If someone asked you to name one Mongolian, you’d most likely say Genghis Khan. He is by far the most famous and well-known Mongolian in history, even though he died 800 years ago. He conquered a huge part of the globe that led to an empire so big and feared that it is still remembered today for how impressive it was. Because he conquered so many parts of the world, there were lots of people who were under his rule, and they left records about what it was like to conquer with or be conquered by Genghis Khan.
While so much is known about his time as a leader of one of the greatest empires to have ever existed, little is known about his early life and how he died. His name Genghis Khan is a rough translation of ‘Universal Ruler,’ and to this day, his name is universally known around the globe.
Who Was the Fearsome Genghis Khan?
Genghis Khan was born around 1162, though the exact year is unknown and debated to this day. Even though it is known that he was Mongolian, historians are also unsure about the exact place he was born and where he grew up in Mongolia.
Before being the great leader Ghengis Khan, he was a regular boy named Temüjin, who, from a young age, around 15 years old, proved that he was a natural leader. He was daring and unafraid in battle while also being an adept diplomat by negotiating with allies and enemies alike to get what he wanted.
The Death of a Leader
In 1225, Genghis Khan ruled a territory from the Sea of Japan to the Caspian Sea with at least a million people under his control who came from different tribes and religions. It is thought that Genghis Khan died in the summer of 1227 after falling from his horse. However, at that time, his empire was at war with the Xia people and lay siege to their city of Zhongxing.
Not wanting the Xia to know that Genghis Khan was injured and then dead meant that the news of his death was kept secret. It worked because Zhongxing soon capitulated to the Mongols not knowing that their feared leader was already dead. However, soon conspiracy theories were spread that have endured until today that says that he may have died from an illness, fell in battle, was murdered by a wife or a high-ranking Mongol, and even that he was struck by lightning.
Genghis Khan’s Resting Place
After the death of the Universal Ruler, his body was taken to Mongolia. Nobody knows where the body was buried or if there was a burial ceremony. The legend says that he was buried on or near a sacred mountain called Burkhan Khaldun in the Khentii Mountains. Apparently, Genghis Khan chose the spot years before his death, and the Mongols respected his wish.
A few legends were made about the circumstances of the burial. One legend says that 2,000 slaves transported the body and buried it before being killed by Mongol soldiers, who were then killed by another group of soldiers that later committed mass suicide, all so that the location of the burial place would be kept secret. Other legends state that to hide the burial place, thousands of horses rode over the ground to hide any evidence of burial or that many trees were planted to further conceal the area, and even that a river was diverted to flow directly over the Universal Ruler’s final resting place. Nobody knows where his remains are buried, and the area surrounding the burial site is known as a forbidden zone.
Since his body’s whereabouts are unknown, an empty tomb was created for followers to visit to pay their respects to the Universal Ruler. Located in Inner Mongolia it was guarded by a group of people called Darkhad. The Darkhad were known as “Protected Ones,” who received special exceptions from military service and taxation so that they could protect and maintain the mausoleum dedicated to the memory and legacy of Genghis Khan.
