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diff --git a/28667-h/28667-h.htm b/28667-h/28667-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cb9354a --- /dev/null +++ b/28667-h/28667-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8081 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Genghis Khan, Makers Of History, by Jacob Abbott. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + td {vertical-align: top;} + + hr.large {width: 65%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + hr.medium {width: 45%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + hr.tiny {width: 10%; margin-top: 0.75em; margin-bottom: 0.75em;} + div.centered {text-align:center;} /*work around for IE centering with CSS problem part 1 */ + div.centered table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; text-align:left;} /* work around for IE problem part 2 */ + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: solid 1px;} + .sidenote2 {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1.85em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: solid 1px;} + .jpg {border-style: double} + .n {text-indent:0%;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold; font-size: 95%;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + .smallgap {margin-top: 1.5em;} + .medgap {margin-top: 2em;} + .gap {margin-top: 3em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Genghis Khan, Makers of History Series, by Jacob Abbott + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Genghis Khan, Makers of History Series + +Author: Jacob Abbott + +Release Date: May 2, 2009 [EBook #28667] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENGHIS KHAN, MAKERS OF HISTORY *** + + + + +Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<h2> Makers of History</h2> + +<hr class="tiny" /> + +<h1> Genghis Khan</h1> + +<h3> BY</h3> + +<h2> JACOB ABBOTT</h2> + +<p class="center"> WITH ENGRAVINGS</p> + +<p class="smallgap"> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 124px;"> +<img src="images/i001.jpg" width="124" height="150" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="gap"> </p> + +<p class="center"> NEW YORK AND LONDON</p> +<p class="center"> HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS</p> +<p class="center"> 1901</p> + +<hr class="large" /> + +<p class="center">Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight<br /> +hundred and sixty, by<br /> +<br /> +HARPER & BROTHERS,<br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the Southern District of</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">New York.</span><br /> +</p> + +<hr class="tiny" /> + +<p class="center">Copyright, 1888, by <span class="smcap">Benjamin Vaughan Abbott</span>, <span class="smcap">Austin Abbott</span>,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Lyman Abbott</span>, and <span class="smcap">Edward Abbott</span>.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><a name="Frontispiece" id="Frontispiece"></a></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i003.jpg" class="medgap" width="500" height="290" alt="INAUGURATION OF GENGHIS KHAN." title="" /> +<span class="caption">INAUGURATION OF GENGHIS KHAN.</span> +</div> + +<hr class="large" /> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> + +<p>The word khan is not a name, but a title. It means chieftain or king. +It is a word used in various forms by the different tribes and nations +that from time immemorial have inhabited Central Asia, and has been +applied to a great number of potentates and rulers that have from time +to time arisen among them. Genghis Khan was the greatest of these +princes. He was, in fact, one of the most renowned conquerors whose +exploits history records.</p> + +<p>As in all other cases occurring in the series of histories to which +this work belongs, where the events narrated took place at such a +period or in such a part of the world that positively reliable and +authentic information in respect to them can now no longer be +obtained, the author is not responsible for the actual truth of the +narrative which he offers, but only for the honesty and fidelity with +which he has compiled it from the best sources of information now +within reach.</p> + +<hr class="large" /> +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" width="70%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" summary="CONTENTS"> + +<tr> +<td align="right">Chapter</td> +<td align="left"> </td> +<td align="right">Page</td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">I.</td> +<td align="left">PASTORAL LIFE IN ASIA</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#GENGHIS_KHAN">13</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">II.</td> +<td align="left">THE MONGULS</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_II">23</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">III.</td> +<td align="left">YEZONKAI KHAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_III">41</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">IV.</td> +<td align="left">THE FIRST BATTLE</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_IV">52</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">V.</td> +<td align="left">VANG KHAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_V">68</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">VI.</td> +<td align="left">TEMUJIN IN EXILE</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_VI">76</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">VII.</td> +<td align="left">RUPTURE WITH VANG KHAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_VII">86</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">VIII.</td> +<td align="left">PROGRESS OF THE QUARREL</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_VIII">100</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">IX.</td> +<td align="left">THE DEATH OF VANG KHAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_IX">114</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">X.</td> +<td align="left">THE DEATH OF YEMUKA</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_X">123</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XI.</td> +<td align="left">ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EMPIRE</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XI">136</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XII.</td> +<td align="left">DOMINIONS OF GENGHIS KHAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XII">150</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XIII.</td> +<td align="left">THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE KUSHLUK</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XIII">163</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XIV.</td> +<td align="left">IDIKUT</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XIV">175</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XV.</td> +<td align="left">THE STORY OF HUJAKU</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XV">184</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XVI.</td> +<td align="left">CONQUESTS IN CHINA</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XVI">198</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XVII.</td> +<td align="left">THE SULTAN MOHAMMED</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XVII">213</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XVIII.</td> +<td align="left">THE WAR WITH THE SULTAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XVIII">236</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XIX.</td> +<td align="left">THE FALL OF BOKHARA</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XIX">244</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XX.</td> +<td align="left">BATTLES AND SIEGES</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XX">264</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XXI.</td> +<td align="left">DEATH OF THE SULTAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XXI">281</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XXII.</td> +<td align="left">VICTORIOUS CAMPAIGNS</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XXII">297</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XXIII.</td> +<td align="left">GRAND CELEBRATIONS</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XXIII">318</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="right">XXIV.</td> +<td align="left">CONCLUSION</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Chapter_XXIV">330</a></td></tr> + +</table></div> + +<hr class="large" /> +<h2>ENGRAVINGS</h2> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" width="70%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="1" summary="ENGRAVINGS"> + +<tr> +<td align="left"> </td> +<td align="right">Page</td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">THE INAUGURATION OF GENGHIS KHAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Frontispiece"><i>Frontispiece.</i></a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">ENCAMPMENT OF A PATRIARCH</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_19">20</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">SHOOTING AT PURSUERS</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_35">35</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">MAP—EMPIRE OF GENGHIS KHAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_43">44</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">PURTA IN THE TENT OF VANG KHAN</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_61">62</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">DRINKING THE BITTER WATER</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">PRESENTATION OF THE SHONGAR</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_173">173</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">THE MERCHANTS OFFERING THEIR GOODS</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_221">222</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">THE GOVERNOR ON THE TERRACE</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_261">261</a></td></tr> + +<tr> +<td align="left">THE BATTLE OF THE BOATS</td> +<td align="right"><a href="#Page_277">277</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="GENGHIS_KHAN" id="GENGHIS_KHAN"></a>GENGHIS KHAN.</h2> + +<h2><a name="Chapter_I" id="Chapter_I"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter I.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Pastoral Life in Asia.</span></h2> + +<div class="sidenote">Four different modes of life enumerated.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">here</span> are four several methods by which the various communities into +which the human race is divided obtain their subsistence from the +productions of the earth, each of which leads to its own peculiar +system of social organization, distinct in its leading characteristics +from those of all the rest. Each tends to its own peculiar form of +government, gives rise to its own manners and customs, and forms, in a +word, a distinctive and characteristic type of life.</p> + +<p>These methods are the following:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1. By hunting wild animals in a state of nature.</p> + +<p>2. By rearing tame animals in pasturages.</p> + +<p>3. By gathering fruits and vegetables which grow +spontaneously in a state of nature.</p> + +<p>4. By rearing fruits and grains and other vegetables by +artificial tillage in cultivated ground.</p></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p><p>By the two former methods man subsists on animal food. By the two +latter on vegetable food.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Northern and southern climes.<br />Animal food in arctic regions.</div> + +<p>As we go north, from the temperate regions toward the poles, man is +found to subsist more and more on animal food. This seems to be the +intention of Providence. In the arctic regions scarcely any vegetables +grow that are fit for human food, but animals whose flesh is +nutritious and adapted to the use of man are abundant.</p> + +<p>As we go south, from temperate regions toward the equator, man is +found to subsist more and more on vegetable food. This, too, seems to +be the intention of nature. Within the tropics scarcely any animals +live that are fit for human food; while fruits, roots, and other +vegetable productions which are nutritious and adapted to the use of +man are abundant.</p> + +<p>In accordance with this difference in the productions of the different +regions of the earth, there seems to be a difference in the +constitutions of the races of men formed to inhabit them. The tribes +that inhabit Greenland and Kamtschatka can not preserve their +accustomed health and vigor on any other than animal food. If put upon +a diet of vegetables they soon begin to pine away. The reverse is true +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>of the vegetable-eaters of the tropics. They preserve their health +and strength well on a diet of rice, or bread-fruit, or bananas, and +would undoubtedly be made sick by being fed on the flesh of walruses, +seals, and white bears.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Tropical regions.<br />Appetite changes with climate.</div> + +<p>In the temperate regions the productions of the above-mentioned +extremes are mingled. Here many animals whose flesh is fit for human +food live and thrive, and here grows, too, a vast variety of +nutritious fruits, and roots, and seeds. The physical constitution of +the various races of men that inhabit these regions is modified +accordingly. In the temperate climes men can live on vegetable food, +or on animal food, or on both. The constitution differs, too, in +different individuals, and it changes at different periods of the +year. Some persons require more of animal, and others more of +vegetable food, to preserve their bodily and mental powers in the best +condition, and each one observes a change in himself in passing from +winter to summer. In the summer the desire for a diet of fruits and +vegetables seems to come northward with the sun, and in the winter the +appetite for flesh comes southward from the arctic regions with the +cold.</p> + +<p>When we consider the different conditions in which the different +regions of the earth are <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>placed in respect to their capacity of +production for animal and vegetable food, we shall see that this +adjustment of the constitution of man, both to the differences of +climate and to the changes of the seasons, is a very wise and +beneficent arrangement of Divine Providence. To confine man absolutely +either to animal or vegetable food would be to depopulate a large part +of the earth.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">First steps toward civilization.</div> + +<p>It results from these general facts in respect to the distribution of +the supplies of animal and vegetable food for man in different +latitudes that, in all northern climes in our hemisphere, men living +in a savage state must be hunters, while those that live near the +equator must depend for their subsistence on fruits and roots growing +wild. When, moreover, any tribe or race of men in either of these +localities take the first steps toward civilization, they begin, in +the one case, by taming animals, and rearing them in flocks and herds; +and, in the other case, by saving the seeds of food-producing plants, +and cultivating them by artificial tillage in inclosed and private +fields. This last is the condition of all the half-civilized tribes of +the tropical regions of the earth, whereas the former prevails in all +the northern temperate and arctic regions, as far to the northward as +domesticated animals can live.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Interior of Asia.<br />Pastoral habits of the people.</div> + +<p>From time immemorial, the whole interior of the continent of Asia has +been inhabited by tribes and nations that have taken this one step in +the advance toward civilization, but have gone no farther. They live, +not, like the Indians in North America, by hunting wild beasts, but by +rearing and pasturing flocks and herds of animals that they have +tamed. These animals feed, of course, on grass and herbage; and, as +grass and herbage can only grow on open ground, the forests have +gradually disappeared, and the country has for ages consisted of great +grassy plains, or of smooth hill-sides covered with verdure. Over +these plains, or along the river valleys, wander the different tribes +of which these pastoral nations are composed, living in tents, or in +frail huts almost equally movable, and driving their flocks and herds +before them from one pasture-ground to another, according as the +condition of the grass, or that of the springs and streams of water, +may require.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Picture of pastoral life.</div> + +<p>We obtain a pretty distinct idea of the nature of this pastoral life, +and of the manners and customs, and the domestic constitution to which +it gives rise, in the accounts given us in the Old Testament of +Abraham and Lot, and of their wanderings with their flocks and herds +over the country lying between the Euphrates and the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>Mediterranean +Sea. They lived in tents, in order that they might remove their +habitations the more easily from place to place in following their +flocks and herds to different pasture-grounds. Their wealth consisted +almost wholly in these flocks and herds, the land being almost every +where common. Sometimes, when two parties traveling together came to a +fertile and well-watered district, their herdsmen and followers were +disposed to contend for the privilege of feeding their flocks upon it, +and the contention would often lead to a quarrel and combat, if it had +not been settled by an amicable agreement on the part of the +chieftains.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19-20]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i013.jpg" class="medgap" width="500" height="289" alt="ENCAMPMENT OF A PATRIARCH." title="" /> +<span class="caption">ENCAMPMENT OF A PATRIARCH.</span> +</div> + +<div class="sidenote2">Large families accumulated.</div> + +<p>The father of a family was the legislator and ruler of it, and his +sons, with their wives, and his son's sons, remained with him, +sometimes for many years, sharing his means of subsistence, submitting +to his authority, and going with him from place to place, with all his +flocks and herds. They employed, too, so many herdsmen, and other +servants and followers, as to form, in many cases, quite an extended +community, and sometimes, in case of hostilities with any other +wandering tribe, a single patriarch could send forth from his own +domestic circle a force of several hundred armed men. Such a company +as this, when moving across <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>the country on its way from one region of pasturage to another, +appeared like an immense caravan on its march, and when settled at an +encampment the tents formed quite a little town.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Rise of patriarchal governments.</div> + +<p>Whenever the head of one of these wandering families died, the +tendency was not for the members of the community to separate, but to +keep together, and allow the oldest son to take the father's place as +chieftain and ruler. This was necessary for defense, as, of course, +such communities as these were in perpetual danger of coming into +collision with other communities roaming about like themselves over +the same regions. It would necessarily result, too, from the +circumstances of the case, that a strong and well-managed party, with +an able and sagacious chieftain at the head of it, would attract other +and weaker parties to join it; or, on the arising of some pretext for +a quarrel, would make war upon it and conquer it. Thus, in process of +time, small nations, as it were, would be formed, which would continue +united and strong as long as the able leadership continued; and then +they would separate into their original elements, which elements would +be formed again into other combinations.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Origin of the towns.</div> + +<p>Such, substantially, was pastoral life in the beginning. In process of +time, of course, the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>tribes banded together became larger and larger. +Some few towns and cities were built as places for the manufacture of +implements and arms, or as resting-places for the caravans of +merchants in conveying from place to place such articles as were +bought and sold. But these places were comparatively few and +unimportant. A pastoral and roaming life continued to be the destiny +of the great mass of the people. And this state of things, which was +commenced on the banks of the Euphrates before the time of Abraham, +spread through the whole breadth of Asia, from the Mediterranean Sea +to the Pacific Ocean, and has continued with very little change from +those early periods to the present time.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great chieftains.<br />Genghis Khan.</div> + +<p>Of the various chieftains that have from time to time risen to command +among these shepherd nations but little is known, for very few and +very scanty records have been kept of the history of any of them. Some +of them have been famous as conquerors, and have acquired very +extended dominions. The most celebrated of all is perhaps Genghis +Khan, the hero of this history. He came upon the stage more than three +thousand years after the time of the great prototype of his class, the +Patriarch Abraham.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_II" id="Chapter_II"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter II.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Monguls.</span></h2> + +<div class="sidenote">Monguls.<br />Origin of the name.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">hree</span> thousand years is a period of time long enough to produce great +changes, and in the course of that time a great many different nations +and congeries of nations were formed in the regions of Central Asia. +The term Tartars has been employed generically to denote almost the +whole race. The Monguls are a portion of this people, who are said to +derive their name from Mongol Khan, one of their earliest and most +powerful chieftains. The descendants of this khan called themselves by +his name, just as the descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob called +themselves Israelites, or children of Israel, from the name Israel, +which was one of the designations of the great patriarch from whose +twelve sons the twelve tribes of the Jews descended. The country +inhabited by the Monguls was called Mongolia.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A Mongul family.</div> + +<p>To obtain a clear conception of a single Mongul family, you must +imagine, first, a rather small, short, thick-set man, with long black +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>hair, a flat face, and a dark olive complexion. His wife, if her face +were not so flat and her nose so broad, would be quite a brilliant +little beauty, her eyes are so black and sparkling. The children have +much the appearance of young Indians as they run shouting among the +cattle on the hill-sides, or, if young, playing half-naked about the +door of the hut, their long black hair streaming in the wind.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Their occupations.</div> + +<p>Like all the rest of the inhabitants of Central Asia, these people +depended almost entirely for their subsistence on the products of +their flocks and herds. Of course, their great occupation consisted in +watching their animals while feeding by day, and in putting them in +places of security by night, in taking care of and rearing the young, +in making butter and cheese from the milk, and clothing from the +skins, in driving the cattle to and fro in search of pasturage, and, +finally, in making war on the people of other tribes to settle +disputes arising out of conflicting claims to territory, or to +replenish their stock of sheep and oxen by seizing and driving off the +flocks of their neighbors.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Animals of the Monguls.</div> + +<p>The animals which the Monguls most prized were camels, oxen and cows, +sheep, goats, and horses. They were very proud of their horses, and +they rode them with great courage and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>spirit. They always went +mounted in going to war. Their arms were bows and arrows, pikes or +spears, and a sort of sword or sabre, which was manufactured in some +of the towns toward the west, and supplied to them in the course of +trade by great traveling caravans.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Their towns and villages.</div> + +<p>Although the mass of the people lived in the open country with their +flocks and herds, there were, notwithstanding, a great many towns and +villages, though such centres of population were much fewer and less +important among them than they are in countries the inhabitants of +which live by tilling the ground. Some of these towns were the +residences of the khans and of the heads of tribes. Others were places +of manufacture or centres of commerce, and many of them were fortified +with embankments of earth or walls of stone.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Mode of building their tents.</div> + +<p>The habitations of the common people, even those built in the towns, +were rude huts made so as to be easily taken down and removed. The +tents were made by means of poles set in a circle in the ground, and +brought nearly together at the top, so as to form a frame similar to +that of an Indian wigwam. A hoop was placed near the top of these +poles, so as to preserve a round opening there for the smoke to go +out. The frame was then covered with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>sheets of a sort of thick gray +felt, so placed as to leave the opening within the hoop free. The +felt, too, was arranged below in such a manner that the corner of one +of the sheets could be raised and let down again to form a sort of +door. The edges of the sheets in other places were fastened together +very carefully, especially in winter, to keep out the cold air.</p> + +<p>Within the tent, on the ground in the centre, the family built their +fire, which was made of sticks, leaves, grass, and dried droppings of +all sorts, gathered from the ground, for the country produced scarcely +any wood. Countries roamed over by herds of animals that gain their +living by pasturing on the grass and herbage are almost always +destitute of trees. Trees in such a case have no opportunity to grow.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Bad fuel.<br />Comfortless homes.