THE UNKNOWN KHAN

                               THE UNKNOWN KHAN

 Jack Weatherford’s extremely revealing research and his lively analysis, in his well acclaimed book- Genghis Khan

And The Making of the Modern World, explains the startling and true history of an extraordinary man from a remote corner of the world, who created an empire that led the world into the modern age.

               The Mongol Army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people than the Romans did in four hundred years. Or famous warriors such as Alexander, Napoleon or the Axis Forces during the 2nd World War could ever do. The Mongol empire in later years expanded from Central Europe and Russia, across the Gobi desert to China, Korea, Vietnam, Burma and to the Central Asian lands, Turkey, Persia and across the Afghan mountains to India. In conquest after conquest, the Mongol Army transformed warfare into an international affair, fighting over multiple fronts stretching across thousands of miles. Genghis Khan's innovative techniques made the tactics of the heavily armoured Knights of medieval Europe obsolete, in contrast with their disciplined Cavalry moving with speed and surprise on the battle field. There are many things to learn from Gengis Khan's life and tactics.

1. The Mongol also perfected the 'seize warfare' to such an extent that it ended the era of walled cities, by choking their maintenance and making good use of gun powder and explosive shells to make a breach. He even resorted to diverting rivers and flooding the cities to make them capitulate. His forces sustained on the loot and captured supplies, rather than taking a long tail of supply caravans. He selected his leaders carefully, and appointed to higher positions only those who were loyal, fearless and tough. He thus revolutionised warfare in most ways to achieve many conquests and build his vast empire. In fact, during the Second World War the Germans found the most effective application of Blitzkrieg by the tank columns, by following the highly mobile Cavalry of the Mongols that raced across the landscape.

2.      In every country the Mongols conquered, they promoted the local leadership, craftsmen and talent to administer and govern the captured territories. They brought an unprecedented rise in trade, commerce and communications. The Mongol adopted the Chinese use of gunpowder, paper currency, art of printing and drafted in artisans and craftsmen from Persia. Vastly more progressive than the Europeans or the Asian counterparts, they developed the concept of trading routes and transit-centres through Central Asia to Europe, as they themselves depended on trade. The Mongols decentralised power and granted religious freedom in the countries they conquered (a total of 30 countries) to pursue their respective religion and smashed the system of aristocratic privileges. Christianity, Islam and Buddhism all prospered equally.

3.      The Mongols were outnumbered by 1000 to one in population ratio in the countries they ruled, yet they successfully ruled over a vast empire for generations by ingenious techniques of winning the loyalty of the local populace and yet retaining a strong punitive force to retaliate if needed. The great Mongol empire starting with Genghis Khan (1206 to 1227) who died at 60, was thereafter expanded by his four sons and ultimately consolidated by his grand sons, prominent amongst those was Khubilai Khan, who ruled the East Empire from Korea, China, Tibet, Vietnam and Burma. He even adopted the Chinese ways and the name Zhe Yuan to be easily acceptable to the Chinese people. 

Persia and Iraq were ruled by another grandson named Ilkhante. European and Russian territories were with Jochi and later with Batu Khan. The Mongol empire in Central Asia was under Chagtai, followed by Taimur. However, as all empires decline over a time, so did the Mongol. The collapse came in Persia in 1335 and in China in 1362. While Korea, Russia and China returned to the native dynasties, the Turks and Persians took over the Arab domination. The Mongols continued their rule under Taimur, a distant relative till the 14^th century in Central Asia. In India the empire came later and lasted much longer, where Babar founded the Moghul dynasty in 1519 and the dynasty continued to rule effectively till 1608 under Akbar. Just as the Mongols made China the most productive manufacturing and trading hub, the Moghuls made India the world's greatest manufacturing and trading centre.

4. The Mongols not only succeeded in building a unified Chinese state, but also unified the Korean peninsula and forged new states of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Prior to the Mongol era these countries were decisively Indian in culture and followed Hindu religious practices and mythology. The Mongols and the Chinese immigrants they brought created a new hybrid culture which came to be known as Indo-Chinese.

5.     In contrast to the former naval powers such as Rome and Athens, whose Navies had operated in small confined areas of the Mediterranean Sea, the Mongols developed a significant naval armada and made China into a significant oceanic power, although the Mongol sea assault on Japan and Java did not succeed. These defeats marked the Eastern limits of the Mongol Empire just as the defeats in Egypt and Poland marked the empire's North Western borders. Within these geographical extremities between 1242 to 1293, although the initial conquests were subjected to much devastation, the following century enjoyed unprecedented political peace and stability with commercial, technological and intellectual prosperity. Mongols allowed full religious freedom and all religions prospered in a truly secular manner, including Islam, Buddhism and Christianity.

 History has been unfair to the great Genghis Khan by depicting him as a barbaric robber and cruel ruler, and ignoring his many contributions in multiple fields that laid the foundations of the present modern world. In fact, Nehru described him as the greatest military genius - far above Alexander and Caesar. Most western historians had deliberately attacked him and thoroughly discredited the of memory Genghis Khan and his role in history, although they benefited the most by utilizing the innovations of agriculture ,commerce, paper currency, the printing process, military technology and concepts. This book is a fascinating read, and one which helps to set the record straight.

Lt Gen Chandra Shekhar

11 March 2019.