Rise of the Mongol Empire

The Most Popular Flag for the Mongol Empire

Table Of Contents

Introduction

Originally led by the famous Genghis Khan in the 13th century, the Mongol Empire conquered half of the world and the 2nd biggest empire in the entire human history. At its peak, the Mongols formed an empire that was more than 16 times bigger than the current Mongolia, conquering over 23 million square kilometers. The empire extends from Turkey on the west, and stretches as far as China to the east.

Origin & Rise of the Mongols

Based on Chinese historical texts, the ancestors of the Mongolic peoples include the Donghu and Xiongnu, nomadic tribes that originated in modern Mongolia, eastern Russia, and China. They were the main rivals of several Chinese dynasties and were recognized for their remarkably strong military power. However, due to the lack of a dominant leader, frequent civil wars broke out among the different tribes, notably the Merkits, Tatars, Keraites, Turks, Naimans, and Mongols. This chaotic situation persisted until 1206 CE when Temüjin was elected as the Khan of the Mongols, known as Genghis Khan. Under his brilliant leadership, the Mongols defeated strong neighbors like the Kereit and then the Naiman Turks, securing undisputed authority over what is now Mongolia. The Mongols then began to unite all neighboring tribes under the banner of the “Mongol Empire.”

The rise of the Mongols

Military Expansion

Eastern Conquest

The expansion of the Mongol Empire heavily depended on warfare. Under the leadership of Genghis Khan, they embarked on a relentless campaign of conquest. They first eliminated a nearby empire, “Xi Xia” (Located in Central China). Subsequently, they defeated the formidable Tungusic Jin Dynasty, who were considered the strongest country as they won against the Chinese Song Dynasty, taking control of almost all northern parts of modern-day China. As the previously strongest force was crushed, the Mongols’ dominance over the East Asia region became clear. Interestingly, their focus on East Asia was delayed until about 60 years later.

The Expansion of the Mongols

Western Conquest

Simultaneously, Genghis Khan intensified his grand conquest by focusing on the western parts of Asia. He declared war on the Sultanate of Khwārezm (located in western Turkistan) after the Khwārezmians assassinated some of Genghis Khan’s Muslim subjects. After defeating and sacking the country as revenge, the ambitious Khan continued his path of conquest, demolishing the nations that stood in their way. In 1223 CE, the Mongols crossed the Caucasus—a transcontinental region between the Black and Caspian Seas—and advanced into southern Russia, raiding several cities in Crimea. Subsequently, the Mongols extended their control over Iran, Iraq, the Caucasus, and parts of Syria and Turkey during the reign of the Great Khan.

Battle of Vâliyân during the invasion of the Khwarazmian Empire, 1221 CE

Genghis Khan died in 1227 CE without ever being defeated in battle, having established a strong foundation for the Empire and his successors. His successors, though not as skilled in military campaigns as he was, still significantly expanded the Empire. They conquered more Western countries and became the first non-Chinese rulers to gain complete control over all of China. The Empire reached its peak size approximately 60 years after Genghis Khan’s death.

The map of the Mongol Empire under Kublai Khan, 1290 CE

The Key to Their Success

You might wonder how the Mongols were so adept at warfare, managing to defeat numerous other nations. This proficiency stemmed from their innovative combat style and some brutal tactics employed during their conquests.

The Mongols developed keen fighting instincts from their nomadic hunting lifestyle. Living in vast grasslands necessitated proficiency in horse riding and archery for hunting food. Additionally, constant inter-tribal warfare honed their combat skills. Genghis Khan enforced strict discipline within his army, which became well-known across the region. This combination of skilled archery, swift horseback movement, and invaluable combat experience transformed them into formidable warriors during a time before the advent of firearms. Their attack strategies were also novel to the regions they invaded, allowing them to surprise and overpower many unprepared adversaries.

A depiction of Mongol soldiers at the time.

Not only that, the Mongols also employed a ruthless strategy: they would slaughter everyone in a city if the city decided to resist and fight with them. This is an especially brutal tactic and used to terrify the opponent implying that everyone, including the innocent peasants, would die if they decided to resist the invading Mongol army. Surely, the first few countries didn’t listen as they didn’t know how strong the Mongols were, but the results came out to be truly terrific. After the siege of each city (since they resisted), the Mongol army sacked the city and slaughtered everyone in the city, no matter their gender or age, every citizen with almost no exceptions was executed by the Mongol army. Using this tactic, although the Mongols did receive lots of surrender in their path of conquest, it caused a significant and horrifying death toll, the number of lives lost is so significant that the world population declined during the years when the empire was expanding. This showcased the brutality of the Mongol Empire with their strong army as their backbone.