Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan (c. 1162–1227), born Temüjin, founded the Mongol Empire, history's largest contiguous empire. At eight his father, chieftain Yesugei, died and the tribe abandoned his family.

He broke Kerait ruler Toghrul in 1203 and executed Jamukha to become sole steppe ruler, taking the title Genghis Khan at a kurultai in 1206. He reorganised the Mongols into decimal military units. The Western Xia submitted in 1209–1210, and when a Jin envoy demanded tribute he spat and rode away; his armies took the Jin capital Zhongdu in 1215.

After Khwarazm killed his envoys he invaded in 1219, taking Bukhara and Samarkand in 1220. He died in August 1227 after a hunting fall during a Western Xia siege and was buried near Burkhan Khaldun. His son Ögedei succeeded him in 1229; his sons' appanages became the Golden Horde and Chagatai Khanate.