</div> + +<p>The tents of the Monguls thus made were, of course, very comfortless +homes. They could not be kept warm, there was so much cold air coming +continually in through the crevices, notwithstanding all the people's +contrivances to make them tight. The smoke, too, did not all escape +through the hoop-hole above. Much of it remained in the tent and +mingled with the atmosphere. This evil was aggravated by the kind of +fuel which they used, which was of such <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span>a nature that it made only a +sort of smouldering fire instead of burning, like good dry wood, with +a bright and clear flame.</p> + +<p>The discomforts of these huts and tents were increased by the custom +which prevailed among the people of allowing the animals to come into +them, especially those that were young and feeble, and to live there +with the family.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Movable houses built at last.<br />The painting.</div> + +<p>In process of time, as the people increased in riches and in +mechanical skill, some of the more wealthy chieftains began to build +houses so large and so handsome that they could not be conveniently +taken down to be removed, and then they contrived a way of mounting +them upon trucks placed at the four corners, and moving them bodily in +this way across the plains, as a table is moved across a floor upon +its castors. It was necessary, of course, that the houses should be +made very light in order to be managed in this way. They were, in +fact, still tents rather than houses, being made of the same +materials, only they were put together in a more substantial and +ornamental manner. The frame was made of very light poles, though +these poles were fitted together in permanent joinings. The covering +was, like that of the tents, made of felt, but the sheets were joined +together by close and strong seams, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>and the whole was coated with a +species of paint, which not only closed all the pores and interstices +and made the structure very tight, but also served to ornament it; for +they were accustomed, in painting these houses, to adorn the covering +with pictures of birds, beasts, and trees, represented in such a +manner as doubtless, in their eyes, produced a very beautiful effect.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Account of a large movable house.</div> + +<p>These movable houses were sometimes very large. A certain traveler who +visited the country not far from the time of Genghis Khan says that he +saw one of these structures in motion which was thirty feet in +diameter. It was drawn by twenty-two oxen. It was so large that it +extended five feet on each side beyond the wheels. The oxen, in +drawing it, were not attached, as with us, to the centre of the +forward axle-tree, but to the ends of the axle-trees, which projected +beyond the wheels on each side. There were eleven oxen on each side +drawing upon the axle-trees. There were, of course, many drivers. The +one who was chief in command stood in the door of the tent or house +which looked forward, and there, with many loud shouts and flourishing +gesticulations, issued his orders to the oxen and to the other men.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">The traveling chests.</div> + +<p>The household goods of this traveling chieftain were packed in chests +made for the purpose, the house itself, of course, in order to be made +as light as possible, having been emptied of all its contents. These +chests were large, and were made of wicker or basket-work, covered, +like the house, with felt. The covers were made of a rounded form, so +as to throw off the rain, and the felt was painted over with a certain +composition which made it impervious to the water. These chests were +not intended to be unpacked at the end of the journey, but to remain +as they were, as permanent storehouses of utensils, clothing, and +provisions. They were placed in rows, each on its own cart, near the +tent, where they could be resorted to conveniently from time to time +by the servants and attendants, as occasion might require. The tent +placed in the centre, with these great chests on their carts near it, +formed, as it were, a house with one great room standing by itself, +and all the little rooms and closets arranged in rows by the side of +it.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Necessity of such an arrangement.</div> + +<p>Some such arrangement as this is obviously necessary in case of a +great deal of furniture or baggage belonging to a man who lives in a +tent, and who desires to be at liberty to remove his whole +establishment from place to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>place at short notice; for a tent, from +the very principle of its construction, is incapable of being divided +into rooms, or of accommodating extensive stores of furniture or +goods. Of course, a special contrivance is required for the +accommodation of this species of property. This was especially the +case with the Monguls, among whom there were many rich and great men +who often accumulated a large amount of movable property. There was +one rich Mongul, it was said, who had two hundred such chest-carts, +which were arranged in two rows around and behind his tent, so that +his establishment, when he was encamped, looked like quite a little +village.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Houses in the towns.</div> + +<p>The style of building adopted among the Monguls for tents and movable +houses seemed to set the fashion for all their houses, even for those +that were built in the towns, and were meant to stand permanently +where they were first set up. These permanent houses were little +better than tents. They consisted each of one single room without any +subdivisions whatever. They were made round, too, like the tents, only +the top, instead of running up to a point, was rounded like a dome. +There were no floors above that formed on the ground, and no windows.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Roads over the plains.</div> + +<p>Such was the general character of the dwellings of the Monguls in the +days of Genghis Khan. They took their character evidently from the +wandering and pastoral life that the people led. One would have +thought that very excellent roads would have been necessary to have +enabled them to draw the ponderous carts containing their dwellings +and household goods. But this was less necessary than might have been +supposed on account of the nature of the country, which consisted +chiefly of immense grassy plains and smooth river valleys, over which, +in many places, wheels would travel tolerably well in any direction +without much making of roadway. Then, again, in all such countries, +the people who journey from place to place, and the herds of cattle +that move to and fro, naturally fall into the same lines of travel, +and thus, in time, wear great trails, as cows make paths in a pasture. +These, with a little artificial improvement at certain points, make +very good summer roads, and in the winter it is not necessary to use +them at all.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Tribes and families.</div> + +<p>The Monguls, like the ancient Jews, were divided into tribes, and +these were subdivided into families; a family meaning in this +connection not one household, but a large congeries of households, +including all those that were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>of known relationship to each other. +These groups of relatives had each its head, and the tribe to which +they pertained had also its general head. There were, it is said, +three sets of these tribes, forming three grand divisions of the +Mongul people, each of which was ruled by its own khan; and then, to +complete the system, there was the grand khan, who ruled over all.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Influence of diversity of pursuits.</div> + +<p>A constitution of society like this almost always prevails in pastoral +countries, and we shall see, on a little reflection, that it is +natural that it should do so. In a country like ours, where the +pursuits of men are so infinitely diversified, the descendants of +different families become mingled together in the most promiscuous +manner. The son of a farmer in one state goes off, as soon as he is of +age, to some other state, to find a place among merchants or +manufacturers, because he wishes to be a merchant or a manufacturer +himself, while his father supplies his place on the farm perhaps by +hiring a man who likes farming, and has come hundreds of miles in +search of work. Thus the descendants of one American grandfather and +grandmother will be found, after a lapse of a few years, scattered in +every direction all over the land, and, indeed, sometimes all over the +world.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p><p>It is the diversity of pursuits which prevails in such a country as +ours, taken in connection with the diversity of capacity and of taste +in different individuals, that produces this dispersion.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Tribes and clans.</div> + +<p>Among a people devoted wholly to pastoral pursuits, all this is +different. The young men, as they grow up, can have generally no +inducement to leave their homes. They continue to live with their +parents and relatives, sharing the care of the flocks and herds, and +making common cause with them in every thing that is of common +interest. It is thus that those great family groups are formed which +exist in all pastoral countries under the name of tribes or clans, and +form the constituent elements of the whole social and political +organization of the people.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Mode of making war.<br />Horsemen.<br />The bow and arrow.</div> + +<p>In case of general war, each tribe of the Monguls furnished, of +course, a certain quota of armed men, in proportion to its numbers and +strength. These men always went to war, as has already been said, on +horseback, and the spectacle which these troops presented in galloping +in squadrons over the plains was sometimes very imposing. The shock of +the onset when they charged in this way upon the enemy was tremendous. +They were armed with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>bows and arrows, and also with sabres. As they +approached the enemy, they discharged first a shower of arrows upon +him, while they were in the act of advancing at the top of their +speed. Then, dropping their bows by their side, they would draw their +sabres, and be ready, as soon as the horses fell upon the enemy, to +cut down all opposed to them with the most furious and deadly blows.</p> + +<p>If they were repulsed, and compelled by a superior force to retreat, +they would gallop at full speed over the plains, turning at the same +time in their saddles, and shooting at their pursuers with their +arrows as coolly, and with as correct an aim, almost, as if they were +still. While thus retreating the trooper would guide and control his +horse by his voice, and by the pressure of his heels upon his sides, +so as to have both his arms free for fighting his pursuers.</p> + +<p>These arrows were very formidable weapons, it is said. One of the +travelers who visited the country in those days says that they could +be shot with so much force as to pierce the body of a man entirely +through.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 338px;"> +<img src="images/i028.jpg" class="medgap" width="338" height="350" alt="SHOOTING AT PURSUERS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">SHOOTING AT PURSUERS.</span> +</div> + +<div class="sidenote2">The flying horseman.<br />Nature of the bow and arrow.</div> + +<p>It must be remembered, however, in respect to all such statements +relating to the efficiency of the bow and arrow, that the force with +which an arrow can be thrown depends not upon any independent action of the +bow, but altogether upon the strength of the man who draws it. The +bow, in straightening itself for the propulsion of the arrow, expends +only the force which the man has imparted to it by bending it; so that +the real power by which the arrow is propelled is, after all, the +muscular strength of the archer. It is true, a great deal depends on +the qualities of the bow, and also on the skill of the man in using +it, to make all this muscular <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span>strength effective. With a poor bow, or +with unskillful management, a great deal of it would be wasted. But +with the best possible bow, and with the most consummate skill of the +archer, it is the strength of the archer's arm which throws the arrow, +after all.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Superiority of fire-arms.</div> + +<p>It is very different in this respect with a bullet thrown by the force +of gunpowder from the barrel of a gun. The force in this case is the +explosive force of the powder, and the bullet is thrown to the same +distance whether it is a very weak man or a very strong man that pulls +the trigger.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Sources of information.<br />Gog and Magog.</div> + +<p>But to return to the Monguls. All the information which we can obtain +in respect to the condition of the people before the time of Genghis +Khan comes to us from the reports of travelers who, either as +merchants, or as embassadors from caliphs or kings, made long journeys +into these distant regions, and have left records, more or less +complete, of their adventures, and accounts of what they saw, in +writings which have been preserved by the learned men of the East. It +is very doubtful how far these accounts are to be believed. One of +these travelers, a learned man named Salam, who made a journey far +into the interior of Asia by order of the Calif Mohammed Amin +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>Billah, some time before the reign of Genghis Khan, says that, among +other objects of research and investigation which occupied his mind, +he was directed to ascertain the truth in respect to the two famous +nations Gog and Magog, or, as they are designated in his account, +Yagog and Magog. The story that had been told of these two nations by +the Arabian writers, and which was extensively believed, was, that the +people of Yagog were of the ordinary size of men, but those of Magog +were only about two feet high. These people had made war upon the +neighboring nations, and had destroyed many cities and towns, but had +at last been overpowered and shut up in prison.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Salam.<br />Adventures of Salam and his party.</div> + +<p>Salam, the traveler whom the calif sent to ascertain whether their +accounts were true, traveled at the head of a caravan containing fifty +men, and with camels bearing stores and provisions for a year. He was +gone a long time. When he came back he gave an account of his travels; +and in respect to Gog and Magog, he said that he had found that the +accounts which had been heard respecting them were true. He traveled +on, he said, from the country of one chieftain to another till he +reached the Caspian Sea, and then went on beyond that sea for thirty +or forty days more. In one place the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span>party came to a tract of low +black land, which exhaled an odor so offensive that they were obliged +to use perfumes all the way to overpower the noxious smells. They were +ten days in crossing this fetid territory. After this they went on a +month longer through a desert country, and at length came to a fertile +land which was covered with the ruins of cities that the people of Gog +and Magog had destroyed.</p> + +<p>In six days more they reached the country of the nation by which the +people of Gog and Magog had been conquered and shut up in prison. Here +they found a great many strong castles. There was a large city here +too, containing temples and academies of learning, and also the +residence of the king.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The wonderful mountain.<br />Great bolts and bars.</div> + +<p>The travelers took up their abode in this city for a time, and while +they were there they made an excursion of two days' journey into the +country to see the place where the people of Gog and Magog were +confined. When they arrived at the place they found a lofty mountain. +There was a great opening made in the face of this mountain two or +three hundred feet wide. The opening was protected on each side by +enormous buttresses, between which was placed an immense double gate, +the buttresses and the gate being all of iron. The buttresses <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span>were +surmounted with an iron bulwark, and with lofty towers also of iron, +which were carried up as high as to the top of the mountain itself. +The gates were of the width of the opening cut in the mountain, and +were seventy-five feet high; and the valves, lintels, and threshold, +and also the bolts, the lock, and the key, were all of proportional +size.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The prisoners.</div> + +<p>Salam, on arriving at the place, saw all these wonderful structures +with his own eyes, and he was told by the people there that it was the +custom of the governor of the castles already mentioned to take horse +every Friday with ten others, and, coming to the gate, to strike the +great bolt three times with a ponderous hammer weighing five pounds, +when there would be heard a murmuring noise within, which were the +groans of the Yagog and Magog people confined in the mountain. Indeed, +Salam was told that the poor captives often appeared on the +battlements above. Thus the real existence of this people was, in his +opinion, fully proved; and even the story in respect to the diminutive +size of the Magogs was substantiated, for Salam was told that once, in +a high wind, three of them were blown off from the battlements to the +ground, and that, on being measured, they were found but three spans +high.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Travelers' tales.<br />Progress of intelligence.</div> + +<p>This is a specimen of the tales brought home from remote countries by +the most learned and accomplished travelers of those times. In +comparing these absurd and ridiculous tales with the reports which are +brought back from distant regions in our days by such travelers as +Humboldt, Livingstone, and Kane, we shall perceive what an immense +progress in intelligence and information the human mind has made since +those days.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_III" id="Chapter_III"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter III.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Yezonkai Khan.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1163-1175</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Yezonkai Behadr.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">he</span> name of the father of Genghis Khan is a word which can not be +pronounced exactly in English. It sounded something like this, +<i>Yezonkai Behadr</i>, with the accent on the last syllable, Behadr, and +the <i>a</i> sounded like <i>a</i> in <i>hark</i>. This is as near as we can come to +it; but the name, as it was really pronounced by the Mongul people, +can not be written in English letters nor spoken with English sounds.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Orthography of Mongul names.</div> + +<p>Indeed, in all languages so entirely distinct from each other as the +Mongul language was from ours, the sounds are different, and the +letters by which the sounds are represented are different too. Some of +the sounds are so utterly unlike any sounds that we have in English +that it is as impossible to write them in English characters as it is +for us to write in English letters the sound that a man makes when he +chirps to his horse or his dog, or when he whistles. Sometimes writers +attempt to represent the latter sound by the word <i>whew</i>; and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>when, +in reading a dialogue, we come to the word whew, inserted to express a +part of what one of the speakers uttered, we understand by it that he +whistled; but how different, after all, is the sound of the spoken +word <i>whew</i> from the whistling sound that it is intended to represent!</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great diversities.</div> + +<p>Now, in all the languages of Asia, there are many sounds as impossible +to be rendered by the European letters as this, and in making the +attempt every different writer falls into a different mode. Thus the +first name of Genghis Khan's father is spelled by different travelers +and historians, Yezonkai, Yesukay, Yessuki, Yesughi, Bissukay, +Bisukay, Pisukay, and in several other ways. The real sound was +undoubtedly as different from any of these as they were all different +from each other. In this narrative I shall adopt the first of these +methods, and call him Yezonkai Behadr.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43-4]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i036.jpg" class="medgap jpg" width="500" height="288" alt="Map of the Empire of Genghis Khan." title="" /> +</div> + +<div class="sidenote2">Yezonkai's power.<br />A successful warrior.</div> + +<p>Yezonkai was a great khan, and he descended in a direct line through +ten generations, so it was said, from a deity. Great sovereigns in +those countries and times were very fond of tracing back their descent +to some divine origin, by way of establishing more fully in the minds +of the people their divine right to the throne. Yezonkai's residence +was at a great <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>palace in the country, called by a name, the sound of which, as nearly +as it can be represented in English letters, was <i>Diloneldak</i>. From +this, his capital, he used to make warlike excursions at the head of +hordes of Monguls into the surrounding countries, in the prosecution +of quarrels which he made with them under various pretexts; and as he +was a skillful commander, and had great influence in inducing all the +inferior khans to bring large troops of men from their various tribes +to add to his army, he was usually victorious, and in this way he +extended his empire very considerably while he lived, and thus made a +very good preparation for the subsequent exploits of his son.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Katay.</div> + +<p>The northern part of China was at that time entirely separated from +the southern part, and was under a different government. It +constituted an entirely distinct country, and was called Katay.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> +This country was under the dominion of a chieftain called the Khan of +Katay. This khan was very jealous of the increasing power of Yezonkai, +and took part against him in all his wars with the tribes around him, +and assisted them in their attempts to resist him; but he did not +succeed. Yezonkai was too <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>powerful for them, and went on extending +his conquests far and wide.</p> + +<p>At last, under the pretense of some affront which he had received from +them, Yezonkai made war upon a powerful tribe of Tartars that lived in +his neighborhood. He invaded their territories at the head of an +immense horde of Mongul troops, and began seizing and driving off +their cattle.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The Khan of Temujin.<br />Mongol custom.<br />Birth of Genghis Khan.</div> + +<p>The name of the khan who ruled over these people was Temujin. Temujin +assembled his forces as soon as he could, and went to meet the +invaders. A great battle was fought, and Yezonkai was victorious. +Temujin was defeated and put to flight. Yezonkai encamped after the +battle on the banks of the River Amoor, near a mountain. He had all +his family with him, for it was often the custom, in these +enterprises, for the chieftain to take with him not only all his +household, but a large portion of his household goods. Yezonkai had +several wives, and almost immediately after the battle, one of them, +named Olan Ayka, gave birth to a son. Yezonkai, fresh from the battle, +determined to commemorate his victory by giving his new-born son the +name of his vanquished enemy. So he named him Temujin.<a name="FNanchor_B_2" id="FNanchor_B_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_B_2" class="fnanchor">[B]</a> His <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>birth +took place, as nearly as can now be ascertained, in the year of our +Lord 1163.</p> + +<p>Such were the circumstances of our hero's birth, for it was this +Temujin who afterward became renowned throughout all Asia under the +name of Genghis Khan. Through all the early part of his life, however, +he was always known by the name which his father gave him in the tent +by the river side where he was born.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Predictions of the astrologer.</div> + +<p>Among the other grand personages in Yezonkai's train at this time, +there was a certain old astrologer named Sugujin. He was a relative of +Yezonkai, and also his principal minister of state. This man, by his +skill in astrology, which he applied to the peculiar circumstances of +the child, foretold for him at once a wonderful career. He would grow +up, the astrologer said, to be a great warrior. He would conquer all +his enemies, and extend his conquests so far that he would, in the +end, become the Khan of all Tartary. Young Temujin's parents were, of +course, greatly pleased with these predictions, and when, not long +after this time, the astrologer died, they appointed his son, whose +name was Karasher, to be the guardian and instructor of the boy. They +trusted, it seems, to the son to give the young prince <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>such a +training in early life as should prepare him to realize the grand +destiny which the father had foretold for him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Explanation of the predictions.</div> + +<p>There would be something remarkable in the fact that these predictions +were uttered at the birth of Genghis Khan, since they were afterward +so completely fulfilled, were it not that similar prognostications of +greatness and glory were almost always offered to the fathers and +mothers of young princes in those days by the astrologers and +soothsayers of their courts. Such promises were, of course, very +flattering to these parents at the time, and brought those who made +them into great favor. Then, in the end, if the result verified them, +they were remembered and recorded as something wonderful; if not, they +were forgotten.