The Central Asian plateau (north of China) at the time of Temüjin was divided into several tribes or confederations by the early 1200s, including the Naimans, the Merkits, Uyghurs, Tatars, Mongols, Keraits who were all important in their own right and often hostile towards each other as evidenced by random raids, vengeance and looting. Temüjin began his slow rise to power by offering himself as an ally (or, according to other sources, as a vassal). to the anda (blood brother or blood brother) of his father Toghrul, who was Khan of Kerait, and is better known by the Chinese title Ong Khan (or "Wang Khan"), granted to him by the Jin Empire in 1197. This relationship was first strengthened when Börte was captured by the Merkits; it was to Toghrul that Temüjin turned for support. In response, Toghrul offered his vassal 20,000 of his Kerait warriors and suggested that he also involve his childhood friend Jamuka, who himself had become Khan (ruler) of his own tribe, the Jadaran.[9] Although the campaign was successful and led to the reconquest of Börte and the complete defeat of the Merkits, it also paved the way for the split between childhood friends, Temüjin and Jamuka. Temüjin also became blood brothers (anda) with Jamuka, and they swore to remain eternally faithful earlier. The main opponents of the Mongol confederation (traditionally the "Mongols") around 1200 were the Naimans in the west, the Merkits in the north, the Tanguts in the south, and the Jin and Tatars in the east. In 1190, Temüjin and his supporters and advisors united only the smaller Mongol confederation. In his rule and conquest of rival tribes, Temüjin broke with Mongol tradition in several crucial ways. He delegated authority based on merit and loyalty, rather than family ties...... middle of paper ... to the front in battles, but these may not be historically accurate. As a result, by 1206, Temüjin had succeeded in uniting or subduing the Merkits, Naimans, Mongols, Keraits, Tatars, Uighurs and disparate other small tribes under his rule. This was a monumental feat for the “Mongols” (as they were collectively called). At a Kurultai, a council of Mongol chiefs, he was recognized as "Khan" of the consolidated tribes and took the new title of "Genghis Khan". The title Khagan was not conferred on Genghis until after his death, when his son and successor, Ögedei, took the title for himself and extended it posthumously to his father (since it was also to be declared posthumously the founder of the Yuan dynasty). This unification of all confederations by Genghis Khan established peace between previously warring tribes and a single political and military force under Genghis Khan..