The old world had many great
leaders. Alexander the Great, Hannibal and even Julius Caesar met with struggle
on their rise to power. Perhaps Genghis Khan was the most significant of all
these rulers. To prove that Genghis Khan was the greatest ruler, we must go back
to the very beginning of his existence. We must examine such issues as;
Genghis¹s struggle for power/how his life as a child would affect his rule, his
personal and military achievements and his conquests. Genghis Khan was
originally born as Temujin in 1167. He showed early promise as a leader and a
fighter. By 1206, an assembly of Mongolian chieftains proclaimed him Genghis
Khan. Which meant Universal or invincible prince. This was a bold move for the
assembly. They obviously saw some leadership qualities in Genghis that others
didn¹t. When Genghis Khan was little, his chieftain father poisoned. With no
leader left, the tribe abandoned Genghis and his mother. They were left alone
for many years to care for themselves. Throughout these years, his family met
many hardships such as shortage of food and shortage of money. Though unable to
read, Genghis was a very wise man. His mother told him at a very early age the
importance of trust and independence. "Remember, you have no companions but your
shadow" Grolier Encyclopedia. (1995) CD ROM This quote was to mean to Genghis,
don¹t put to much trust in anyone, trust no one but yourself and if you must go
your own way then do so. In 1206, Genghis Khan proclaimed the ruler of Mongolia.
Genghis was a very respected leader. Like other leaders he knew what his people
wanted. They want everything that is good and nothing that is bad. Genghis knew
he could not promise this so instead he pledged to share both the sweet and the
bitter of life. Genghis did not want to end up being poisoned like his father so
instead he made alliances, and attacked anyone who posed a serious threat.
Through this method of leadership, Genghis¹s army grew to the point where they
were unbeatable. Genghis contributed alot of items to the chinese and even
western civilizations. Perhaps his greatest contribution was a code of laws that
he declared. Since Genghis couldn¹t read or write, these law were documented by
one of his followers. His laws were carried on by people though the many
generations to the...