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Karasher.<br />Education of Temujin.</div> + +<p>Karasher, the astrologer's son, who had been appointed young Temujin's +tutor, took his pupil under his charge, and began to form plans for +educating him. Karasher was a man of great talents and of considerable +attainments in learning, so far as there could be any thing like +learning in such a country and among such a people. He taught him the +names of the various tribes that lived in the countries around, and +the names of the principal chieftains that ruled over them. He also +gave him such information <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>as he possessed in respect to the countries +themselves, describing the situation of the mountains, the lakes, and +the rivers, and the great deserts which here and there intervened +between the fertile regions. He taught him, moreover, to ride, and +trained him in all such athletic exercises as were practiced by the +youth of those times. He instructed him also in the use of arms, +teaching him how to shoot with a bow and arrow, and how to hold and +handle his sabre, both when on horseback and when on foot. He +particularly instructed him in the art of shooting his arrow in any +direction when riding at a gallop upon his horse, behind as well as +before, and to the right side as well as to the left. To do this +coolly, skillfully, and with a true aim, required great practice as +well as much courage and presence of mind.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His precocity.</div> + +<p>Young Temujin entered into all these things with great spirit. Indeed, +he very soon ceased to feel any interest in any thing else, so that by +the time that he was nine years of age it was said that he thought of +nothing but exercising himself in the use of arms.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His early marriage.</div> + +<p>Nine years of age, however, with him was more than it would be with a +young man among us, for the Asiatics arrive at maturity much earlier +than the nations of Western Europe <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>and America. Indeed, by the time +that Temujin was thirteen years old, his father considered him a +man—at least he considered him old enough to be married. He was +married, in fact, and had two children before he was fifteen, if the +accounts which the historians have given us respecting him are true.</p> + +<p>Just before Temujin was thirteen, his father, in one of his campaigns +in Katay, was defeated in a battle, and, although a great many of his +followers escaped, he himself was surrounded and overpowered by the +horsemen of the enemy, and was made prisoner. He was put under the +care of a guard; for, of course, among people living almost altogether +on horseback and in tents, there could be very few prisons. Yezonkai +followed the camp of his conqueror for some time under the custody of +his guard; but at length he succeeded in bribing his keeper to let him +escape, and so contrived, after encountering many difficulties and +suffering many hardships, to make his way back to his own country.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Plans of Temujin's father.<br />Karizu.<br />Tayian.</div> + +<p>He was determined now to make a new incursion into Katay, and that +with a larger force than he had had before. So he made an alliance +with the chieftain of a neighboring tribe, called the Naymans; and, in +order to seal and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>establish this alliance, he contracted that his son +should marry the daughter of his ally. This was the time when Temujin +was but thirteen years old. The name of this his first wife was +Karizu—at least that was one of her names. Her father's name was +Tayian.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Death of Yezonkai.</div> + +<p>Before Yezonkai had time to mature his plans for his new invasion of +Katay, he fell sick and died. He left five sons and a daughter, it is +said; but Temujin seems to have been the oldest of them all, for by +his will his father left his kingdom, if the command of the group of +tribes which were under his sway can be called a kingdom, to him, +notwithstanding that he was yet only thirteen years old.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_IV" id="Chapter_IV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter IV.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The First Battle.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1175</p> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">I</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">n</span> the language of the Monguls and of their neighbors the Tartars, a +collection of tribes banded together under one chieftain was +designated by a name which sounded like the word <i>orda</i>. This is the +origin, it is said, of the English word <i>horde</i>.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's accession.<br />Discontent.</div> + +<p>The orda over which Yezonkai had ruled, and the command of which, at +his death, he left to his son, consisted of a great number of separate +tribes, each of which had its own particular chieftain. All these +subordinate chieftains were content to be under Yezonkai's rule and +leadership while he lived. He was competent, they thought, to direct +their movements and to lead them into battle against their enemies. +But when he died, leaving only a young man thirteen years of age to +succeed him, several of them were disposed to rebel. There were two of +them, in particular, who thought that they were themselves better +qualified to reign over the nation than such a boy; so they formed <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>an +alliance with each other, and with such other tribes as were disposed +to join them, and advanced to make war upon Temujin at the head of a +great number of squadrons of troops, amounting in all to thirty +thousand men.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Taychot and Chamuka.</div> + +<p>The names of the two leaders of this rebellion were Taychot and +Chamuka.</p> + +<p>Young Temujin depended chiefly on his mother for guidance and +direction in this emergency. He was himself very brave and spirited; +but bravery and spirit, though they are of such vital importance in a +commander on the field of battle, when the contest actually comes on, +are by no means the principal qualities that are required in making +the preliminary arrangements.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Arrangements for the battle.</div> + +<p>Accordingly, Temujin left the forming of the plans to his mother, +while he thought only of his horses, of his arms and equipments, and +of the fury with which he would gallop in among the enemy when the +time should arrive for the battle to begin. His mother, in connection +with the chief officers of the army and counselors of state who were +around her, and on whom her husband Yezonkai, during his lifetime, had +been most accustomed to rely, arranged all the plans. They sent off +messengers to the heads of all the tribes that they supposed would be +friendly <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>to Temujin, and appointed places of rendezvous for the +troops that they were to send. They made arrangements for the stores +of provisions which would be required, settled questions of precedence +among the different clans, regulated the order of march, and attended +to all other necessary details.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's ardor.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, Temujin thought only of the approaching battle. He +was engaged continually in riding up and down upon spirited horses, +and shooting in all directions, backward and forward, and both to the +right side and to the left, with his bow and arrow. Nor was all this +exhibition of ardor on his part a mere useless display. It had great +influence in awakening a corresponding ardor among the chieftains of +the troops, and among the troops themselves. They felt proud of the +spirit and energy which their young prince displayed, and were more +and more resolved to exert themselves to the utmost in defending his +cause.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Porgie.</div> + +<p>There was another young prince, of the name of Porgie, of about +Temujin's age, who was also full of ardor for the fight. He was the +chieftain of one of the tribes that remained faithful to Temujin, and +he was equally earnest with Temujin for the battle to begin.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Exaggerated statements.</div> + +<p>At length the troops were ready, and, with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>Temujin and his mother at +the head of them, they went forth to attack the rebels. The rebels +were ready to receive them. They were thirty thousand strong, +according to the statements of the historians. This number is probably +exaggerated, as all numbers were in those days, when there was no +regular enrollment of troops and no strict system of enumeration.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The battle.</div> + +<p>At any rate, there was a very great battle. Immense troops of horsemen +coming at full speed in opposite directions shot showers of arrows at +each other when they arrived at the proper distance for the arrows to +take effect, and then, throwing down their bows and drawing their +sabres, rushed madly on, until they came together with an awful shock, +the dreadful confusion and terror of which no person can describe. The +air was filled with the most terrific outcries, in which yells of +fury, shrieks of agony, and shouts of triumph were equally mingled. +Some of the troops maintained their position through the shock, and +rode on, bearing down all before them. Others were overthrown and +trampled in the dust; while all, both those who were up and those who +were down, were cutting in every direction with their sabres, killing +men and inciting the horses to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span>redoubled fury by the wounds which +they gave them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Bravery of Temujin and Porgie.</div> + +<p>In the midst of such scenes as these Temujin and Porgie fought +furiously with the rest. Temujin distinguished himself greatly. It is +probable that those who were immediately around him felt that he was +under their charge, and that they must do all in their power to +protect him from danger. This they could do much more easily and +effectually under the mode of fighting which prevailed in those days +than would be possible now, when gunpowder is the principal agent of +destruction. Temujin's attendants and followers could gather around +him and defend him from assailants. They could prevent him from +charging any squadron which was likely to be strong enough to +overpower him, and they could keep his enemies so much at bay that +they could not reach him with their sabres. But upon a modern field of +battle there is much less opportunity to protect a young prince or +general's son, or other personage whose life may be considered as +peculiarly valuable. No precautions of his attendants can prevent a +bomb's bursting at his feet, or shield him from the rifle balls that +come whistling from such great distances through the air.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Influence of Temujin's example.<br /> +Taychot slain.<br />The victory.</div> + +<p>At any rate, whether protected by his attendants or only by the +fortune of war, Temujin passed through the battle without being hurt, +and the courage and energy which he displayed were greatly commended +by all who witnessed them. His mother was in the battle too, though, +perhaps, not personally involved in the actual conflicts of it. She +directed the manœuvres, however, and by her presence and her +activity greatly encouraged and animated the men. In consequence of +the spirit and energy infused into the troops by her presence, and by +the extraordinary ardor and bravery of Temujin, the battle was gained. +The army of the enemy was put to flight. One of the leaders, Taychot, +was slain. The other made his escape, and Temujin and his mother were +left in possession of the field.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Rewards and honors.</div> + +<p>Of course, after having fought with so much energy and effect on such +a field, Temujin was now no longer considered as a boy, but took his +place at once as a man among men, and was immediately recognized by +all the army as their prince and sovereign, and as fully entitled, by +his capacity if not by his years, to rule in his own name. He assumed +and exercised his powers with as much calmness and self-possession as +if he had been accustomed to them for <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>many years. He made addresses +to his officers and soldiers, and distributed honors and rewards to +them with a combined majesty and grace which, in their opinion, +denoted much grandeur of soul. The rewards and honors were +characteristic of the customs of the country and the times. They +consisted of horses, arms, splendid articles of dress, and personal +ornaments. Of course, among a people who lived, as it were, always on +horseback, such objects as these were the ones most highly prized.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's rising fame.</div> + +<p>The consequence of this victory was, that nearly the whole country +occupied by the rebels submitted without any farther resistance to +Temujin's sway. Other tribes, who lived on the borders of his +dominions, sent in to propose treaties of alliance. The khan of one of +these tribes demanded of Temujin the hand of his sister in marriage to +seal and confirm the alliance which he proposed to make. In a word, +the fame of Temujin's prowess spread rapidly after the battle over all +the surrounding countries, and high anticipations began to be formed +of the greatness and glory of his reign.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His second wife.</div> + +<p>In the course of the next year Temujin was married to his second wife, +although he was at <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>this time only fourteen years old. The name of his +bride was Purta Kugin. By this wife, who was probably of about his own +age, he had a daughter, who was born before the close of the year +after the marriage.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Purta carried away captive.<br />Customary present.</div> + +<p>In his journeys about the country Temujin sometimes took his wives +with him, and sometimes he left them temporarily in some place of +supposed security. Toward the end of the second year Purta was again +about to become a mother, and Temujin, who at that time had occasion +to go off on some military expedition, fearing that the fatigue and +exposure would be more than she could well bear, left her at home. +While he was gone a troop of horsemen, from a tribe of his enemies, +came suddenly into the district on a marauding expedition. They +overpowered the troops Temujin had left to guard the place, and seized +and carried off every thing that they could find that was valuable. +They made prisoner of Purta, too, and carried her away a captive. The +plunder they divided among themselves, but Purta they sent as a +present to a certain khan who reigned over a neighboring country, and +whose favor they wished to secure. The name of this chieftain was Vang +Khan. As this Vang Khan figures somewhat conspicuously in the +subsequent history <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>of Temujin, a full account of him will be given in +the next chapter. All that is necessary to say here is, that the +intention of the captors of Purta, in sending her to him as a present, +was that he should make her his wife. It was the custom of these khans +to have as many wives as they could obtain, so that when prisoners of +high rank were taken in war, if there were any young and beautiful +women among them, they were considered as charming presents to send to +any great prince or potentate near, whom the captors were desirous of +pleasing. It made no difference, in such cases, whether the person who +was to receive the present were young or old. Sometimes the older he +was the more highly he would prize such a gift.</p> + +<p>Vang Khan, it happened, was old. He was old enough to be Temujin's +father. Indeed, he had been in the habit of calling Temujin his son. +He had been in alliance with Yezonkai, Temujin's father, some years +before, when Temujin was quite a boy, and it was at that time that he +began to call him his son.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61-2]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i053.jpg" class="medgap" width="500" height="293" alt="PURTA IN THE TENT OF VANG KHAN." title="" /> +<span class="caption">PURTA IN THE TENT OF VANG KHAN.</span> +</div> + +<div class="sidenote">Purta and Vang Khan.</div> + +<p>Accordingly, when Purta was brought to him by the messengers who had +been sent in charge of her, and presented to him in his tent, he said,</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p><p>"She is very beautiful, but I can not take her for my wife, for she is +the wife of my son. I can not marry the wife of my son."</p> + +<p>Vang Khan, however, received Purta under his charge, gave her a place +in his household, and took good care of her.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Purta's return.<br />Birth of her child.</div> + +<p>When Temujin returned home from his expedition, and learned what had +happened during his absence, he was greatly distressed at the loss of +his wife. Not long afterward he ascertained where she was, and he +immediately sent a deputation to Vang Khan asking him to send her +home. With this request Vang Khan immediately complied, and Purta set +out on her return. She was stopped on the way, however, by the birth +of her child. It was a son. As soon as the child was born it was +determined to continue the journey, for there was danger, if they +delayed, that some new troop of enemies might come up, in which case +Purta would perhaps be made captive again. So Purta, it is said, +wrapped up the tender limbs of the infant in some sort of paste or +dough, to save them from the effects of the jolting produced by the +rough sort of cart in which she was compelled to ride, and in that +condition she held the babe in her lap all the way home.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jughi.</div> + +<p>She arrived at her husband's residence in <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>safety. Temujin was +overjoyed at seeing her again; and he was particularly pleased with +his little son, who came out of his packing safe and sound. In +commemoration of his safe arrival after so strange and dangerous a +journey, his father named him Safe-arrived; that is, he gave him for a +name the word in their language that means that. The word itself was +Jughi.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's wonderful dream.</div> + +<p>The commencement of Temujin's career was thus, on the whole, quite +prosperous, and every thing seemed to promise well. He was himself +full of ambition and of hope, and began to feel dissatisfied with the +empire which his father had left him, and to form plans for extending +it. He dreamed one night that his arms grew out to an enormous length, +and that he took a sword in each of them, and stretched them out to +see how far they would reach, pointing one to the eastward and the +other to the westward. In the morning he related his dream to his +mother. She interpreted it to him. She told him it meant undoubtedly +that he was destined to become a great conqueror, and that the +directions in which his kingdom would be extended were toward the +eastward and toward the westward.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Disaffection among his subjects.<br />A rebellion.</div> + +<p>Temujin continued for about two years after this in prosperity, and +then his good fortune <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span>began to wane. There came a reaction. Some of +the tribes under his dominion began to grow discontented. The +subordinate khans began to form plots and conspiracies. Even his own +tribe turned against him. Rebellions broke out in various parts of his +dominions; and he was obliged to make many hurried expeditions here +and there, and to fight many desperate battles to suppress them. In +one of these contests he was taken prisoner. He, however, contrived to +make his escape. He then made proposals to the disaffected khans, +which he hoped would satisfy them, and bring them once more to submit +to him, since what he thus offered to do in these proposals was pretty +much all that they had professed to require. But the proposals did not +satisfy them. What they really intended to do was to depose Temujin +altogether, and then either divide his dominions among themselves, or +select some one of their number to reign in his stead.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin discouraged.</div> + +<p>At last, Temujin, finding that he could not pacify his enemies, and +that they were, moreover, growing stronger every day, while those that +adhered to him were growing fewer in numbers and diminishing in +strength, became discouraged. He began to think that perhaps he really +was too young to rule over a kingdom <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>composed of wandering hordes of +men so warlike and wild, and he concluded for a time to give up the +attempt, and wait until times should change, or, at least, until he +should be grown somewhat older. Accordingly, in conjunction with his +mother, he formed a plan for retiring temporarily from the field; +unless, indeed, as we might reasonably suspect, his mother formed the +plan herself, and by her influence over him induced him to adopt it.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin plans a temporary abdication.</div> + +<p>The plan was this: that Temujin should send an embassador to the court +of Vang Khan to ask Vang Khan to receive him, and protect him for a +time in his dominions, until the affairs of his own kingdom should +become settled. Then, if Vang Khan should accede to this proposal, +Temujin was to appoint his uncle to act as regent during his absence. +His mother, too, was to be married to a certain emir, or prince, named +Menglik, who was to be made prime minister under the regent, and was +to take precedence of all the other princes or khans in the kingdom. +The government was to be managed by the regent and the minister until +such time as it should be deemed expedient for Temujin to return.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Arrangement of a regency.<br />Temujin's departure.</div> + +<p>This plan was carried into effect. Vang Khan readily consented to +receive Temujin into <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>his dominions, and to protect him there. He was +very ready to do this, he said, on account of the friendship which he +had borne for Temujin's father. Temujin's mother was married to the +emir, and the emir was made the first prince of the realm. Finally, +Temujin's uncle was proclaimed regent, and duly invested with all +necessary authority for governing the country until Temujin's return. +These things being all satisfactorily arranged, Temujin set out for +the country of Vang Khan at the head of an armed escort, to protect +him on the way, of six thousand men. He took with him all his family, +and a considerable suite of servants and attendants. Among them was +his old tutor and guardian Karasher, the person who had been appointed +by his father to take charge of him, and to teach and train him when +he was a boy.</p> + +<p>Being protected by so powerful an escort, Temujin's party were not +molested on their journey, and they all arrived safely at the court of +Vang Khan.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_V" id="Chapter_V"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter V.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Vang Khan.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1175</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Karakatay.<br />Vang Khan's dominions.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">he</span> country over which Vang Khan ruled was called Karakatay. It +bordered upon the country of Katay, which has already been mentioned +as forming the northern part of what is now China. Indeed, as its name +imports, it was considered in some sense as a portion of the same +general district of country. It was that part of Katay which was +inhabited by Tartars.</p> + +<p>Vang Khan's name at first was Togrul. The name Vang Khan, which was, +in fact, a title rather than a name, was given him long afterward, +when he had attained to the height of his power. To avoid confusion, +however, we shall drop the name Togrul, and call him Vang Khan from +the beginning.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The cruel fate of Mergus.</div> + +<p>Vang Khan was descended from a powerful line of khans who had reigned +over Karakatay for many generations. These khans were a wild and +lawless race of men, continually fighting with each other, both for +mastery, and also <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span>for the plunder of each other's flocks and herds. +In this way most furious and cruel wars were often fought between near +relatives. Vang Khan's grandfather, whose name was Mergus, was taken +prisoner in one of these quarrels by another khan, who, though he was +a relative, was so much exasperated by something that Mergus had done +that he sent him away to a great distance to the king of a certain +country which is called Kurga, to be disposed of there. The King of +Kurga put him into a sack, sewed up the mouth of it, and then laid him +across the wooden image of an ass, and left him there to die of hunger +and suffocation.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His wife's stratagem.</div> + +<p>The wife of Mergus was greatly enraged when she heard of the cruel +fate of her husband. She determined to be revenged. It seems that the +relative of her husband who had taken him prisoner, and had sent him +to the King of Kurga, had been her lover in former times before her +marriage; so she sent him a message, in which she dissembled her grief +for the loss of her husband, and only blamed the King of Kurga for his +cruel death, and then said that she had long felt an affection for +him, and that, if he continued of the same mind as when he had +formally addressed her, she was now willing to become his wife, and +offered, if <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>he would come to a certain place, which she specified, to +meet her, she would join him there.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Nawr.