CHAPTER I. Gen Sketch of the History of the Grand Khans of the Mongols and I. GENGHIS KHAN, according to the eastern historians, was de- CHAP. scended from the most ancient conquerors, who have generally resided in the neighbourhood of the Altai, or Golden Mountains*. Kondou, in Daooria, or Dauria, an ancient place, considered to be the same with Tchindat-turookuoy, on the river Onon, in the province of Nertshinsk, in Siberia, bears the reputation of having given birth to the greatest conqueror and destroyer recorded in the annals of mankind†. Ptolemy places the ancestors of the Mongols in the parallels of 50° and 60°, and longitudes 120° and 140°. They are described as a discreet and valiant people §. * Abul Ghazi Bahadur, P. III. Ch. I. Petis de la Croix, B. I. Ch. I. + Captain Cochrane's Pedestrian Journey, p. 489. Lat. 50° 23′, long. 114° 25′, by Arrowsmith's large map. Spelt also Mogul, Mung❜l, Moal, Magor, Mogore, Mungall. § Strahlenberg, p. 454. 16 CHAP. I. A.D. 1154. MARRIAGES OF TIMOUGIN. Jouini, who died A. D. 1284, says, that Genghis Khan's country was much to the east and north of the desert side of Tartary: that the Mongols were divided into tribes: and that Genghis's tribe, called Niron Caiat, was the only one that was civilized *. Genghis was the first who united all the Tartars of the vast regions above the latitude 50° westward (of Pekin), and 55° eastward+. The silver mines near the river Argun, formerly belonged to the Mongols. The rivulet near them is called, by the Mongols, Mungagoll: Munga signifying silver, and Goll a brook. By the Russians it is called Sercbrenkaia-reka, which also means Silver-river . Timougin, afterwards surnamed Genghis, was born A. D. 1154 §. His father, Pisouca Bahadur, was khan of Caracathay, an extensive dominion ||. Pisouca having been for some time a prisoner in the hands of the King of China, and being ill treated, made his escape. To aid his revenge he married his son Timougin, not thirteen years old, to the daughter of the khan of the Naimans, who had also cause to hate A.D. 1166. the Chinese monarch. Pisouca died, and was succeeded by Timougin. The nations under him revolted. His mother, a noble minded princess, animated Timougin to set up his standard. He was taken prisoner, but made his escape. A.D. 1168. Purta Cougine, another wife, daughter of the khan of Congorat**, Petis de la Croix, p. 428. ↑ Du Halde, Vol. II. p. 255. Strahlenberg, p. 411. Abul Ghazi, Vol. I. p. 39. Isbrants Ides, in Harris, Vol. II. p. 933. § The Chronology and principal events are generally from Petis de la Croix : many are from Abul Ghazi Bahadur. Between N. Latitude 50° and 55°-north east of Caracorum, by De l' Isle's map to the life of Genghis Khan. ** Congorat, on De l' Isle's map, is in lat. 51°, and west of Lake Baikal. This wife was the mother of Genghis's four sons who succeeded him. TIMOUGIN'S MARRIAGES. I. was taken prisoner and sent to Oungh*, khan of the Keraits, who CHAP. kept his court at Caracorum, as Grand Khan; and whom Timougin's enemies pressed to marry this lady himself: but, having been in friendship with Timougin, he treated her with the kindness of a father, and not long after restored her to her husband. 17 Timougin sinks under the weight of his enemies, and takes refuge A.D. 1174. with Oungh Khan, who grants him an asylum, accompanied by his most faithful and brave forces, who were few in number. He, by his prudence and wisdom, gains the ascendency over the mind of Oungh Khan; whose daughter, charmed with the valour and person of Timougin, falls in love with him; and their marriage is celebrated with as much pomp as if it had been the Grand Khan's. Gemouca, a de- A.D. 1175. spairing and desperate lover of the princess, now Timougin's wife, ex cites a conspiracy. Oungh Khan, dethroned by his brother Erkekara, A.D. 1177. flees, and takes refuge in Timougin's camp. A victory is gained over the Tanjouts. Timougin fights the confederate khans, and gains a most bloody victory. It was not known what became of Erkekara. Oungh Khan A.D. 1179. was re-established on his throne at Caracorum. Sungun, a son of Oungh Khan, succeeded in producing