Temujin, better known as Genghis Khan, was born in northern Mongolia in 1162. After unifying the nomadic Mongol tribes in 1206, Khan successfully led a military campaign that lasted more than three decades, pillaging vast swathes of land and enslaving millions of people. Although Khan and his armies are often seen as cruel barbarians, his advanced military tactics and progressive view of government painted him in a somewhat different light. Although he was born into a noble Mongolian family, Khan's youth was violent and unpredictable. When he was 10, his father was poisoned and killed in an attempt to extinguish his claims to power. Several subsequent attempts were made on Khan's life for the same purpose. After his father's death, Khan's clan abandoned him, his mother, and his six siblings in order to avoid the responsibility of supporting them. Shortly after this desertion, Khan killed his older brother in order to take over the ruined house. At the age of 16, Khan married Borte from the Konkirat tribe. This marriage cemented an alliance between the Konkirat tribe and his own, marking the first step towards unity between the Mongol tribes. However, Borte was soon kidnapped by the rival Merkit tribe, where she was given to the chief as his wife. Khan launched a daring rescue of his new wife, and soon after she gave birth to the first of four sons. Following his alliance with the Konkirat tribe, Khan forged many new alliances through warfare and diplomacy. His growing reputation as a warrior attracted many new followers and increased the ease with which new tribes were absorbed into his own. Much of Khan's early success can be attributed to his skill as a tactician...... middle of paper ... ...it was time to use unskilled workers and disposable civilians as human shields for future attacks. The skulls of men, women and children were piled in large pyramidal mounds. In 1221, the sultan and his son were captured and killed, which ended the Khwarezm campaign. Genghis Khan died in August 1227 while continuing his campaign in the kingdom of Xi Xia. The cause of death is unknown, although several historians claim that his death was ultimately caused by complications that arose after he fell from his horse in early 1227. He was buried in an unmarked grave near his birthplace in the north from Mongolia. Before his death, he divided his immense empire between his four sons. The empire would ultimately fall in the early 14th century because it was simply too large to maintain, but Khan's last ruling descendant would not die until the following year. 1920.