<br />He falls into the snare.</div> + +<p>Nawr, for that was the chieftain's name, fell at once into the snare +which the beautiful widow thus laid for him. He immediately accepted +her proposals, and proceeded to the place of rendezvous. He went, of +course, attended by a suitable guard, though his guard was small, and +consisted chiefly of friends and personal attendants. The princess was +attended also by a guard, not large enough, however, to excite any +suspicion. She also took with her in her train a large number of +carts, which were to be drawn by bullocks, and which were laden with +stores of provisions, clothing, and other such valuables, intended as +a present for her new husband. Among these, however, there were a +large number of great barrels, or rounded receptacles of some sort, in +which she had concealed a considerable force of armed men. These +receptacles were so arranged that the men concealed in them could open +them from within in an instant, at a given signal, and issue forth +suddenly all armed and ready for action.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Armed men in ambuscade.<br />Death of Nawr.</div> + +<p>Among the other stores which the princess had provided, there was a +large supply of a certain intoxicating drink which the Monguls and +Tartars were accustomed to make in those <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>days. As soon as the two +parties met at the place of rendezvous the princess gave Nawr a very +cordial greeting, and invited him and all his party to a feast, to be +partaken on the spot. The invitation was accepted, the stores of +provisions were opened, and many of the presents were unpacked and +displayed. At the feast Nawr and his party were all supplied +abundantly with the intoxicating liquor, which, as is usual in such +cases, they were easily led to drink to excess; while, on the other +hand, the princess's party, who knew what was coming, took good care +to keep themselves sober. At length, when the proper moment arrived, +the princess made the signal. In an instant the men who had been +placed in ambuscade in the barrels burst forth from their concealment +and rushed upon the guests at the feast. The princess herself, who was +all ready for action, drew a dagger from her girdle and stabbed Nawr +to the heart. Her guards, assisted by the re-enforcement which had so +suddenly appeared, slew or secured all his attendants, who were so +totally incapacitated, partly by the drink which they had taken, and +partly by their astonishment at the sudden appearance of so +overwhelming a force, that they were incapable of making any +resistance.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p><p>The princess, having thus accomplished her revenge, marshaled her men, +packed up her pretended presents, and returned in triumph home.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Credibility of these tales.<br />Early life of Vang Khan.<br />Reception of Temujin.</div> + +<p>Such stories as these, related by the Asiatic writers, though they +were probably often much embellished in the narration, had doubtless +all some foundation in fact, and they give us some faint idea of the +modes of life and action which prevailed among these half-savage +chieftains in those times. Vang Khan himself was the grandson of +Mergus, who was sewed up in the sack. His father was the oldest son of +the princess who contrived the above-narrated stratagem to revenge her +husband's death. It is said that he used to accompany his father to +the wars when he was only ten years old. The way in which he formed +his friendship for Yezonkai, and the alliance with him which led him +to call Temujin his son and to refuse to take his wife away from him, +as already related, was this: When his father died he succeeded to the +command, being the oldest son; but the others were jealous of him, and +after many and long quarrels with them and with other relatives, +especially with his uncle, who seemed to take the lead against him, he +was at last overpowered or outmanœuvred, and was obliged to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span>fly. +He took refuge, in his distress, in the country of Yezonkai. Yezonkai +received him in a very friendly manner, and gave him effectual +protection. After a time he furnished him with troops, and helped him +to recover his kingdom, and to drive his uncle away into banishment in +his turn. It was while he was thus in Yezonkai's dominions that he +became acquainted with Temujin, who was then very small, and it was +there that he learned to call him his son. Of course, now that Temujin +was obliged to fly himself from his native country and abandon his +hereditary dominions, as he had done before, he was glad of the +opportunity of requiting to the son the favor which he had received, +in precisely similar circumstances, from the father, and so he gave +Temujin a very kind reception.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Prester John.<br />His letter to the King of France.</div> + +<p>There is another circumstance which is somewhat curious in respect to +Vang Khan, and that is, that he is generally supposed to be the prince +whose fame was about this period spread all over Europe, under the +name of Prester John, by the Christian missionaries in Asia. These +missionaries sent to the Pope, and to various Christian kings in +Europe, very exaggerated accounts of the success of their missions +among the Persians, Turks, and Tartars; and at last <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>they wrote word +that the great Khan of the Tartars had become a convert, and had even +become a preacher of the Gospel, and had taken the name of Prester +John. The word <i>prester</i> was understood to be a corruption of +presbyter. A great deal was accordingly written and said all through +Christendom about the great Tartar convert, Prester John. There were +several letters forwarded by the missionaries, professedly from him, +and addressed to the Pope and to the different kings of Europe. Some +of these letters, it is said, are still in existence. One of them was +to the King of France. In this letter the writer tells the King of +France of his great wealth and of the vastness of his dominions. He +says he has seventy kings to serve and wait upon him. He invites the +King of France to come and see him, promising to bestow a great +kingdom upon him if he will, and also to make him his heir and leave +all his dominions to him when he dies; with a great deal more of the +same general character.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Other letters.</div> + +<p>The other letters were much the same, and the interest which they +naturally excited was increased by the accounts which the missionaries +gave of the greatness and renown of this more than royal convert, and +of the progress which Christianity had made and was still making <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>in +his dominions through their instrumentality.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The probable truth.</div> + +<p>It is supposed, in modern times, that these stories were pretty much +all inventions on the part of the missionaries, or, at least, that the +accounts which they sent were greatly exaggerated and embellished; and +there is but little doubt that they had much more to do with the +authorship of the letters than any khan. Still, however, it is +supposed that there was a great prince who at least encouraged the +missionaries in their work, and allowed them to preach Christianity in +his dominions, and, if so, there is little doubt that Vang Khan was +the man.</p> + +<p>At all events, he was a very great and powerful prince, and he reigned +over a wide extent of country. The name of his capital was Karakorom. +The distance which Temujin had to travel to reach this city was about +ten days' journey.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin and Vang Khan.</div> + +<p>He was received by Vang Khan with great marks of kindness and +consideration. Vang Khan promised to protect him, and, in due time, to +assist him in recovering his kingdom. In the mean while Temujin +promised to enter at once into Vang Khan's service, and to devote +himself faithfully to promoting the interests of his kind protector by +every means in his power.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_VI" id="Chapter_VI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter VI.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Temujin in Exile.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1182</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's popularity.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">V</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">ang</span> Khan gave Temujin a very honorable position in his court. It was +natural that he should do so, for Temujin was a prince in the prime of +his youth, and of very attractive person and manners; and, though he +was for the present an exile, as it were, from his native land, he was +not by any means in a destitute or hopeless condition. His family and +friends were still in the ascendency at home, and he himself, in +coming to the kingdom of Vang Khan, had brought with him quite an +important body of troops. Being, at the same time, personally +possessed of great courage and of much military skill, he was prepared +to render his protector good service in return for his protection. In +a word, the arrival of Temujin at the court of Vang Khan was an event +calculated to make quite a sensation.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Rivals and enemies appear.<br />Plots.</div> + +<p>At first every body was very much pleased with him, and he was very +popular; but before long the other young princes of the court, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>the chieftains of the neighboring tribes, began to be jealous of him. +Vang Khan gave him precedence over them all, partly on account of his +personal attachment to him, and partly on account of the rank which he +held in his own country, which, being that of a sovereign prince, +naturally entitled him to the very highest position among the +subordinate chieftains in the retinue of Vang Khan. But these +subordinate chieftains were not satisfied. They murmured, at first +secretly, and afterward more openly, and soon began to form +combinations and plots against the new favorite, as they called him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Yemuka.<br />Wisulujine.</div> + +<p>An incident soon occurred which greatly increased this animosity, and +gave to Temujin's enemies, all at once, a very powerful leader and +head. This leader was a very influential chieftain named Yemuka. This +Yemuka, it seems, was in love with the daughter of Vang Khan, the +Princess Wisulujine. He asked her in marriage of her father. To +precisely what state of forwardness the negotiations had advanced does +not appear, but, at any rate, when Temujin arrived, Wisulujine soon +began to turn her thoughts toward him. He was undoubtedly younger, +handsomer, and more accomplished than her old lover, and before long +she gave her father to understand that she would <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span>much rather have him +for her husband than Yemuka. It is true, Temujin had one or two wives +already; but this made no difference, for it was the custom then, as, +indeed, it is still, for the Asiatic princes and chieftains to take as +many wives as their wealth and position would enable them to maintain. +Yemuka was accordingly refused, and Wisulujine was given in marriage +to Temujin.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Yemuka's disappointment.<br />His rage.<br />Conspiracy formed.</div> + +<p>Yemuka was, of course, dreadfully enraged. He vowed that he would be +revenged. He immediately began to intrigue with all the discontented +persons and parties in the kingdom, not only with those who were +envious and jealous of Temujin, but also with all those who, for any +reason, were disposed to put themselves in opposition to Vang Khan's +government. Thus a formidable conspiracy was formed for the purpose of +compassing Temujin's ruin.</p> + +<p>The conspirators first tried the effect of private remonstrances with +Vang Khan, in which they made all sorts of evil representations +against Temujin, but to no effect. Temujin rallied about him so many +old friends, and made so many new friends by his courage and energy, +that his party at court proved stronger than that of his enemies, and, +for a time, they seemed likely to fail entirely of their design.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Progress of the league.</div> + +<p>At length the conspirators opened communication with the foreign +enemies of Vang Khan, and formed a league with them to make war +against and destroy both Vang Khan and Temujin together. The accounts +of the progress of this league, and of the different nations and +tribes which took part in it, is imperfect and confused; but at +length, after various preliminary contests and manœuvres, +arrangements were made for assembling a large army with a view of +invading Vang Khan's dominions and deciding the question by a battle. +The different chieftains and khans whose troops were united to form +this army bound themselves together by a solemn oath, according to the +customs of those times, not to rest until both Vang Khan and Temujin +should be destroyed.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Oath of the conspirators.</div> + +<p>The manner in which they took the oath was this: They brought out into +an open space on the plain where they had assembled to take the oath, +a horse, a wild ox, and a dog. At a given signal they fell upon these +animals with their swords, and cut them all to pieces in the most +furious manner. When they had finished, they stood together and called +out aloud in the following words:</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The oath.</div> + +<p>"Hear! O God! O heaven! O earth! the oath that we swear against Vang +Khan and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>Temujin. If any one of us spares them when we have them in +our power, or if we fail to keep the promise that we have made to +destroy them, may we meet with the same fate that has befallen these +beasts that we have now cut to pieces."</p> + +<p>They uttered this imprecation in a very solemn manner, standing among +the mangled and bloody remains of the beasts which lay strewed all +about the ground.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Karakorom.<br />Plan formed by Temujin.<br />The campaign.</div> + +<p>These preparations had been made thus far very secretly; but tidings +of what was going on came, before a great while, to Karakorom, Vang +Khan's capital. Temujin was greatly excited when he heard the news. He +immediately proposed that he should take his own troops, and join with +them as many of Vang Khan's soldiers as could be conveniently spared, +and go forth to meet the enemy. To this Vang Khan consented. Temujin +took one half of Vang Khan's troops to join his own, leaving the other +half to protect the capital, and so set forth on his expedition. He +went off in the direction toward the frontier where he had understood +the principal part of the hostile forces were assembling. After a long +march, probably one of many days, he arrived there before the enemy +was quite prepared for him. Then <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span>followed a series of manœuvres +and counter-manœuvres, in which Temujin was all the time +endeavoring to bring the rebels to battle, while they were doing all +in their power to avoid it. Their object in this delay was to gain +time for re-enforcements to come in, consisting of bodies of troops +belonging to certain members of the league who had not yet arrived.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Unexpected arrival of Vang Khan.<br />His story.</div> + +<p>At length, when these manœuvres were brought to an end, and the +battle was about to be fought, Temujin and his whole army were one day +greatly surprised to see his father-in-law, Vang Khan himself, coming +into the camp at the head of a small and forlorn-looking band of +followers, who had all the appearance of fugitives escaped from a +battle. They looked anxious, way-worn, and exhausted, and the horses +that they rode seemed wholly spent with fatigue and privation. On +explanation, Temujin learned that, as soon as it was known that he had +left the capital, and taken with him a large part of the army, a +certain tribe of Vang Khan's enemies, living in another direction, had +determined to seize the opportunity to invade his dominions, and had +accordingly come suddenly in, with an immense horde, to attack the +capital. Vang Khan had done all that he could to defend the city, but +he had been overpowered. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span>The greater part of his soldiers had been +killed or wounded. The city had been taken and pillaged. His son, with +those of the troops that had been able to save themselves, had escaped +to the mountains. As to Vang Khan himself, he had thought it best to +make his way, as soon as possible, to the camp of Temujin, where he +had now arrived, after enduring great hardships and sufferings on the +way.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's promises.</div> + +<p>Temujin was at first much amazed at hearing this story. He, however, +bade his father-in-law not to be cast down or discouraged, and +promised him full revenge, and a complete triumph over all his enemies +at the coming battle. So he proceeded at once to complete his +arrangements for the coming fight. He resigned to Vang Khan the +command of the main body of the army, while he placed himself at the +head of one of the wings, assigning the other to the chieftain next in +rank in his army. In this order he went into battle.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Result of the battle.<br />Temujin victorious.</div> + +<p>The battle was a very obstinate and bloody one, but, in the end, +Temujin's party was victorious. The troops opposed to him were +defeated and driven off the field. The victory appeared to be due +altogether to Temujin himself; for, after the struggle had continued a +long <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span>time, and the result still appeared doubtful, the troops of +Temujin's wing finally made a desperate charge, and forced their way +with such fury into the midst of the forces of the enemy that nothing +could withstand them. This encouraged and animated the other troops to +such a degree that very soon the enemy were entirely routed and driven +from off the field.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">State of things at Karakorom.<br />Erkekara.</div> + +<p>The effect of this victory was to raise the reputation of Temujin as a +military commander higher than ever, and greatly to increase the +confidence which Vang Khan was inclined to repose in him. The victory, +too, seemed at first to have well-nigh broken up the party of the +rebels. Still, the way was not yet open for Vang Khan to return and +take possession of his throne and of his capital, for he learned that +one of his brothers had assumed the government, and was reigning in +Karakorom in his place. It would seem that this brother, whose name +was Erkekara, had been one of the leaders of the party opposed to +Temujin. It was natural that he should be so; for, being the brother +of the king, he would, of course, occupy a very high position in the +court, and would be one of the first to experience the ill effects +produced by the coming in of any new favorite. He had accordingly +joined in the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>plots that were formed against Temujin and Vang Khan. +Indeed, he was considered, in some respects, as the head of their +party, and when Vang Khan was driven away from his capital, this +brother assumed the throne in his stead. The question was, how could +he now be dispossessed and Vang Khan restored.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Preparations for the final conflict.<br />Erkekara vanquished.<br />Vang Khan restored.</div> + +<p>Temujin began immediately to form his plans for the accomplishment of +this purpose. He concentrated his forces after the battle, and soon +afterward opened negotiations with other tribes, who had before been +uncertain which side to espouse, but were now assisted a great deal in +coming to a decision by the victory which Temujin had obtained. In the +mean time the rebels were not idle. They banded themselves together +anew, and made great exertions to procure re-enforcements. Erkekara +fortified himself as strongly as possible in Karakorom, and collected +ample supplies of ammunition and military stores. It was not until the +following year that the parties had completed their preparations and +were prepared for the final struggle. Then, however, another great +battle was fought, and again Temujin was victorious. Erkekara was +killed or driven away in his turn. Karakorom was retaken, and Vang +Khan entered it in triumph at the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>head of his troops, and was once +more established on his throne.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's popularity.</div> + +<p>Of course, the rank and influence of Temujin at his court was now +higher than ever before. He was now about twenty-two or twenty-three +years of age. He had already three wives, though it is not certain +that all of them were with him at Vang Khan's court. He was extremely +popular in the army, as young commanders of great courage and spirit +almost always are. Vang Khan placed great reliance upon him, and +lavished upon him all possible honors.</p> + +<p>He does not seem, however, yet to have begun to form any plans for +returning to his native land.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_VII" id="Chapter_VII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter VII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Rupture With Vang Khan.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1182-1202</p> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">emujin</span> remained at the court, or in the dominions of Vang Khan, for a +great many years. During the greater portion of this time he continued +in the service of Vang Khan, and on good terms with him, though, in +the end, as we shall presently see, their friendship was turned into a +bitter enmity.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Erkekara.<br />State of the country.<br />Wandering habits.</div> + +<p>Erkekara, Vang Khan's brother, who had usurped his throne during the +rebellion, was killed, it was said, at the time when Vang Khan +recovered his throne. Several of the other rebel chieftains were also +killed, but some of them succeeded in saving themselves from utter +ruin, and in gradually recovering their former power over the hordes +which they respectively commanded. It must be remembered that the +country was not divided at this time into regular territorial states +and kingdoms, but was rather one vast undivided region, occupied by +immense hordes, each of which was more or less stationary, it is true, +in its own district or <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span>range, but was nevertheless without any +permanent settlement. The various clans drifted slowly this way and +that among the plains and mountains, as the prospects of pasturage, +the fortune of war, or the pressure of conterminous hordes might +incline them. In cases, too, where a number of hordes were united +under one general chieftain, as was the case with those over whom Vang +Khan claimed to have sway, the tie by which they were bound together +was very feeble, and the distinction between a state of submission and +of rebellion, except in case of actual war, was very slightly defined.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Yemuka.<br />Sankum.</div> + +<p>Yemuka, the chieftain who had been so exasperated against Temujin on +account of his being supplanted by him in the affections of the young +princess, Vang Khan's daughter, whom Temujin had married for his third +wife, succeeded in making his escape at the time when Vang Khan +conquered his enemies and recovered his throne. For a time he +concealed himself, or at least kept out of Vang Khan's reach, by +dwelling with hordes whose range was at some distance from Karakorom. +He soon, however, contrived to open secret negotiations with one of +Vang Khan's sons, whose name was something that sounded like Sankum. +Some authors, in attempting to represent <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span>his name in our letters, +spelled it <i>Sunghim</i>.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Yemuka's intrigues with Sankum.</div> + +<p>Yemuka easily persuaded this young Sankum to take sides with him in +the quarrel. It was natural that he should do so, for, being the son +of Vang Khan, he was in some measure displaced from his own legitimate +and proper position at his father's court by the great and constantly +increasing influence which Temujin exercised.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Deceit.</div> + +<p>"And besides," said Yemuka, in the secret representations which he +made to Sankum, "this new-comer is not only interfering with and +curtailing your proper influence and consideration now, but his design +is by-and-by to circumvent and supplant you altogether. He is forming +plans for making himself your father's heir, and so robbing you of +your rightful inheritance."</p> + +<p>Sankum listened very eagerly to these suggestions, and finally it was +agreed between him and Yemuka that Sankum should exert his influence +with his father to obtain permission for Yemuka to come back to court, +and to be received again into his father's service, under pretense of +having repented of his rebellion, and of being now disposed to return +to his allegiance. Sankum did this, and, after a time, Vang <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>Khan was +persuaded to allow Yemuka to return.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's situation.<br />His military expeditions.</div> + +<p>Thus a sort of outward peace was made, but it was no real peace. +Yemuka was as envious and jealous of Temujin as ever, and now, +moreover, in addition to this envy and jealousy, he felt the stimulus +of revenge. Things, however, seem to have gone on very quietly for a +time, or at least without any open outbreak in the court. During this +time Vang Khan was, as usual with such princes, frequently engaged in +wars with the neighboring hordes. In these wars he relied a great deal +on Temujin. Temujin was in command of a large body of troops, which +consisted in part of his own guard, the troops that had come with him +from his own country, and in part of other bands of men whom Vang Khan +had placed under his orders, or who had joined him of their own +accord. He was assisted in the command of this body by four +subordinate generals or khans, whom he called his four intrepids. They +were all very brave and skillful commanders. At the head of this troop +Temujin was accustomed to scour the country, hunting out Vang Khan's +enemies, or making long expeditions over distant plains or among the +mountains, in the prosecution of Vang Khan's warlike projects, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>whether those of invasion and plunder, or of retaliation and +vengeance.