynasty of China in 1368 AD, leading the empire to its inevitable end. Being one of the most terrifying conquerors globally, the Mongols personified the famous adage, ‘united we stand, divided we fall.’
With their remarkable unity policies amongst themselves and ruthless battles against others, the Mongol Empire symbolized triumph and terror.
