Legendary leader or cruel warlord?
Genghis Khan is ranked #29 on Michael H. Hart's list of the most influential people in history, but nonetheless his influence has been to say the least controversial. In the history of many countries he is rightfully so described as a blood thirsty warlord with no compassion or mercy for the inhabitants of the countries he overpowered. Everyone who showed the smallest resistance was killed, only artists and translators were taken as the war spoils. As many great men he had however his own ideas of justice, certain aspects of which seem to be way ahead of his time (ever notice how that often goes together?). Genghis Khan set up a set of rules, yassa, that were tolerant of all religions and were partly based on the idea of meritocracy. Indeed, within his own loyal people he gave equal chances to those who were talented or proficient in certain areas. Even rivals that impressed the ruler of Mongolian Empire enjoyed recognition: he called them Mongol, as in his eyes Mongol was not merely ethnicity, but a characteristic of a great man. Genghis Khan was also charming and generous enough to keep his loyal followers satisfied and sharing his riches was no problem for him: for all the conquests he made, he did not care for personal wealth. A quote says it all: “I wear the same clothing and eat the same food as the cowherds and horse-herders. We make the same sacrifices and we share our riches. I look upon the nation as a new-born child and I care for my soldiers as though they were my brothers."
Temujin, the birth name Genghis Khan, was a self-made man. He rose up from having to survive harsh conditions of nomadic existence as a young man to building his own support system by diplomacy and well-planned strategy; and to doing the impossible: uniting the ever rivalling clans of East Mongolia. In 20 years he managed to expand his empire to Eastern Europe. His upcoming as a great ruler was marked by a new title, or name, if you will, Genghis Khan and a personal flag. Of the latter there is only a description: a triangular flag (form borrowed from Chinese) with 9 flammules to which 9 yak tails were attached. The flag was white, which symbolized holiness, with an image of a gerfalcon, a personal guardian symbol of Temujin. According to some later sources the falcon was carrying a bird in his claws. The flag’s mast was topped with a flaming golden trident with 4 white horsetails under it, as Mongols believed that the world can only be conquered by horse riders. As there is only a description of Genghis Khan’s flag, all images are a subject of a dispute. However, here is an interpretation of the flag, based loosely on the image of Franz Coray in “Flags Through the Ages and Across the World” by Whitney Smith.
Like all great men Genghis Khan left a legacy for the generations to come. Literally, because it is estimated that 0,5 % of male world population are descendants of Genghis Khan. Not really surprising, as in all the conquered lands raping women was the soldiers’ reward and Genghis Khan reserved the right to choose his victims first. Of course, there are also the legal sons of Temujin by his wife Börte and the children of his several wives from morganatic marriages.
His flag did not disappear either: Kalmyk people used it as their military flag well into the 20th century, as they consider themselves direct descendants of Genghis Khan. Also the eagle on the flag of Kazakhstan is a reference to the image of the falcon on the flag of Genghis Khan.
For more reading on the life in Mongolian Empire look here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_Life_in_the_Mongol_Empire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genghis_khan