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Popular commanders.</div> + +<p>Temujin was extremely popular with the soldiers who served under him. +Soldiers always love a dashing, fearless, and energetic leader, who +has the genius to devise brilliant schemes, and the spirit to execute +them in a brilliant manner. They care very little how dangerous the +situations are into which he may lead them. Those that get killed in +performing the exploits which he undertakes can not speak to complain, +and those who survive are only so much the better pleased that the +dangers that they have been brought safely through were so desperate, +and that the harvest of glory which they have thereby acquired is so +great.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Stories of Temujin's cruelty.<br />Probably fictions.</div> + +<p>Temujin, though a great favorite with his own men, was, like almost +all half-savage warriors of his class, utterly merciless, when he was +angry, in his treatment of his enemies. It is said that after one of +his battles, in which he had gained a complete victory over an immense +horde of rebels and other foes, and had taken great numbers of them +prisoners, he ordered fires to be built and seventy large caldrons of +water to be put over them, and then, when the water was boiling hot, +he caused the principal leaders of the vanquished army to be <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>thrown +in headlong and thus scalded to death. Then he marched at once into +the country of the enemy, and there took all the women and children, +and sent them off to be sold as slaves, and seized the cattle and +other property which he found, and carried it off as plunder. In thus +taking possession of the enemy's property and making it his own, and +selling the poor captives into slavery, there was nothing remarkable. +Such was the custom of the times. But the act of scalding his +prisoners to death seems to denote or reveal in his character a vein +of peculiar and atrocious cruelty. It is possible, however, that the +story may not be true. It may have been invented by Yemuka and Sankum, +or by some of his other enemies.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Vang Khan's uneasiness.<br />Temujin.</div> + +<p>For Yemuka and Sankum, and others who were combined with them, were +continually endeavoring to undermine Temujin's influence with Vang +Khan, and thus deprive him of his power. But he was too strong for +them. His great success in all his military undertakings kept him up +in spite of all that his rivals could do to pull him down. As for Vang +Khan himself, he was in part pleased with him and proud of him, and in +part he feared him. He was very unwilling to be so dependent upon a +subordinate chieftain, and yet he could not do <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>without him. A king +never desires that any one of his subjects should become too +conspicuous or too great, and Vang Khan would have been very glad to +have diminished, in some way, the power and prestige which Temujin had +acquired, and which seemed to be increasing every day. He, however, +found no means of effecting this in any quiet and peaceful manner. +Temujin was at the head of his troops, generally away from Karakorom, +where Vang Khan resided, and he was, in a great measure, independent. +He raised his own recruits to keep the numbers of his army good, and +it was always easy to subsist if there chanced to be any failure in +the ordinary and regular supplies.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Vang Khan's suspicions.<br />A reconciliation.</div> + +<p>Besides, occasions were continually occurring in which Vang Khan +wished for Temujin's aid, and could not dispense with it. At one time, +while engaged in some important campaigns, far away among the +mountains, Yemuka contrived to awaken so much distrust of Temujin in +Vang Khan's mind, that Vang Khan secretly decamped in the night, and +marched away to a distant place to save himself from a plot which +Yemuka had told him that Temujin was contriving. Here, however, he was +attacked by a large body of his enemies, and was reduced to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span>such +straits that he was obliged to send couriers off at once to Temujin to +come with his intrepids and save him. Temujin came. He rescued Vang +Khan from his danger, and drove his enemies away. Vang Khan was very +grateful for this service, so that the two friends became entirely +reconciled to each other, and were united more closely than ever, +greatly to Yemuka's disappointment and chagrin. They made a new league +of amity, and, to seal and confirm it, they agreed upon a double +marriage between their two families. A son of Temujin was to be +married to a daughter of Vang Khan, and a son of Vang Khan to a +daughter of Temujin.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Fresh suspicions.</div> + +<p>This new compact did not, however, last long. As soon as Vang Khan +found that the danger from which Temujin had rescued him was passed, +he began again to listen to the representations of Yemuka and Sankum, +who still insisted that Temujin was a very dangerous man, and was by +no means to be trusted. They said that he was ambitious and +unprincipled, and that he was only waiting for a favorable opportunity +to rebel himself against Vang Khan and depose him from his throne. +They made a great many statements to the khan in confirmation of their +opinion, some of which were true <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span>doubtless, but many were +exaggerated, and others probably false. They, however, succeeded at +last in making such an impression upon the khan's mind that he finally +determined to take measures for putting Temujin out of the way.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Plans laid.<br />Treachery.<br />Menglik.</div> + +<p>Accordingly, on some pretext or other, he contrived to send Temujin +away from Karakorom, his capital, for Temujin was so great a favorite +with the royal guards and with all the garrison of the town, that he +did not dare to undertake any thing openly against him there. Vang +Khan also sent a messenger to Temujin's own country to persuade the +chief persons there to join him in his plot. It will be recollected +that, at the time that Temujin left his own country, when he was about +fourteen years old, his mother had married a great chieftain there, +named Menglik, and that this Menglik, in conjunction doubtless with +Temujin's mother, had been made regent during his absence. Vang Khan +now sent to Menglik to propose that he should unite with him to +destroy Temujin.</p> + +<p>"You have no interest," said Vang Khan in the message that he sent to +Menglik, "in taking his part. It is true that you have married his +mother, but, personally, he is nothing to you. And, if he is once out +of the way, you will be <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>acknowledged as the Grand Khan of the Monguls +in your own right, whereas you now hold your place in subordination to +him, and he may at any time return and set you aside altogether."</p> + +<p>Vang Khan hoped by these arguments to induce Menglik to come and +assist him in his plan of putting Temujin to death, or, at least, if +Menglik would not assist him in perpetrating the deed, he thought +that, by these arguments, he should induce him to be willing that it +should be committed, so that he should himself have nothing to fear +afterward from his resentment. But Menglik received the proposal in a +very different way from what Vang Khan had expected. He said nothing, +but he determined immediately to let Temujin know of the danger that +he was in. He accordingly at once set out to go to Temujin's camp to +inform him of Vang Khan's designs.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Menglik gives Temujin warning.<br />The double marriage.<br />Plans frustrated.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, Vang Khan, having matured his plans, made an +appointment for Temujin to meet him at a certain place designated for +the purpose of consummating the double marriage between their +children, which had been before agreed upon. Temujin, not suspecting +any treachery, received and entertained the messenger in a very +honorable manner, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span>said that he would come. After making the +necessary preparations, he set out, in company with the messenger and +with a grand retinue of his own attendants, to go to the place +appointed. On his way he was met or overtaken by Menglik, who had come +to warn him of his danger. As soon as Temujin had heard what his +stepfather had to say, he made some excuse for postponing the journey, +and, sending a civil answer to Vang Khan by the embassador, he ordered +him to go forward, and went back himself to his own camp.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's camp.<br />Karasher.</div> + +<p>This camp was at some distance from Karakorom. Vang Khan, as has +already been stated, had sent Temujin away from the capital on account +of his being so great a favorite that he was afraid of some tumult if +he were to attempt any thing against him there. Temujin was, however, +pretty strong in his camp. The troops that usually attended him were +there, with the four intrepids as commanders of the four principal +divisions of them. His old instructor and guardian, Karasher, was with +him too. Karasher, it seems, had continued in Temujin's service up to +this time, and was accustomed to accompany him in all his expeditions +as his counselor and friend.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Vang Khan's plans.<br />His plans betrayed by two slaves.</div> + +<p>When Vang Khan learned, by the return of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span>his messenger, that Temujin +declined to come to the place of rendezvous which he had appointed, he +concluded at once that he suspected treachery, and he immediately +decided that he must now strike a decisive blow without any delay, +otherwise Temujin would put himself more and more on his guard. He was +not mistaken, it seems, however, in thinking how great a favorite +Temujin was at Karakorom, for his secret design was betrayed to +Temujin by two of his servants, who overheard him speak of it to one +of his wives. Vang Khan's plan was to go out secretly to Temujin's +camp at the head of an armed force superior to his, and there come +upon him and his whole troop suddenly, by surprise, in the night, by +which means, he thought, he should easily overpower the whole +encampment, and either kill Temujin and his generals, or else make +them prisoners. The two men who betrayed this plan were slaves, who +were employed to take care of the horses of some person connected with +Vang Khan's household, and to render various other services. Their +names were Badu and Kishlik. It seems that these men were one day +carrying some milk to Vang Khan's house or tent, and there they +overheard a conversation between Vang Khan and his wife, by <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span>which +they learned the particulars of the plan formed for Temujin's +destruction. The expedition was to set out, they heard, on the +following morning.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">How the slaves overheard.</div> + +<p>It is not at all surprising that they overheard this conversation, for +not only the tents, but even the houses used by these Asiatic nations +were built of very frail and thin materials, and the partitions were +often made of canvas and felt, and other such substances as could have +very little power to intercept sound.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A council called.</div> + +<p>The two slaves determined to proceed at once to Temujin's camp and +warn him of his danger. So they stole away from their quarters at +nightfall, and, after traveling diligently all night, in the morning +they reached the camp and told Temujin what they had learned. Temujin +was surprised; but he had been, in some measure, prepared for such +intelligence by the communication which his stepfather had made him in +respect to Vang Khan's treacherous designs a few days before. He +immediately summoned Karasher and some of his other friends, in order +to consult in respect to what it was best to do.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin plans a stratagem.</div> + +<p>It was resolved to elude Vang Khan's design by means of a stratagem. +He was to come upon them, according to the account of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span>slaves, +that night. The preparations for receiving him were consequently to be +made at once. The plan was for Temujin and all his troops to withdraw +from the camp and conceal themselves in a place of ambuscade near by. +They were to leave a number of men behind, who, when night came on, +were to set the lights and replenish the fires, and put every thing in +such a condition as to make it appear that the troops were all there. +Their expectation was that, when Vang Khan should arrive, he would +make his assault according to his original design, and then, while his +forces were in the midst of the confusion incident to such an onset, +Temujin was to come forth from his ambuscade and fall upon them. In +this way he hoped to conquer them and put them to flight, although he +had every reason to suppose that the force which Vang Khan would bring +out against him would be considerably stronger in numbers than his +own.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_VIII" id="Chapter_VIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter VIII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Progress of the Quarrel.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1202</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The ambuscade.<br />The wood and the brook.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">emujin's</span> stratagem succeeded admirably. As soon as he had decided +upon it he began to put it into execution. He caused every thing of +value to be taken out of his tent and carried away to a place of +safety. He sent away the women and children, too, to the same place. +He then marshaled all his men, excepting the small guard that he was +going to leave behind until evening, and led them off to the ambuscade +which he had chosen for them. The place was about two leagues distant +from his camp. Temujin concealed himself here in a narrow dell among +the mountains, not far from the road where Vang Khan would have to +pass along. The dell was narrow, and was protected by precipitous +rocks on each side. There was a wood at the entrance to it also, which +concealed those that were hidden in it from view, and a brook which +flowed by near the entrance, so that, in going in or coming out, it +was necessary to ford the brook.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span></p><p>Temujin, on arriving at the spot, went with all his troops into the +dell, and concealed himself there.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The guard left behind.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, the guard that had been left behind in the camp had +been instructed to kindle up the camp-fires as soon as the evening +came on, according to the usual custom, and to set lights in the +tents, so as to give the camp the appearance, when seen from a little +distance in the night, of being occupied, as usual, by the army. They +were to wait, and watch the fires and lights until they perceived +signs of the approach of the enemy to attack the camp, when they were +secretly to retire on the farther side, and so make their escape.</p> + +<p>These preparations, and the march of Temujin's troops to the place of +ambuscade, occupied almost the whole of the day, and it was near +evening before the last of the troops had entered the dell.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Arrival of Vang Khan's army.<br />False hopes.</div> + +<p>They had scarce accomplished this manœuvre before Vang Khan's army +arrived. Vang Khan himself was not with them. He had intrusted the +expedition to the command of Sankum and Yemuka. Indeed, it is probable +that they were the real originators and contrivers of it, and that +Vang Khan had only been induced to give his consent to it—and that +perhaps <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>reluctantly—by their persuasions. Sankum and Yemuka advanced +cautiously at the head of their columns, and when they saw the +illumination of the camp produced by the lights and the camp-fires, +they thought at once that all was right, and that their old enemy and +rival was now, at last, within their reach and at their mercy.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Assault upon the vacant camp.<br />Advance of the assailants.</div> + +<p>They brought up the men as near to the camp as they could come without +being observed, and then, drawing their bows and making their arrows +ready, they advanced furiously to the onset, and discharged an immense +shower of arrows in among the tents. They expected to see thousands of +men come rushing out from the tents, or starting up from the ground at +this sudden assault, but, to their utter astonishment, all was as +silent and motionless after the falling of the arrows as before. They +then discharged more arrows, and, finding that they could not awaken +any signs of life, they began to advance cautiously and enter the +camp. They found, of course, that it had been entirely evacuated. They +then rode round and round the inclosure, examining the ground with +flambeaux and torches to find the tracks which Temujin's army had made +in going away. The tracks were soon discovered. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span>Those who first saw +them immediately set off in pursuit of the fugitives, as they supposed +them, shouting, at the same time, for the rest to follow. Some did +follow immediately. Others, who had strayed away to greater or less +distances on either side of the camp in search of the tracks, fell in +by degrees as they received the order, while others still remained +among the tents, where they were to be seen riding to and fro, +endeavoring to make discoveries, or gathering together in groups to +express to one another their astonishment, or to inquire what was next +to be done. They, however, all gradually fell into the ranks of those +who were following the track which had been found, and the whole body +went on as fast as they could go, and in great confusion. They all +supposed that Temujin and his troops were making a precipitate +retreat, and were expecting every moment to come up to him in his +rear, in which case he would be taken at great disadvantage, and would +be easily overwhelmed.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The ambuscade.<br />Temujin's victory.</div> + +<p>Instead of this, Temujin was just coming forward from his +hiding-place, with his squadrons all in perfect order, and advancing +in a firm, steady, and compact column, all being ready at the word of +command to charge in good order, but with terrible impetuosity, upon +the advancing <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>enemy. In this way the two armies came together. The +shock of the encounter was terrific. Temujin, as might have been +expected, was completely victorious. The confused masses of Vang +Khan's army were overborne, thrown into dreadful confusion, and +trampled under foot. Great numbers were killed. Those that escaped +being killed at once turned and fled. Sankum was wounded in the face +by an arrow, but he still was able to keep his seat upon his horse, +and so galloped away. Those that succeeded in saving themselves got +back as soon as they could into the road by which they came, and so +made their way, in detached and open parties, home to Karakorom.</p> + +<p>Of course, after this, Vang Khan could no longer dissimulate his +hostility to Temujin, and both parties prepared for open war.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Preparations for open war.<br />Temujin makes alliances.</div> + +<p>The different historians through whom we derive our information in +respect to the life and adventures of Genghis Khan have related the +transactions which occurred after this open outbreak between Temujin +and Vang Khan somewhat differently. Combining their accounts, we learn +that both parties, after the battle, opened negotiations with such +neighboring tribes as they supposed likely to take sides in the +conflict, each endeavoring to gain as many adherents <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>as possible to +his own cause. Temujin obtained the alliance and co-operation of a +great number of Tartar princes who ruled over hordes that dwelt in +that part of the country, or among the mountains around. Some of these +chieftains were his relatives. Others were induced to join him by +being convinced that he would, in the end, prove to be stronger than +Vang Khan, and being, in some sense, politicians as well as warriors, +they wished to be sure of coming out at the close of the contest on +the victorious side.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Turkili.</div> + +<p>There was a certain khan, named Turkili, who was a relative of +Temujin, and who commanded a very powerful tribe. On approaching the +confines of his territory, Temujin, not being certain of Turkili's +disposition toward him, sent forward an embassador to announce his +approach, and to ask if Turkili still retained the friendship which +had long subsisted between them. Turkili might, perhaps, have +hesitated which side to join, but the presence of Temujin with his +whole troop upon his frontier seems to have determined him, so he sent +a favorable answer, and at once espoused Temujin's cause.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Solemn league and covenant.<br />Bitter water.</div> + +<p>Many other chieftains joined Temujin in much the same way, and thus +the forces under <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span>his command were constantly increased. At length, in +his progress across the country, he came with his troop of followers +to a place where there was a stream of salt or bitter water which was +unfit to drink. Temujin encamped on the shores of this stream, and +performed a grand ceremony, in which he himself and his allies banded +themselves together in the most solemn manner. In the course of the +ceremony a horse was sacrificed on the shores of the stream. Temujin +also took up some of the water from the brook and drank it, invoking +heaven, at the same time, to witness a solemn vow which he made, that, +as long as he lived, he would share with his officers and soldiers the +bitter as well as the sweet, and imprecating curses upon himself if he +should ever violate his oath. All his allies and officers did the same +after him.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107-8]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i098.jpg" class="medgap" width="500" height="292" alt="DRINKING THE BITTER WATERS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">DRINKING THE BITTER WATERS.</span> +</div> + +<div class="sidenote2">Recollection of the ceremony.</div> + +<p>This ceremony was long remembered in the army, all those who had been +present and had taken part in it cherishing the recollection of it +with pride and pleasure; and long afterward, when Temujin had attained +to the height of his power and glory, his generals considered their +having been present at this first solemn league and covenant as +conferring upon them a sort of title of nobility, by which they and +their <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span>descendants were to be distinguished forever above all those whose +adhesion to the cause of the conqueror dated from a later time.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's strength.</div> + +<p>By this time Temujin began to feel quite strong. He moved on with his +army till he came to the borders of a lake which was not a great way +from Vang Khan's dominions. Here he encamped, and, before proceeding +any farther, he determined to try the effect, upon the mind of Vang +Khan, of a letter of expostulation and remonstrance; so he wrote to +him, substantially, as follows:</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His letter to Vang Khan.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"A great many years ago, in the time of my father, when you +were driven from your throne by your enemies, my father came +to your aid, defeated your enemies, and restored you.</p> + +<p>"At a later time, after I had come into your dominions, your +brother conspired against you with the Markats and the +Naymans. I defeated them, and helped you to recover your +power. When you were reduced to great distress, I shared +with you my flocks and every thing that I had.</p> + +<p>"At another time, when you were in circumstances of great +danger and distress, you sent to me to ask that my four +intrepids might go and rescue you. I sent them according to +your <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>request, and they delivered you from a most imminent +danger. They helped you to conquer your enemies, and to +recover an immense booty from them.</p> + +<p>"In many other instances, when the khans have combined +against you, I have given you most effectual aid in subduing +them.</p> + +<p>"How is it, then, after receiving all these benefits from me +for a period of so many years, that you form plans to +destroy me in so base and treacherous a manner?"</p></div> + +<div class="sidenote">Effect of the letter.<br />Sankum's anger.</div> + +<p>This letter seems to have produced some impression upon Vang Khan's +mind; but he was now, it seems, so much under the influence of Sankum +and Yemuka that he could decide nothing for himself. He sent the +letter to Sankum to ask him what answer should be returned. But +Sankum, in addition to his former feelings of envy and jealousy +against Temujin, was now irritated and angry in consequence of the +wound that he had received, and determined to have his revenge. He +would not hear of any accommodation.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great accessions to Temujin's army.