Genghis KhanGenghis Khan, or Temujin, as he was called in his early childhood, was born around 1167 into the nomadic pastoral lifestyle of the Mongols. Mongol life centered on several fragmented tribes that continually fought among themselves, led by individual khans. “Temujin enjoyed years of successful conquests in these tribal wars” (Adler and Pouwels, 239-41). At the age of sixteen, Temujin married Borte, a woman from another tribe. "Temujin married Borte, cementing the alliance between the Konkirat tribe and his." ("Biography.com"). Temujin was greatly feared among the Mongols, as he was known for his ruthlessness, cunning and ferocity. “…by 1196 he had become powerful enough to assert personal control over all the Mongol tribes” (Adler and Pouwels, 239-41). By 1206, Temujin had conquered almost all of central and eastern Mongolia, and through a council of clan elders, Chinghis Khan, also known as Genghis Khan, was proclaimed. "For the first time in their history, the Mongols were united under a single leader." (Adler and Pouwels, 239-41). Genghis Khan was a brilliant military tactician, as he combined the fighting style of the Mongols with new forms of organization and new methods. This unique combination has led to his armies being an unstoppable force and an extremely efficient army. "First of all he divided them into light and heavy cavalry." The diversity of its forces also helped the Mongols become a power to be feared. Light cavalry usually took advantage of the speed of their horses, as well as small arms, to quickly strike their opponents. The heavy cavalry adorned Chinese-style armor in addition to the usual Mongolian light weapons. The Mongol conquests consisted of three phases, from 12...... middle of paper ......would not have been a world power, and several trading centers, created by the conquests, would not have been connected. Without Genghis Khan, his nephews, who would have gone to lead the Mongolian people, would not have appeared, so the history of the world as we know it would have completely changed. The unique mix of heavy cavalry and light cavalry that Genghis Khan first designed would not have been seen by the world, or the use of terrorist propaganda used to win fights or achieve an easy surrender. Works Cited Adler, Philip and Randall Pouwels, comp. World civilizations. 6. Boston: Wadsworth, 2008. 239-41. Print."Genghis Khan." 2011. Biography.com November 14, 2011, 08:14 http://www.biography.com/people/genghis-khan-9308634 Smitha, Frank. "Genghis Khan and the Great Mongol Empire". Macrohistory and world relationship. Np, 2011. Web. 14 November 2011. .