Genghis Khan and the His Role in the Making of the Modern World

Among the famous leaders who existed before the 19th century Genghis Khan is perhaps the most outstanding of all of them. He was born in 1167 as Temujin and portrayed leadership qualities from the onset. He was declared Genghis Khan in 1206 by Mongolian tribal Chiefs. The name meant Invincible prince and was the result of his leadership qualities (Bartlett, 2009). Genghis Khan was brought up in so many hardships by his widowed mother whom the community had abandoned. The Mongols is the largest empire in history  and Genghis Khan together with his successor ruled China, Russia and the Middle East.

Army. The Mongols’ under the leadership of Genghis had one was the most-advanced military at the time that is referred to date as the first modern army (Bartlett, 2009). The military was guided by merit when it came to promotions, and the structure was very rational. The army was very fast, very disciplined, highly tactical and operated from a central command. Their trademark in war was speed and efficiency(Cope, 2013). The horse and bow which was their strength turned out to be their weakness. Forest hindered deployment of horses, and the arrows failed in the humid heat of India.

Warfare technology. The Mongols’ under the Genghis had a very superior warfare technology. For instance, they used gunpowder to make explosives and developed guns, rockets and cannons. They had specialized troops just like modern troops where there are soldiers who are specialist and very skilled professionals (Bartlett, 2009). The Mongols’ specialist warriors were craftsmen who built very sophisticated war machines whereas others were medical corps who patched up the wounded in the course of the war. They also had sophisticated communication systems that used coded melodies. These technologies both in communication came to be the pioneer of the contemporary military technology (Cope, 2013).

The intelligence system. The Mongol’s had the best intelligence system and the had more information on the territories they were to attack. They knew where to find water and pastures for their horses(Cope, 2013). They also used very sophisticated techniques of psychological warfare through use of propaganda and rumors about their fierceness and cruelty. Inhabitants of a particular territory would flee even before the Mongol’s attacked. The modern military rankings in the world where some countries showcase their firepower probably to instill fear and avert unnecessary war could be an idea that was borrowed from the Mongol’s (Bartlett, 2009).

Rule of law. Even though Genghis was born and raised a reject, he applied the rule of law and equality among his subjects. This concept of justice to all was a major unifying factor among the several clan that existed in the empire. Genghis promised justice and mercy to all who surrendered and always kept his word (Bartlett, 2009). The Mongols under the reign of Genghis never used torture or mutilation in the system.

Trade. The Mongols’ prosperity in business forms one the most-significant foundation of the current economic practices as we know them. They solely depended on trade and combined paper money from China backed by war plunders (Cope, 2013. The introduction of free trade allowed for booming of business and enhanced movement of goods to and from the empire. The compass was one of the Mongol’s invention tool that was greatly traded as it very crucial to hunters and sea navigators (Cope, 2013). To date, the compass is still a reliable tool used by hunters and other navigators. The aspect of printing paper by the Mongols forms the basis of the modern money system in which paper currency is more widely used than coins.

Ability to blend with local cultures. This tolerance is one of the most-significant traits of the Mongols under Genghis Khan that is applicable to date. The Mongols were able to blend with the locals demonstrating persistent universalism (Cope, 2013). They adopted the system of the new lands they ruled and allowed freedom of religion. This ensured stability under the rule of Genghis as opposed to his successors who were less adaptive and consequently failed terrible. Genghis applied the ideas that work best in his system of ruling (Bartlett, 2009).

Though the Mongols’ under the reign of Genghis Khan were gruesome and barbaric in their ways, their innovations in technology, culture, economy and political science constitute a very significant foundation of the modern civilization. The modern world has borrowed a lot from Genghis rule especially the positive contributions. With trade being enhanced through innovations of systems such diplomatic immunity, establishment of trade routes, civil rights such freedom of religion, it is  evident that the modern civilization was built from the some of the principles of the Mongols under the rule of Genghis.

References

Bartlett, W. B. (2009). The Mongols: From Genghis Khan to Tamerlane. 

Cope, T. (2013). On the trail of Genghis Khan: An epic journey through the land of the nomads.