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, the khans of all the Tartar and Mongul tribes that +lived in the countries bordering on Vang Khan's dominions, hearing of +the rupture between Vang Khan and Temujin, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>and aware of the great +struggle for the mastery between these two potentates that was about +to take place, became more and more interested in the quarrel. Temujin +was very active in opening negotiations with them, and in endeavoring +to induce them to take his side. He was a comparatively young and +rising man, while Vang Khan was becoming advanced in years, and was +now almost wholly under the influence of Sankum and Yemuka. Temujin, +moreover, had already acquired great fame and great popularity as a +commander, and his reputation was increasing every day, while Vang +Khan's glory was evidently on the wane. A great number of the khans +were, of course, predisposed to take Temujin's side. Others he +compelled to join him by force, and others he persuaded by promising +to release them from the exactions and the tyranny which Vang Khan had +exercised over them, and declaring that he was a messenger especially +sent from heaven to accomplish their deliverance. Those Asiatic tribes +were always ready to believe in military messengers sent from heaven +to make conquests for their benefit.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Mongolistan.</div> + +<p>Among other nations who joined Temujin at this time were the people of +his own country of Mongolistan Proper. He was received very <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>joyfully +by his stepfather, who was in command there, and by all his former +subjects, and they all promised to sustain him in the coming war.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Final attempt at negotiation.</div> + +<p>After a time, when Temujin had by these and similar means greatly +increased the number of his adherents, and proportionately +strengthened his position, he sent an embassador again to Vang Khan to +propose some accommodation. Vang Khan called a council to consider the +proposal. But Sankum and Yemuka persisted in refusing to allow any +accommodation to be made. They declared that they would not listen to +proposals of peace on any other condition than that of the absolute +surrender of Temujin, and of all who were confederate with him, to +Vang Khan as their lawful sovereign. Sankum himself delivered the +message to the embassador.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Sankum's answer.</div> + +<p>"Tell the rebel Monguls," said he, "that they are to expect no peace +but by submitting absolutely to the khan's will; and as for Temujin, I +will never see him again till I come to him sword in hand to kill +him."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Skirmishes.</div> + +<p>Immediately after this Sankum and Yemuka sent off some small +plundering expeditions into the Mongul country, but they were driven +back by Temujin's troops without effecting their <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>purpose. The result +of these skirmishes was, however, greatly to exasperate both parties, +and to lead them to prepare in earnest for open war.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_IX" id="Chapter_IX"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter IX.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Death of Vang Khan.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1202</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A council called.<br />Mankerule.<br />Debates.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">A</span> grand council was now called of all the confederates who were +leagued with Temujin, at a place called Mankerule, to make +arrangements for a vigorous prosecution of the war. At this council +were convened all the chieftains and khans that had been induced to +declare against Vang Khan. Each one came attended by a considerable +body of troops as his escort, and a grand deliberation was held. Some +were in favor of trying once more to come to some terms of +accommodation with Vang Khan, but Temujin convinced them that there +was nothing to be hoped for except on condition of absolute +submission, and that, in that case, Vang Khan would never be content +until he had effected the utter ruin of every one who had been engaged +in the rebellion. So it was, at last, decided that every man should +return to his own tribe, and there raise as large a force as he could, +with a view to carrying on the war with the utmost vigor.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Temujin made general-in-chief.</div> + +<p>Temujin was formally appointed general-in-chief of the army to be +raised. There was a sort of truncheon or ornamented club, called the +topaz, which it was customary on such occasions to bestow, with great +solemnity, on the general thus chosen, as his badge of command. The +topaz was, in this instance, conferred upon Temujin with all the usual +ceremonies. He accepted it on the express condition that every man +would punctually and implicitly obey all his orders, and that he +should have absolute power to punish any one who should disobey him in +the way that he judged best, and that they should submit without +question to all his decisions. To these conditions they all solemnly +agreed.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">He distributes rewards.<br />Reward of the two slaves.</div> + +<p>Being thus regularly placed in command, Temujin began by giving places +of honor and authority to those who left Vang Khan's service to follow +him. He took this occasion to remember and reward the two slaves who +had come to him in the night at his camp, some time before, to give +him warning of the design of Sankum and Yemuka to come and surprise +him there. He gave the slaves their freedom, and made provision for +their maintenance as long as they should live. He also put them on the +list of <i>exempts</i>. The exempts were a class <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>of persons upon whom, as +a reward for great public services, were conferred certain exclusive +rights and privileges. They had no taxes to pay. In case of plunder +taken from the enemy, they received their full share without any +deduction, while all the others were obliged to contribute a portion +of their shares for the khan. The exempts, too, were allowed various +other privileges. They had the right to go into the presence of the +khan at any time, without waiting, as others were obliged to do, till +they obtained permission, and, what was more singular still, they were +entitled to <i>nine</i> pardons for any offenses that they might commit, so +that it was only when they had committed ten misdemeanors or crimes +that they were in danger of punishment The privileges which Temujin +thus bestowed upon the slaves were to be continued to their +descendants to the seventh generation.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His reasons.</div> + +<p>Temujin rewarded the slaves in this bountiful manner, partly, no +doubt, out of sincere gratitude to them for having been the means, +probably, of saving him and his army from destruction, and partly for +effect, in order to impress upon his followers a strong conviction +that any great services rendered to him or to his cause were certain +to be well rewarded.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Organization of the army.<br />Mode of attack.</div> + +<p>Temujin now found himself at the head of a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>very large body of men, +and his first care was to establish a settled system of discipline +among them, so that they could act with regularity and order when +coming into battle. He divided his army into three separate bodies. +The centre was composed of his own guards, and was commanded by +himself. The wings were formed of the squadrons of his confederates +and allies. His plan in coming into battle was to send forward the two +wings, retaining the centre as a reserve, and hold them prepared to +rush in with irresistible power whenever the time should arrive at +which their coming would produce the greatest effect.</p> + +<p>When every thing was thus arranged, Temujin set his army in motion, +and began to advance toward the country of Vang Khan. The squadrons +which composed his immense horde were so numerous that they covered +all the plain.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The two armies.<br />The baggage.</div> + +<p>In the mean time Vang Khan had not been idle. He, or rather Sankum and +Yemuka, acting in his name, had assembled a great army, and he had set +out on his march from Karakorom to meet his enemy. His forces, +however, though more numerous, were by no means so well disciplined +and arranged as those of Temujin. They were greatly encumbered, too, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span>with baggage, the army being followed in its march by endless trains +of wagons conveying provisions, arms, and military stores of all +kinds. Its progress was, therefore, necessarily slow, for the troops +of horsemen were obliged to regulate their speed by the movement of +the wagons, which, on account of the heavy burdens that they +contained, and the want of finished roads, was necessarily slow.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Meeting of the two armies.<br />The battle.<br />Vang Khan defeated.<br />His flight.</div> + +<p>The two armies met upon a plain between two rivers, and a most +desperate and bloody battle ensued. Karasher, Temujin's former tutor, +led one of the divisions of Temujin's army, and was opposed by Yemuka, +who headed the wing of Vang Khan's army which confronted his division. +The other wings attacked each other, too, in the most furious manner, +and for three hours it was doubtful which party would be successful. +At length Temujin, who had all this time remained in the background +with his reserve, saw that the favorable moment had arrived for him to +intervene, and he gave the order for his guards to charge, which they +did with such impetuosity as to carry all before them. One after +another of Vang Khan's squadrons was overpowered, thrown into +confusion, and driven from the field. It was not long before Vang Khan +saw that all was lost. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>He gave up the contest and fled. A small troop +of horsemen, consisting of his immediate attendants and guards, went +with him. At first the fugitives took the road toward Karakorom. They +were, however, so hotly pursued that they were obliged to turn off in +another direction, and, finally, Vang Khan resolved to fly from his +own country altogether, and appeal for protection to a certain +chieftain, named Tayian Khan, who ruled over a great horde called the +Naymans, one of the most powerful tribes in the country of Karakatay. +This Tayian was the father of Temujin's first wife, the young princess +to whom he was married during the lifetime of his father, when he was +only about fourteen years old.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His relations with the Naymans.</div> + +<p>It was thought strange that Vang Khan should thus seek refuge among +the Naymans, for he had not, for some time past, been on friendly +terms either with Tayian, the khan, or with the tribe. There were, in +particular, a considerable number of the subordinate chieftains who +cherished a deep-seated resentment against him for injuries which he +had inflicted upon them and upon their country in former wars. But all +these Tartar tribes entertained very high ideas of the obligations of +hospitality, and Vang Khan thought that when the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span>Naymans saw him +coming among them, a fugitive and in distress, they would lay aside +their animosity, and give him a kind reception.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Debates among the Naymans.</div> + +<p>Indeed, Tayian himself, on whom, as the head of the tribe, the chief +discredit would attach of any evil befalling a visitor and a guest who +had come in his distress to seek hospitality, was inclined, at first, +to receive his enemy kindly, and to offer him a refuge. He debated the +matter with the other chieftains after Vang Khan had entered his +dominions and was approaching his camp; but they were extremely +unwilling that any mercy should be shown to their fallen enemy. They +represented to Tayian how great an enemy he had always been to them. +They exaggerated the injuries which he had done them, and represented +them in their worst light. They said, moreover, that, by harboring +Vang Khan, they should only involve themselves in a war with Temujin, +who would undoubtedly follow his enemy into their country, and would +greatly resent any attempt on their part to protect him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Tayian.</div> + +<p>These considerations had great effect on the mind of Tayian, but still +he could not bring himself to give his formal consent to any act of +hostility against Vang Khan. So the other chieftains held a council +among themselves to <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>consider what they should do. They resolved to +take upon themselves the responsibility of slaying Vang Khan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Plan of the chieftains.</div> + +<p>"We can not induce Tayian openly to authorize it," they said, "but he +secretly desires it, and he will be glad when it is done."</p> + +<p>Tayian knew very well what course things were taking, though he +pretended not to know, and so allowed the other chiefs to go on in +their own way.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Vang Khan beheaded.</div> + +<p>They accordingly fitted out a troop, and two of the chieftains—the +two who felt the most bitter and determined hatred against Vang +Khan—placing themselves at the head of it, set off to intercept him. +He had lingered on the way, it seems, after entering the Nayman +territory, in order to learn, before he advanced too far, what +reception he was likely to meet with. The troop of Naymans came +suddenly upon him in his encampment, slew all his attendants, and, +seizing Vang Khan, they cut off his head. They left the body where it +lay, and carried off the head to show it to Tayian.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Tayian's deceit.</div> + +<p>Tayian was secretly pleased, and he could not quite conceal the +gratification which the death of his old enemy afforded him. He even +addressed the head in words of scorn and spite, which revealed the +exultation that he felt at <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>the downfall of his rival. Then, however, +checking himself, he blamed the chieftains for killing him.</p> + +<p>"Considering his venerable age," said he, "and his past greatness and +renown as a prince and commander, you would have done much better to +have acted as his guards than as his executioners."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Disposal made of his head.</div> + +<p>Tayian ordered the head to be treated with the utmost respect. After +properly preparing it, by some process of drying and preserving, he +caused it to be inclosed in a case of silver, and set in a place of +honor.</p> + +<p>While the preparations for this sort of entombment were making, the +head was an object of a very solemn and mysterious interest for all +the horde. They said that the tongue thrust itself several times out +of the mouth, and the soothsayers, who watched the changes with great +attention, drew from them important presages in respect to the coming +events of the war. These presages were strongly in favor of the +increasing prosperity and power of Temujin.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Sankum slain.</div> + +<p>Sankum, the son of Vang Khan, was killed in the battle, but Yemuka +escaped.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_X" id="Chapter_X"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter X.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Death of Yemuka.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1202-1203</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The victory complete.<br />Exaggeration.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">I</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">n</span> the mean time, while these events had been occurring in the country +of the Naymans, whither Vang Khan had fled, Temujin was carrying all +before him in the country of Vang Khan. His victory in the battle was +complete; and it must have been a very great battle, if any reliance +is to be placed on the accounts given of the number slain, which it +was said amounted to forty thousand. These numbers are, however, +greatly exaggerated. And then, besides, the number slain in such +barbarian conflicts was always much greater, in proportion to the +numbers engaged, than it is in the better-regulated warfare of +civilized nations in modern times.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The plunder.</div> + +<p>At all events, Temujin gained a very grand and decisive victory. He +took a great many prisoners and a great deal of plunder. All those +trains of wagons fell into his hands, and the contents of many of them +were extremely valuable. He took also a great number of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>horses. Most +of these were horses that had belonged to the men who were killed or +who had been made prisoners. All the best troops that remained of Vang +Khan's army after the battle also went over to his side. They +considered that Vang Khan's power was now entirely overthrown, and +that thenceforth Temujin would be the acknowledged ruler of the whole +country. They were accordingly ready at once to transfer their +allegiance to him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great accession.<br />The khans submit.<br />Sankum and Yemuka.</div> + +<p>Very soon Temujin received the news of Vang Khan's death from his +father-in-law Tayian, and then proceeded with more vigor than before +to take possession of all his dominions. The khans who had formerly +served under Vang Khan sent in their adhesion to him one after +another. They not only knew that all farther resistance would be +useless, but they were, in fact, well pleased to transfer their +allegiance to their old friend and favorite. Temujin made a sort of +triumphal march through the country, being received every where with +rejoicings and acclamations of welcome. His old enemies, Sankum and +Yemuka, had disappeared. Yemuka, who had been, after all, the leading +spirit in the opposition to Temujin, still held a body of armed men +together, consisting of all the troops that he had been able <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span>to rally +after the battle, but it was not known exactly where he had gone.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Hakembu and his daughter.</div> + +<p>The other relatives and friends of Vang Khan went over to Temujin's +side without any delay. Indeed, they vied with each other to see who +should most recommend themselves to his favor. A brother of Vang Khan, +who was an influential and powerful chieftain, came among the rest to +tender his services, and, by way of a present to conciliate Temujin's +good will, he brought him his daughter, whom he offered to Temujin as +an addition to the number of his wives.</p> + +<p>Temujin received the brother very kindly. He accepted the present +which he brought him of his daughter, but, as he had already plenty of +wives, and as one of his principal officers, the captain of his +guards, seemed to take a special fancy to her, he very generously, as +was thought, passed over the young lady to him. Of course, the young +lady herself had nothing to say in the case. She was obliged to +acquiesce submissively in any arrangement which her father and the +other khans thought proper to make in respect to the disposal of her.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Hakembu's fears.</div> + +<p>The name of the prince her father was Hakembu. He came into Temujin's +camp with many misgivings, fearing that, as he was a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span>brother of Vang +Khan, Temujin might feel a special resentment against him, and, +perhaps, refuse to accept his submission and his proffered presents. +When, therefore, he found how kindly he was received, his mind was +greatly relieved, and he asked Temujin to appoint him to some command +in his army.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's gratitude.<br />His reply.</div> + +<p>Temujin replied that he would do it with great pleasure, and the more +readily because it was the brother of Vang Khan who asked it. +"Indeed," said he to Hakembu, "I owe you all the kind treatment in my +power for your brother's sake, in return for the succor and protection +for which I was indebted to him, in my misfortunes, in former times, +when he received me, a fugitive and an exile, at his court, and +bestowed upon me so many favors. I have never forgotten, and never +shall forget, the great obligations I am under to him; and although in +later years he turned against me, still I have never blamed either him +or his son Sankum for this, but have constantly attributed it to the +false representations and evil influence of Yemuka, who has always +been my implacable enemy. I do not, therefore, feel any resentment +against Vang Khan for having thus turned against me, nor do I any the +less respect his memory on that account; and I am <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>very glad that an +opportunity now occurs for me to make, through you, his brother, some +small acknowledgment of the debt of gratitude which I owe him."</p> + +<p>So Temujin gave Hakembu an honorable post in his army, and treated him +in all respects with great consideration. If he acted usually in this +generous manner, it is not at all surprising that he acquired that +boundless influence over the minds of his followers which aided him so +essentially in attaining his subsequent greatness and renown.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Yemuka makes his escape.<br />Arrives in Tayian's dominions.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, although Sankum was killed, Yemuka had succeeded in +making his escape, and, after meeting with various adventures, he +finally reached the country of Tayian. He led with him there all that +portion of Vang Khan's army that had saved themselves from being +killed or made prisoners, and also a great number of officers. These +broken troops Yemuka had reorganized, as well as he could, by +collecting the scattered remnants and rearranging the broken +squadrons, and in this manner, accompanied by such of the sick and +wounded as were able to ride, had arrived in Tayian's dominions. He +was known to be a general of great abilities, and he was very +favorably received in Tayian's court. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>Indeed, Tayian, having heard +rumors of the rapid manner in which Temujin was extending his +conquests and his power, began to be somewhat jealous of him, and to +think that it was time for him to take measures to prevent this +aggrandizement of his son-in-law from going too far.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Tayian's conversations with Yemuka.</div> + +<p>Of course, Tayian held a great many conversations with Yemuka in +respect to Temujin's character and schemes. These Yemuka took care to +represent in the most unfavorable light, in order to increase as much +as possible Tayian's feelings of suspicion and jealousy. He +represented Temujin as a very ambitious man, full of schemes for his +own aggrandizement, and without any sentiments of gratitude or of +honor to restrain him in the execution of them. He threw wholly upon +him the responsibility of the war with Vang Khan. It grew, he said, +out of plots which Temujin had formed to destroy both Vang Khan and +his son, notwithstanding the great obligations he had been under to +them for their kindness to him in his misfortunes. Yemuka urged Tayian +also to arouse himself, before it was too late, to guard himself from +the danger.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Yemuka's representations of Temujin's character.</div> + +<p>"He is your son, it is true," said he, "and he professes to be your +friend, but he is so treacherous <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>and unprincipled that you can place +no reliance upon him whatever, and, notwithstanding all your past +kindness to him, and the tie of relationship which ought to bind him +to you, he will as readily form plans to compass your destruction as +he would that of any other man the moment he imagines that you stand +in the way of the accomplishment of his ambitious schemes."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Plots formed.</div> + +<p>These representations, acting upon Tayian's natural apprehensions and +fears, produced a very sensible effect, and at length Tayian was +induced to take some measures for defending himself from the +threatened danger. So he opened negotiations with the khans of various +tribes which he thought likely to join him, and soon formed quite a +powerful league of the enemies of Temujin, and of all who were willing +to join in an attempt to restrict his power.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Alakus.</div> + +<p>These steps were all taken with great secrecy, for Yemuka and Tayian +were very desirous that Temujin should know nothing of the league +which they were forming against him until their arrangements were +fully matured, and they were ready for action. They did not, however, +succeed in keeping the secret as long as they intended. They were +generally careful <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>not to propose to any khan or chieftain to join +them in their league until they had first fully ascertained that he +was favorable to the object of it. But, growing less cautious as they +went on, they at last made a mistake. Tayian sent proposals to a +certain prince or khan, named Alakus, inviting him to join the league. +These proposals were contained in a letter which was sent by a special +messenger. The letter specified all the particulars of the league, +with a statement of the plans which the allies were intending to +pursue, and an enumeration of the principal khans or tribes that were +already engaged.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The plots revealed to Temujin.<br />He is deceived.</div> + +<p>Now it happened that this Alakus, who reigned over a nation of +numerous and powerful tribes on the confines of China, was, for some +reason or other, inclined to take Temujin's side in the quarrel. So he +detained the messenger who brought the letter as a prisoner, and sent +the letter itself, containing all the particulars of the conspiracy, +at once to Temujin. Temujin was greatly surprised at receiving the +intelligence, for, up to that moment, he had considered his +father-in-law Tayian as one of his best and most trustworthy friends. +He immediately called a grand council of war to consider what was to +be done.