[August 25] Temujin, khagan of the Mongolian Empire

Surnamed: Genghis Khan (Чингис хаан)

Parents: Yesügei, leader of the Borjigin clan, and Oulen of Olkhunut

Date of Birth: circa 1162

House: Borjigin

Spouse(s): Börte, daughter of Dei Seichen, chieftan of the Onggirat clan, and Tacchotan

Predecessor: Hotula Khan

Reign: 1206 – 1227

Summary: Descended from khans of the Khamag Mongol Confederation, that ruled much of Mongolia in the previous century, Temujin was born to the leader of the Borijin clan, one of the more powerful families in Mongolia, but his early life was harsh. At the age of nine, his father died and his clan rejected him due to his age. Temujin and his mother and siblings left and lived in poverty for many years until Temujin was captured by former allies of his father, the Tayichi'ud. His escape at the age of twenty inspired many to come to his side. Years after originally intended, Temujin married Börte of the Onggirat clan, and cemented his first political alliance which was further aided by the births of his four sons and heirs. To help him in his rise to power, Temujin allied himself to the khan of the Kerait, Wang Khan. As a military commander, Temujin broke with tradition almost immediately, granting promotions based on merit rather than family ties. He also added conquered peoples into his growing empire as citizens rather than slaves, offering them both protection and military positions. As Temujin conquered, the loyalty of those he conquered inevitably shifted to him. By 1206, Temujin had conquered and assimilated the Merkits, Naimans, Mongols, Keraits, Tatars, Uyghurs, and many other tribes into his empire. At a meeting of the Mongol chieftains, Temujin was made the universal khan of the empire—the Khagan, though the title would only be conferred upon him posthumously—and the new monarch took the title Genghis Khan.

With his back covered, Genghis Khan began his wars of expansion. He first went after the Western Xia dynasty in northern China, defeating it without much difficulty by 1209. He then moved onto the Jun Dynasty ruling in Manchuria, sacking Beijing in 1215 and forcing the dynasty into the fringes of its territory. An escaped rival who had fled to the Kara-Khitan Khanate was the next target on Genghis' list. He was soundly defeated and killed in 1218, spreading the Mongol Empire all the way to Europe. When Genghis Khan attempted to open negotiations for a trade treaty with the Persian Khwarezmian Empire in Iran, he was met with outright refusal and the deaths of many of his entourage. Genghis Khan personally led the army that defeated the Shah of Persia, forcing the shah into hiding and eventual death by treachery. Genghis moved north to Samarkand and then Bukhara, destroying everything in his path including entire towns and villages. Capturing the trade city of Urgench was the most difficult affair and the Mongols had to adapt to city fighting, which increased their casualties. When the city was finally suppressed, Genghis declared that the entire population was to be killed for their affront, and up to 1.2 million people were massacred, the largest known massacre in recorded history. Once Persia was secured, Genghis split his army to return to Mongolia, marching through Aghanistan and northern India while the other army marched through the Caucasus and Russia. One-by-one, the march home reduced local states to vassals of the Mongol Empire. Georgia, Armenia, Crimea, the Kievan Rus', and Transoxiana all fell between 1220 and 1227. Rebellions by the Western Xia puppet state in China forced Genghis to return to his first victory twenty years later in 1226. After defeating them again in 1227, Genghis had the entire imperial family executed, ending in further pretensions in this region. Soon after his victory against the Western Xia, Genghis Khan died under mysterious circumstances. While there are many different stories attempting to resolve the mystery, none has ever been confirmed. His eldest son, Jochi, whose legitimacy was always in question, died a year before the Khan. His third son, Ögedei, was the most level-headed of his four sons and chosen to succeed Genghis as Khagan after a short regency led by Tolui, the Khan's youngest son.

Date of Death: 25 August 1227
Successor: Tolui

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Gratian, emperor of Rome (383)
• Gennadius I, patriarch of Constantinople (471)
• Hugues III, duke of Burgundy (1192)
• St. Louis IX, king of France (1270)
• Christian V, king of Denmark (1699)
• Jean III, pretender to France (1940)