hatred and A.D. 1192. jealousy of Timougin; who, fearing he might be seized, retired from Oungh Khan's court. The ar- A.D. 1202. Timougin is declared general of the confederate khans. mies of Oungh Khan and of Timougin meet in a plain called Tangut. The Grand Khan commanded in person, and his son was with him; both confident of victory. The battle was disastrous to Oungh Khan; he was wounded, lost forty thousand slain in the action, and the best of his troops went over to Timougin. The booty was immense. * Spelt also Um, Un, Aunac, Ung. D TIMOUGIN DECLARED GRAND KHAN. Oungh Khan took refuge with Tayan Khan, at whose court there were some Naiman lords, who persuaded Tayan Khan to put the Grand Khan to death; and he was beheaded. His son fled to Tibet, and lived in obscurity; but was seized as a spy, and executed. Timougin took possession of all the Grand Khan's dominions, treasures, and palaces, by right of conquest. He was declared Emperor of all the Mogul nations, crowned, and all the khans bowed the knee nine times before their new Grand Khan. Timougin vanquished the khan of the Naimans, in a fight which lasted from the rising to the setting sun, most bloody and obstinate. The khan was wounded mortally, and the slaughter was terrible. Gemouca was taken prisoner, and torn limb from limb. In the midst of his tortures he declared, that had Timougin fallen into his hands, he would have served him the same *. Timougin returned to Caracorum, where, during the winter, his court was filled with ambassadors. Timougin established and arranged his army in tomans of ten thousand; regiments of one thousand; companies of one hundred; and smaller, of ten†. At the general diet at Caracorum, sitting upon his throne, and surrounded by the princes of the blood, the nevians, khans, emirs, and other lords, Timougin promulgated the Mogul laws, and took the name of Genghis Khan. "By the first law, it is ordained to believe that there is but one God, creator of heaven and earth, who alone gives life and death, riches and poverty, who grants and denies whatever he * Abul Ghazi Bahadur, Vol. I. p. 87. †This arrangement is very similar to that in the Cyropædia of Xenophon.See B. XI. p. 46. Spelt Zingis, Tchimkis, Jenghis, Tchinguis, Chungaze, &c. Zin is said to mean great, and gis is the superlative termination. GENGHIS KHAN'S LAWS.-ARMY. 19 I. pleases, and who has over all things an absolute power." All religions CHAP. were tolerated. Some of his children were Christians, and Jews, and Mahometans; some, like himself, were Deists. "The enemy is not to be pillaged, till the general has granted leave, under pain of death. The meanest soldier is to share as the officers. There shall be a general hunting every winter, to exercise the troops. Every one of his subjects is to serve the state some way or other. Whoever steals an ox, or the value of one, is to suffer death: for less thefts, from seven to seven hundred blows, or to pay nine times the value of the thing stolen. Husbands are to be employed solely in hunting and war; all other occupations belong to women. Children born of the first wife are to be most respected. Adulterers are to suffer death. Governors of distant countries failing in their duty, are to suffer death. "The arms appointed, are the sabre, the bow, the battle axe, with some ropes. The officers to wear helmets, and breast-plates of leather or iron, or an entire coat of mail. Soldiers who can afford it, are permitted to wear armour. The officers are strictly to examine the edges and points of the sabres*." Genghis takes Campion, the capital of Tangut, and the countries of A.D. 1207. Crequir and Cuchin. He vanquishes the Merkites, by the river Irtish: A.D. 1208. he reduces the Kergis under his dominion. Genghis gives his daughter in marriage to the khan of the Yughurs. He invades China, entering by the great gate in the wall, and comes A.D. 1210. to action with the king, who loses thirty thousand men; the Emperor loses a great many officers, and more soldiers than the ChiHe makes peace, and obtains Cubcou Catune, the king's daugh nese. * For the whole of the laws, see De la Croix, p. 78. |