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">The young Prince Jughi.</div> + +<p>Temujin had a son named Jughi, who had now grown up to be a young man. +Jughi's father thought it was now time for his son to begin to take +his place and act his part among the other princes and chieftains of +his court, and he accordingly gave him a seat at this council, and +thus publicly recognized him, for the first time, as one of the chief +personages of the state.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Council of war.</div> + +<p>The council, after hearing a statement of the case in respect to the +league which Tayian and the others were forming, were strongly +inclined to combine their forces and march at once to attack the enemy +before their plans should be more fully matured. But there was a +difficulty in respect to horses. The horses of the different hordes +that belonged to Temujin's army had become so much exhausted by the +long marches and other fatigues that they had undergone in the late +campaigns, that they would not be in a fit condition to commence a new +expedition until they had had some time to rest and recruit. But a +certain khan, named Bulay, an uncle of Temujin's, at once removed this +objection by offering to furnish a full supply of fresh horses for the +whole army from his own herds. This circumstance shows on what an +immense scale the pastoral occupations <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>of the great Asiatic +chieftains were conducted in those days.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Yemuka and Tayian.</div> + +<p>Temujin accepted this offer on the part of his uncle, and preparations +were immediately made for the marching of the expedition. As soon as +the news of these preparations reached Yemuka, he urged Tayian to +assemble the allied troops immediately, and go out to meet Temujin and +his army before they should cross the frontier.</p> + +<p>"It is better," said he, addressing Tayian, "that you should meet and +fight him on his own ground, rather than to wait until he has crossed +the frontier and commenced his ravages in yours."</p> + +<p>"No," said Tayian, in reply, "it is better to wait. The farther he +advances on his march, the more his horses and his men will be spent +with fatigue, the scantier will be their supplies, and the more +difficult will he find it to effect his retreat after we shall have +gained a victory over him in battle."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin crosses the frontier.</div> + +<p>So Tayian, though he began to assemble his forces, did not advance; +and when Temujin, at the head of his host, reached the Nayman +frontier—for the country over which Tayian reigned was called the +country of the Naymans—he was surprised to find no enemy there to +defend <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>it. He was the more surprised at this from the circumstance +that the frontier, being formed by a river, might have been very +easily defended. But when he arrived at the bank of the river the way +was clear. He immediately crossed the stream with all his forces, and +then marched on into the Nayman territory.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His advance.</div> + +<p>Temujin took good care, as he advanced, to guard against the danger +into which Tayian had predicted that he would fall—that of exhausting +the strength of his men and of his animals, and also his stores of +food. He took good care to provide and to take with him abundant +supplies, and also to advance so carefully and by such easy stages as +to keep both the men and the horses fresh and in full strength all the +way. In this order and condition he at last arrived at the spot where +Tayian had formed his camp and assembled his armies.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Preparations for battle.<br />Kushluk and Jughi.</div> + +<p>Both sides immediately marshaled their troops in order of battle. +Yemuka was chief in command on Tayian's side. He was assisted by a +young prince, the son of Tayian, whose name was Kushluk. On the other +hand, Jughi, the young son of Temujin, who had been brought forward at +the council, was appointed to a very prominent position on his +father's side. Indeed, these two young princes, who <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>were animated by +an intense feeling of rivalry and emulation toward each other, were +appointed to lead the van on their respective sides in commencing the +battle; Jughi advancing first to the attack, and being met by Kushluk, +to whom was committed the charge of repelling him. The two princes +fought throughout the battle with the utmost bravery, and both of them +acquired great renown.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great battle.<br />Temujin again victorious.<br />Tayian killed.</div> + +<p>The battle was commenced early in the morning and continued all day. +In the end, Temujin was completely victorious. Tayian was mortally +wounded early in the day. He was immediately taken off the field, and +every possible effort was made to save his life, but he soon ceased to +breathe. His son, the Prince Kushluk, fought valiantly during the +whole day, but toward night, finding that all was lost, he fled, +taking with him as many of the troops as he could succeed in getting +together in the confusion, and at the head of this band made the best +of his way into the dominions of one of his uncles, his father's +brother, where he hoped to find a temporary shelter until he should +have time to determine what was to be done.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Yemuka is beheaded.</div> + +<p>As for Yemuka, after fighting with desperate fury all day, he was at +last, toward night, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>surrounded and overpowered, and so made prisoner. +Temujin ordered his head to be cut off immediately after the battle +was over. He considered him, not as an honorable and open foe, but +rather as a rebel and traitor, and, consequently, undeserving of any +mercy.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XI" id="Chapter_XI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XI.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Establishment of the Empire.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1203</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Plans for the formation of a government.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">here</span> was now a vast extent of country, comprising a very large +portion of the interior of the Asiatic Continent, and, indeed, an +immense number of wealthy, powerful hordes, under Temujin's dominion, +and he at once resolved to consolidate his dominion by organizing a +regular imperial government over the whole. There were a few more +battles to be fought in order to subdue certain khans who still +resisted, and some cities to be taken. But these victories were soon +obtained, and, in a very short time after the great battle with +Tayian, Temujin found himself the undisputed master of what to him was +almost the whole known world. All open opposition to his rule had +wholly disappeared, and nothing now remained for him to do but to +perfect the organization of his army, to enact his code of laws, to +determine upon his capital, and to inaugurate generally a system of +civil government such as is required for the management of the +internal affairs of a great empire.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">His court at Karakorom.<br />Embassadors.</div> + +<p>Temujin determined upon making Karakorom his capital. He accordingly +proceeded to that city at the head of his troops, and entered it in +great state. Here he established a very brilliant court, and during +all the following winter, while he was occupied with the preliminary +arrangements for the organization and consolidation of his empire, +there came to him there a continual succession of embassadors from the +various nations and tribes of Central Asia to congratulate him on his +victories, and to offer the allegiance or the alliance of the khans +which they respectively represented. These embassadors all came +attended by troops of horsemen splendidly dressed and fully armed, and +the gayety and magnificence of the scenes which were witnessed in +Karakorom during the winter surpassed all that had ever been seen +there before.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin forms a constitution.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, while the attention of the masses of the people was +occupied and amused by these parades, Temujin was revolving in his +mind the form of constitution which he should establish for his +empire, and the system of laws by which his people should be governed. +He conferred privately with some of his ablest counselors on this +subject, and caused a system of government and a code of laws to be +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>drawn up by secretaries. The details of these proposed enactments +were discussed in the privy council, and, when the whole had been well +digested and matured, Temujin, early in the spring, sent out a +summons, calling upon all the great princes and khans throughout his +dominions to assemble at an appointed day, in order that he might lay +his proposed system before them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Election of khans.</div> + +<p>Temujin determined to make his government a sort of elective monarchy. +The grand khan was to be chosen by the votes of all the other khans, +who were to be assembled in a general convocation for this purpose +whenever a new khan was to be installed. Any person who should cause +himself to be proclaimed grand khan, or who should in any other way +attempt to assume the supreme authority without having been duly +elected by the other khans, was to suffer death.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Division of the country.</div> + +<p>The country was divided into provinces, over each of which a +subordinate khan ruled as governor. These governors were, however, to +be strictly responsible to the grand khan. Whenever summoned by the +grand khan they were required to repair at once to the capital, there +to render an account of their administration, and to answer any +charges which had been <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span>made against them. Whenever any serious case +of disobedience or maladministration was proved against them they were +to suffer death.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Organization of the army.<br />Arms and ammunition.</div> + +<p>Temujin remodeled and reorganized the army on the same or similar +principles. The men were divided into companies of about one hundred +men each, and every ten of these companies was formed into a regiment, +which, of course, contained about a thousand men. The regiments were +formed into larger bodies of about ten thousand each. Officers were +appointed, of all the various necessary grades, to command these +troops, and arrangements were made for having supplies of arms and +ammunition provided and stored in magazines under the care of the +officers, ready to be distributed to the men whenever they should +require.</p> + +<p>Temujin also made provision for the building of cities and palaces, +the making of roads, and the construction of fortifications, by +ordaining that all the people should work one day in every week on +these public works whenever required.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Hunting.</div> + +<p>Although the country over which this new government was to be +established was now at peace, Temujin was very desirous that the +people should not lose the martial spirit which had <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>thus far +characterized them. He made laws to encourage and regulate hunting, +especially the hunting of wild beasts among the mountains; and +subsequently he organized many hunting excursions himself, in +connection with the lords of his court and the other great chieftains, +in order to awaken an interest in the dangers and excitements of the +chase among all the khans. He also often employed bodies of troops in +these expeditions, which he considered as a sort of substitute for +war.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Slaves.</div> + +<p>He required that none of the natives of the country should be employed +as servants, or allowed to perform any menial duties whatever. For +these purposes the people were required to depend on captives taken in +war and enslaved. One reason why he made this rule was to stimulate +the people on the frontiers to make hostile excursions among their +neighbors, in order to supply themselves and the country generally +with slaves.</p> + +<p>The right of property in the slaves thus taken was very strictly +guarded, and very severe laws were made to enforce it. It was +forbidden, on pain of death, to harbor a slave, or give him meat or +drink, clothing or shelter, without permission from his master. The +penalty was death, too, if a person meeting a fugitive slave +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>neglected to seize and secure him, and deliver him to his master.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Polygamy and slavery.<br />Concubines.</div> + +<p>Every man could marry as many wives as he pleased, and his female +slaves were all, by law, entirely at his disposal to be made +concubines.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Posthumous marriages.</div> + +<p>There was one very curious arrangement, which grew out of the great +importance which, as we have already seen, was attached to the ties of +relationship and family connection among these pastoral nations. Two +families could bind themselves together and make themselves legally +one, in respect to their connection, by a fictitious marriage arranged +between children no longer living. In such a case the contracts were +regularly made, just as if the children were still alive, and the +ceremonies were all duly performed. After this the two families were +held to be legally allied, and they were bound to each other by all +the obligations which would have arisen in the case of a real +marriage. This custom is said to be continued among some of the Tartar +nations to the present day. The people think, it is said, that such a +wedding ceremony, duly solemnized by the parents of children who are +dead, takes effect upon the subjects of it in the world of spirits, +and that thus their union, though arranged and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>consecrated on earth, +is confirmed and consummated in heaven.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Punishment for theft.</div> + +<p>Besides these peculiar and special enactments, there were the ordinary +laws against robbery, theft, murder, adultery, and false witness. The +penalties for these offenses were generally severe. The punishment for +stealing cattle was death. For petty thefts the criminal was to be +beaten with a stick, the number of the blows being proportioned to the +nature and aggravation of the offense. He could, however, if he had +the means, buy himself off from this punishment by paying nine times +the value of the thing stolen.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Religion.<br />Freedom of choice.</div> + +<p>In respect to religion, the constitution which Temujin made declared +that there was but one God, the creator of heaven and earth, and it +acknowledged him as the supreme ruler and governor of all mankind, the +being "who alone gives life and death, riches and poverty, who grants +and denies whatever he pleases, and exercises over all things an +absolute power." This one fundamental article of faith was all that +was required. For the rest, Temujin left the various nations and +tribes throughout his dominions to adopt such modes of worship and to +celebrate such religious rites as they severally preferred, and +forbade that any one should <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>be disturbed or molested in any way on +account of his religion, whatever form it might assume.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Assembly of the khans.<br />Dilon Ildak.</div> + +<p>At length the time arrived for the grand assembly of the khans to be +convened. The meeting was called, not at Karakorom, the capital, but +at a central spot in the interior of the country, called Dilon Ildak. +Such a spot was much more convenient than any town or city would have +been for the place of meeting, on account of the great troops of +horses and the herds of animals by which the khans were always +accompanied in all their expeditions, and which made it necessary +that, whenever any considerable number of them were to be convened, +the place chosen should be suitable for a grand encampment, with +extensive and fertile pasture-grounds extending all around.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Their encampment.<br />Tents and herds of cattle.</div> + +<p>As the several khans came in, each at the head of his own troop of +retainers and followers, they severally chose their ground, pitched +their tents, and turned their herds of horses, sheep, and oxen out to +pasture on the plains. Thus, in the course of a few days, the whole +country in every direction became dotted with villages of tents, among +which groups of horsemen were now and then to be seen galloping to and +fro, and small herds of cattle, each under <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>the care of herdsmen and +slaves, moved slowly, cropping the grass as they advanced along the +hill-sides and through the valleys.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin's address.</div> + +<p>At length, when all had assembled, a spot was selected in the centre +of the encampment for the performance of the ceremonies. A raised seat +was prepared for Temujin in a situation suitable to enable him to +address the assembly from it.<a name="FNanchor_C_3" id="FNanchor_C_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_C_3" class="fnanchor">[C]</a> Before and around this the various +khans and their attendants and followers gathered, and Temujin made +them an oration, in which he explained the circumstances under which +they had come together, and announced to them his plans and intentions +in respect to the future. He stated to them that, in consequence of +the victories which he had gained through their co-operation and +assistance, the foundation of a great empire had been laid, and that +he had now called them together in order that they might join with him +in organizing the requisite government for such a dominion, and in +electing a prince or sovereign to rule over it. He called upon them +first to proceed to the election of this ruler.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin is elected grand khan.</div> + +<p>The khans accordingly proceeded to the election. This was, in fact, +only a form, for Temujin himself was, of course, to be chosen. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span>The +election was, however, made, and one of the oldest and most venerable +of the khans was commissioned to announce the result. He came forward +with great solemnity, and, in the presence of the whole assembly, +declared that the choice had fallen upon Temujin. He then made an +address to Temujin himself, who was seated during this part of the +ceremony upon a carpet of black felt spread upon the ground. In the +address the khan reminded Temujin that the exalted authority with +which he was now invested came from God, and that to God he was +responsible for the right exercise of his power. If he governed his +subjects well, God, he said, would render his reign prosperous and +happy; but if, on the other hand, he abused his power, he would come +to a miserable end.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">He is enthroned and honored.</div> + +<p>After the conclusion of the address, seven of the khans, who had been +designated for this purpose, came and lifted Temujin up and bore him +away to a throne which had been set up for him in the midst of the +assembly, where all the khans, and their various bodies of attendants, +came and offered him their homage.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The old prophet Kokza.<br />Probably insane.</div> + +<p>Among others there came a certain old prophet, named Kokza, who was +held in great veneration by all the people on account of his supposed +inspiration and the austere life which <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span>he led. He used to go very +thinly clad, and with his feet bare summer and winter, and it was +supposed that his power of enduring the exposures to which he was thus +subject was something miraculous and divine. He had received +accordingly from the people a name which signified <i>the image of God</i>, +and he was every where looked upon as inspired. He said, moreover, +that a white horse came to him from time to time and carried him up to +heaven, where he conversed face to face with God, and received the +revelations which he was commissioned to make to men. All this the +people fully believed. The man may have been an impostor, or he may +have been insane. Oftentimes, in such cases, the inspiration which the +person supposes he is the subject of arises from a certain spiritual +exaltation, which, though it does not wholly unfit him for the +ordinary avocations and duties of life, still verges upon insanity, +and often finally lapses into it entirely.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His predictions.<br />The title Genghis Khan.</div> + +<p>This old prophet advanced toward Temujin while he was seated on his +carpet of felt, and made a solemn address to him in the hearing of all +the assembled khans. He was charged, he said, with a message from +heaven in respect to the kingdom and dominion of Temujin, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span>which had +been, he declared, ordained of God, and had now been established in +fulfillment of the Divine will. He was commissioned, moreover, he +said, to give to Temujin the style and title of Genghis Khan,<a name="FNanchor_D_4" id="FNanchor_D_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_D_4" class="fnanchor">[D]</a> and +to declare that his kingdom should not only endure while he lived, but +should descend to his posterity, from generation to generation, to the +remotest times.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Homage of the khans.</div> + +<p>The people, on hearing this address, at once adopted the name which +the prophet had given to their new ruler, and saluted Temujin with it +in long and loud acclamations. It was thus that our hero received the +name of Genghis Khan, which soon extended its fame through every part +of Asia, and has since become so greatly renowned through all the +world.</p> + +<hr class="medium" /> + +<p>Temujin, or Genghis Khan, as we must now henceforth call him, having +thus been proclaimed by the acclamations of the people under the new +title with which the old prophet had invested him, sat upon his throne +while his subjects came to render him their homage. First the khans +themselves came up, and kneeled nine times before him, in token of +their absolute and complete submission to his authority. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span>After they +had retired the people themselves came, and made their obeisance in +the same manner. As they rose from their knees after the last +prostration, they made the air resound once more with their shouts, +crying "Long live great Genghis Khan!" in repeated and prolonged +acclamations.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Inaugural address.</div> + +<p>After this the new emperor made what might be called his inaugural +address. The khans and their followers gathered once more before his +throne while he delivered an oration to them, in which he thanked them +for the honor which they had done him in raising him to the supreme +power, and announced to them the principles by which he should be +guided in the government of his empire. He promised to be just in his +dealings with his subjects, and also to be merciful. He would defend +them, he said, against all their enemies. He would do every thing in +his power to promote their comfort and happiness. He would lead them +to honor and glory, and would make their names known throughout the +earth. He would deal impartially, too, with all the different tribes +and hordes, and would treat the Monguls and the Tartars, the two great +classes of his subjects, with equal favor.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Rejoicings.<br />Departure of the khans.</div> + +<p>When the speech was concluded Genghis <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span>Khan distributed presents to +all the subordinate khans, both great and small. He also made +magnificent entertainments, which were continued for several days. +After thus spending some time in feasting and rejoicings, the khans +one after another took their leave of the emperor, the great +encampment was broken up, and the different tribes set out on their +return to their several homes.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XII" id="Chapter_XII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Dominions of Genghis Khan.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1203</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Karakorom.<br />Insignificance of cities and towns.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">A</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">fter</span> the ceremonies of the inauguration were concluded, Genghis Khan +returned, with the officers of his court and his immediate followers, +to Karakorom. This town, though nominally the capital of the empire, +was, after all, quite an insignificant place. Indeed, but little +importance was attached to any villages or towns in those days, and +there were very few fixed places of residence that were of any +considerable account. The reason is, that towns are the seats of +commerce and manufactures, and they derive their chief importance from +those pursuits; whereas the Monguls and Tartars led almost exclusively +a wandering and pastoral life, and all their ideas of wealth and +grandeur were associated with great flocks and herds of cattle, and +handsome tents, and long trains of wagons loaded with stores of +clothing, arms, and other movables, and vast encampments in the +neighborhood of rich and extended pasture-grounds. Those who lived +permanently <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>in fixed houses they looked down upon as an inferior +class, confined to one spot by their poverty or their toil, while they +themselves could roam at liberty with their flocks and herds over the +plains, riding fleet horses or dromedaries, and encamping where they +pleased in the green valleys or on the banks of the meandering +streams.