SOAS Research Online

Abstract

At the turn of twelfth and thirteenth centuries, a Mongol chief, Temujin. best-known by his title Chinggis Qan, began his expansion and created a vast empire in north and central Asia. The conquest was completed in three stages: first the unification of Mongolia, second the submission of neighbouring nations, third an expedition to Central Asia. The history of his military conquests has been extensively studied by modem researchers, while the non-military factors which also contribute to his success have been given less attention. The background of Temujin's success lacks clarity too, because of confusion in the available accounts. This thesis focus on two topics in the career of Temujin. The first three chapters in part one analyze the relationship between Temujin's family and Toyoril, the ruler of the Turkic Kereit tribe, who was a cmcial figure in Temtujin's rise to power. The essential reconstruction of the early history of the Kereit ruling family in this part presents also the background of Temujin's triumph. Part Two studies Temujin's strategy of expansion via his relationship with the other Turkic tribes, his Mongol kinsmen and the powerful Jurchen regime in the south. This examination consists of three chapters and it reveals that Temujin did not accomplish his career solely by the sword. Since these aspects have not been sufficiently investigated because of the confusion of the primary sources, a serious attempt has been made to clarify the situation. Three major sources have been carefully studied in their original languages, respectively Monggol-un niyucha tobchiyan in Mongolian, Jami' al-tawarikh in Persian and Sheng-wu ch'ing-cheng-lu in Chinese. Through a careful comparison of all the relevant details, the career of Temujin can be re-interpreted from a new perspective.