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Account of Karakorom.<br />The buildings.</div> + +<p>Karakorom was accordingly by no means a great and splendid city. It +was surrounded by what was called a mud wall—that is, a wall made of +blocks of clay dried in the sun. The houses of the inhabitants were +mere hovels, and even the palace of the king, and all the other public +buildings, were of very frail construction; for all the architecture +of the Monguls in those days took its character from the tent, which +was the type and model, so to speak, of all other buildings.</p> + +<p>The new emperor, however, did not spend a great deal of his time at +Karakorom. He was occupied for some years in making excursions at the +head of his troops to various parts of his dominions, for the purpose +of putting down insurrections, overawing discontented and +insubordinate khans, and settling disputes of various kinds arising +between the different hordes. In these expeditions he was accustomed +to move <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>by easy marches across the plains at the head of his army, +and sometimes would establish himself in a sort of permanent camp, +where he would remain, perhaps, as in a fixed residence, for weeks or +months at a time.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The grand encampments.</div> + +<p>Not only Genghis Khan himself, but many of the other great chieftains, +were accustomed to live in this manner, and one of their encampments, +if we could have seen it, would have been regarded by us as a great +curiosity. The ground was regularly laid out, like a town, into +quarters, squares, and streets, and the space which it covered was +sometimes so large as to extend nearly a mile in each direction. The +tent of the khan himself was in the centre. A space was reserved for +it there large enough not only for the grand tent itself, but also for +the rows of smaller tents near, for the wives and for other women +belonging to the khan's family, and also for the rows of carts or +wagons containing the stores of provisions, the supplies of clothing +and arms, and the other valuables which these wandering chieftains +always took with them in all their peregrinations.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Construction of the tents.</div> + +<p>The tent of the khan in summer was made of a sort of calico, and in +winter of felt, which was much warmer. It was raised very high, so as +to be seen above all the rest of the encampment, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>and it was painted +in gay colors, and adorned with other barbaric decorations.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Dwellings of the women.</div> + +<p>The dwellings in which the women were lodged, which were around or +near the great tent, were sometimes tents, and sometimes little huts +made of wood. When they were of wood they were made very light, and +were constructed in such a manner that they could be taken to pieces +at the shortest notice, and packed on carts or wagons, in order to be +transported to the next place of encampment, whenever, for any reason, +it became necessary for their lord and master to remove his domicil to +a different ground.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Mountains and wild beasts.<br />Hunting.</div> + +<p>A large portion of the country which was included within the limits of +Genghis Khan's dominions was fertile ground, which produced abundance +of grass for the pasturage of the flocks and herds, and many springs +and streams of water. There were, however, several districts of +mountainous country, which were the refuge of tigers, leopards, +wolves, and other ferocious beasts of prey. It was among these +mountains that the great hunting parties which Genghis Khan organized +from time to time went in search of their game. There was a great +officer of the kingdom, called the grand huntsman, who had the +superintendence and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>charge of every thing relating to hunting and to +game throughout the empire. The grand huntsman was an officer of the +very highest rank. He even took precedence of the first ministers of +state. Genghis Khan appointed his son Jughi, who has already been +mentioned in connection with the great council of war called by his +father, and with the battle which was subsequently fought, and in +which he gained great renown, to the office of grand huntsman, and, at +the same time, made two of the older and more experienced khans his +ministers of state.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The danger of hunting in those days.</div> + +<p>The hunting of wild beasts as ferocious as those that infested the +mountains of Asia is a very dangerous amusement even at the present +day, notwithstanding the advantage which the huntsman derives from the +use of gunpowder, and rifled barrels, and fulminating bullets. But in +those days, when the huntsman had no better weapons than bows and +arrows, javelins, and spears, the undertaking was dangerous in the +extreme. An African lion of full size used to be considered as a match +for <i>forty</i> men in the days when only ordinary weapons were used +against him, and it was considered almost hopeless to attack him with +less than that number. And even with that number to waylay <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>and assail +him he was not usually conquered until he had killed or disabled two +or three of his foes.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Modern weapons.<br />Carabines.<br />Fulminating balls.</div> + +<p>Now, however, with the terrible artillery invented in modern times, a +single man, if he has the requisite courage, coolness, and steadiness +of nerve, is a match for such a lion. The weapon used is a +double-barreled carabine, both barrels being <i>rifled</i>, that is, +provided with spiral grooves within, that operate to give the bullets +a rotary motion as they issue from the muzzle, by which they bore +their way through the air, as it were, to their destination, with a +surprising directness and precision. The bullets discharged by these +carabines are not balls, but cylinders, pointed with a cone at the +forward end. They are hollow, and are filled with a fulminating +composition which is capable of exploding with a force vastly greater +than that of gunpowder. The conical point at the end is made separate +from the body of the cylinder, and slides into it by a sort of shank, +which, when the bullet strikes the body of the lion or other wild +beast, acts like a sort of percussion cap to explode the fulminating +powder, and thus the instant that the missile enters the animal's body +it bursts with a terrible explosion, and scatters the iron fragments +of the cylinder <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span>among his vitals. Thus, while an ordinary musket ball +might lodge in his flesh, or even pass entirely through some parts of +his body, without producing any other effect than to arouse him to a +phrensy, and redouble the force with which he would spring upon his +foe, the bursting of one of these fulminating bullets almost any where +within his body brings him down in an instant, and leaves him writhing +and rolling upon the ground in the agonies of death.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Devisme's establishment in Paris.<br />Specimens.</div> + +<p>On the Boulevard des Italiens, in Paris, is the manufactory of +Devisme, who makes these carabines for the lion-hunters of Algiers. +Promenaders, in passing by his windows, stop to look at specimens of +these bullets exhibited there. They are of various sizes, adapted to +barrels of different bores. Some are entire; others are rent and torn +in pieces, having been fired into a bank of earth, that they might +burst there as they would do in the body of a wild beast, and then be +recovered and preserved to show the effect of the explosion.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great danger.</div> + +<p>Even with such terrible weapons as these, it requires at the present +day great courage, great coolness, and very extraordinary steadiness +of nerve to face a lion or a tiger in his mountain fastness, with any +hope of coming off victorious in the contest. But the danger was, of +course, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>infinitely greater in the days of Genghis Khan, when pikes +and spears, and bows and arrows, were the only weapons with which the +body of huntsmen could arm themselves for the combat. Indeed, in those +days wild beasts were even in some respects more formidable enemies +than men. For men, however excited by angry passions, are, in some +degree, under the influence of fear. They will not rush headlong upon +absolute and certain destruction, but may be driven back by a mere +display of force, if it is obvious that it is a force which they are +wholly incapable of resisting. Thus a party of men, however desperate, +may be attacked without much danger to the assailants, provided that +the force which the assailants bring against them is overwhelming.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Wild beasts more formidable than men.</div> + +<p>But it is not so with wild beasts. A lion, a tiger, or a panther, once +aroused, is wholly insensible to fear. He will rush headlong upon his +foes, however numerous they may be, and however formidably armed. He +makes his own destruction sure, it is true, but, at the same time, he +renders almost inevitable the destruction of some one or more of his +enemies, and, in going out to attack him, no one can be sure of not +becoming himself one of the victims of his fury.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Grand huntsman.</div> + +<p>Thus the hunting of wild beasts in the mountains was very dangerous +work, and it is not surprising that the office of grand huntsman was +one of great consideration and honor.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Timid animals.</div> + +<p>The hunting was, however, not all of the dangerous character above +described. Some animals are timid and inoffensive by nature, and +attempt to save themselves only by flight. Such animals as these were +to be pursued and overtaken by the superior speed of horses and dogs, +or to be circumvented by stratagem. There was a species of deer, in +certain parts of the Mongul country, that the huntsmen were accustomed +to take in this way, namely:</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Stratagems.<br />Mode of taking deer.</div> + +<p>The huntsmen, when they began to draw near to a place where a herd of +deer were feeding, would divide themselves into two parties. One party +would provide themselves with the antlers of stags, which they +arranged in such a manner that they could hold them up over their +heads in the thickets, as if real stags were there. The others, armed +with bows and arrows, javelins, spears, and other such weapons, would +place themselves in ambush near by. Those who had the antlers would +then make a sort of cry, imitating that uttered by the hinds. The +stags of the herd, hearing the cry, would immediately come toward the +spot. The men <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span>in the thicket then would raise the antlers and move +them about, so as to deceive the stags, and excite their feelings of +rivalry and ire, while those who were appointed to that office +continued to counterfeit the cry of the hind. The stags immediately +would begin to paw the ground and to prepare for a conflict, and then, +while their attention was thus wholly taken up by the tossing of the +false antlers in the thicket, the men in ambush would creep up as near +as they could, take good aim, and shoot their poor deluded victims +through the heart.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Training of the horses.</div> + +<p>Of course, it required a great deal of practice and much skill to +perform successfully such feats as these; and there were many other +branches of the huntsman's art, as practiced in those days, which +could only be acquired by a systematic and special course of training. +One of the most difficult things was to train the horses so that they +would advance to meet tigers and other wild beasts without fear. +Horses have naturally a strong and instinctive terror for such beasts, +and this terror it was very difficult to overcome. The Mongul +huntsmen, however, contrived means to inspire the horses with so much +courage in this respect that they would advance to the encounter of +these terrible foes with as much ardor as a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span>trained charger shows in +advancing to meet other horses and horsemen on the field of battle.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great desert.<br />Cold.</div> + +<p>Besides the mountainous regions above described, there were several +deserts in the country of the Monguls. The greatest of these deserts +extends through the very heart of Asia, and is one of the most +extensive districts of barren land in the world. Unlike most other +great deserts, however, the land is very elevated, and it is to this +elevation that its barrenness is, in a great measure, due. A large +part of this desert consists of rocks and barren sands, and, in the +time of which we are writing, was totally uninhabitable. It was so +cold, too, on account of the great elevation of the land, that it was +almost impossible to traverse it except in the warmest season of the +year.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Pasturage.</div> + +<p>Other parts of this district, which were not so elevated, and where +the land was not quite so barren, produced grass and herbage on which +the flocks and herds could feed, and thus, in certain seasons of the +year, people resorted to them for pasturage.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">No forests.<br />Burning the grass on the plains.</div> + +<p>Throughout the whole country there were no extensive forests. There +were a few tangled thickets among the mountains, where the wild beasts +concealed themselves and made <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span>their lairs, but this was all. One +reason why forests did not spring up was, as is supposed, the custom +of the people to burn over the plains every spring, as the Indians +were accustomed to do on the American prairies. In the spring the dead +grass of the preceding year lay dry and withered, and sometimes +closely matted together, on the ground, thus hindering, as the people +thought, the fresh grass from growing up. So the people were +accustomed, on some spring morning when there was a good breeze +blowing, to set it on fire. The fire would run rapidly over the +plains, burning up every thing in its way that was above the ground. +But the roots of the grass, being below, were safe from it. Very soon +afterward the new grass would spring up with great luxuriance. The +people thought that the rich verdure which the new grass displayed, +and its subsequent rapid growth, were owing simply to the fact that +the old dead grass was out of the way. It is now known, however, that +the burning of the old grass leaves an ash upon the ground which acts +powerfully as a fertilizer, and that the richness of the fresh +vegetation is due, in a great measure, to this cause.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The various tribes submit.</div> + +<p>Such was the country which was inhabited by the wandering pastoral +tribes that were now <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span>under the sway of Genghis Khan. His dominion had +no settled boundaries, for it was a dominion over certain tribes +rather than over a certain district of country. Nearly all the tribes +composing both the Mongul and the Tartar nations had now submitted to +him, though he still had some small wars to wage from time to time +with some of the more distant tribes before his authority was fully +and finally acknowledged. The history of some of these conflicts will +be narrated in the next chapter.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XIII" id="Chapter_XIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XIII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Adventures of Prince Kushluk.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1203-1208</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kushluk's escape.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">P</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">rince</span> Kushluk, as the reader will perhaps recollect, was the son of +Tayian, the khan of the Naymans, who organized the grand league of +khans against Temujin at the instigation of Yemuka, as related in a +preceding chapter. He was the young prince who was opposed to Jughi, +the son of Temujin, in the great final battle. The reader will +recollect that in that battle Tayian himself was slain, as was also +Yemuka, but the young prince succeeded in making his escape.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Tukta Bey.<br />Kashin.</div> + +<p>He was accompanied in his flight by a certain general or chieftain +named Tukta Bey. This Tukta Bey was the khan of a powerful tribe. The +name of the town or village which he considered his capital was +Kashin. It was situated toward the southwest, not far from the borders +of China. Tukta Bey, taking Kushluk with him, retreated to this place, +and there began to make preparations to collect a new army to act +against Temujin. I say Temujin, for <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>these circumstances took place +immediately after the battle, and before Temujin had received his new +title of Genghis Khan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin pursues Tukta Bey and Kushluk.</div> + +<p>Temujin, having learned that Tukta Bey and the young prince had gone +to Kashin, determined at once to follow them there. As soon as Tukta +Bey heard that he was coming, he began to strengthen the +fortifications of his town and to increase the garrison. He also laid +in supplies of food and military stores of all kinds. While he was +making these preparations, he received the news that Temujin was +advancing into his country at the head of an immense force. The force +was so large that he was convinced that his town could not long stand +out against it. He was greatly perplexed to know what to do.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Retreat to Boyrak's country.</div> + +<p>Now it happened that there was a brother of Tayian Khan's, named +Boyrak, the chief of a powerful horde that occupied a district of +country not very far distant from Tukta Bey's dominions. Tukta Bey +thought that this Boyrak would be easily induced to aid him in the +war, as it was a war waged against the mortal enemy of his brother. He +determined to leave his capital to be defended by the garrison which +he had placed in it, and to proceed himself to Boyrak's country to +obtain re-enforcements. He first sent off the Prince Kushluk, so that +he <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span>might be as soon as possible in a place of safety. Then, after +completing the necessary arrangements and dispositions for the defense +of his town, in case it should be attacked during his absence, he took +his oldest son, for whose safety he was also greatly concerned, and +set out at the head of a small troop of horsemen to go to Boyrak.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Fall and destruction of Kashin.</div> + +<p>Accordingly, when Temujin, at the head of his forces, arrived at the +town of Kashin, he found that the fugitives whom he was pursuing were +no longer there. However, he determined to take the town. He +accordingly at once invested it, and commenced the siege. The garrison +made a very determined resistance. But the forces under Temujin's +command were too strong for them. The town was soon taken. Temujin +ordered his soldiers to slay without mercy all who were found in arms +against him within the walls, and the walls themselves, and all the +other defenses of the place, he caused to be leveled with the ground.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Proclamation.</div> + +<p>He then issued his proclamation, offering peace and pardon to all the +rest of the tribe on condition that they would take the oath of +allegiance to him. This they readily agreed to do. There were a great +many subordinate khans, both of this tribe and of some others <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span>that +were near, who thus yielded to Temujin, and promised to obey him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Temujin returns to Karakorom.</div> + +<p>All this took place, as has already been said, immediately after the +great battle with Tayian, and before Temujin had been enthroned as +emperor, or had received his new title of Genghis Khan. Indeed, +Temujin, while making this expedition to Kashin in pursuit of Kushluk +and Tukta Bey, had been somewhat uneasy at the loss of time which the +campaign occasioned him, as he was anxious to go as soon as possible +to Karakorom, in order to take the necessary measures there for +arranging and consolidating his government. He accordingly now +determined not to pursue the fugitives any farther, but to proceed at +once to Karakorom, and postpone all farther operations against Kushluk +and Tukta until the next season. So he went to Karakorom, and there, +during the course of the winter, formed the constitution of his new +empire, and made arrangements for convening a grand assembly of the +khans the next spring, as related in the last chapter.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Boyrak's precautions.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, Tukta Bey and the Prince Kushluk were very kindly +received by Boyrak, Tayian's brother. For a time they all had reason +to expect that Temujin, after having taken and destroyed Kashin, would +continue his pursuit <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span>of the prince, and Boyrak began accordingly to +make preparations for defense. But when, at length, they learned that +Temujin had given up the pursuit, and had returned to Karakorom, their +apprehensions were, for the moment, relieved. They were, however, well +aware that the danger was only postponed; and Boyrak, being determined +to defend the cause of his nephew, and to avenge, if possible, his +brother's death, occupied himself diligently with increasing his army, +strengthening his fortifications, and providing himself with all +possible means of defense against the attack which he expected would +be made upon him in the coming season.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great battle.<br />Boyrak is taken and slain.</div> + +<p>Boyrak's expectations of an attack were fully realized. Temujin, after +having settled the affairs of his government, and having now become +Genghis Khan, took the first opportunity in the following season to +fit out an expedition against Tukta Bey and Boyrak. He marched into +Boyrak's dominions at the head of a strong force. Boyrak came forth to +meet him. A great battle was fought. Boyrak was entirely defeated. +When he found that the battle was lost he attempted to fly. He was, +however, pursued and taken, and was then brought back to the camp of +Genghis Khan, where he was <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>put to death. The conqueror undoubtedly +justified this act of cruelty toward his helpless prisoner on the plea +that, like Yemuka, he was not an open and honorable foe, but a rebel +and traitor, and, consequently, that the act of putting him to death +was the execution of a criminal, and not the murder of a prisoner.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Flight of Kushluk and Tukta Bey.<br />River Irtish.<br />Ardish.</div> + +<p>But, although Boyrak himself was thus taken and slain, Kushluk and +Tukta Bey succeeded in making their escape. They fled to the northward +and westward, scarcely knowing, it would seem, where they were to go. +They at last found a place of refuge on the banks of the River Irtish. +This river rises not far from the centre of the Asiatic continent, and +flows northward into the Northern Ocean. The country through which it +flows lay to the northwestward of Genghis Khan's dominions, and beyond +the confines of it. Through this country Prince Kushluk and Tukta Bey +wandered on, accompanied by the small troop of followers that still +adhered to them, until they reached a certain fortress called Ardish, +where they determined to make a stand.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Tukta Bey's adherents.</div> + +<p>They were among friends here, for Ardish, it seems, was on the +confines of territory that belonged to Tukta Bey. The people of the +neighborhood immediately flocked to Tukta's <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span>standard, and thus the +fugitive khan soon found himself at the head of a considerable force. +This force was farther increased by the coming in of broken bands that +had made their escape from the battle at which Boyrak had been slain +at the same time with Tukta Bey, but had become separated from him in +their flight.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan pursues them in winter.</div> + +<p>It would seem that, at first, Genghis Khan did not know what was +become of the fugitives. At any rate, it was not until the next year +that he attempted to pursue them. Then, hearing where they were and +what they were doing, he prepared an expedition to penetrate into the +country of the Irtish and attack them. It was in the dead of winter +when he arrived in the country. He had hurried on at that season of +the year in order to prevent Tukta Bey from having time to finish his +fortifications. Tukta Bey and those who were with him were amazed when +they heard that their enemy was coming at that season of the year. The +defenses which they were preparing for their fortress were not fully +completed, but they were at once convinced that they could not hold +their ground against the body of troops that Genghis Khan was bringing +against them in the open field, and so they all took shelter in and +near the fortress, and awaited their enemy there.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Difficulties of the country.</div> + +<p>The winters in that latitude are very cold, and the country through +which Genghis Khan had to march was full of difficulty. The branches +of the river which he had to cross were obstructed with ice, and the +roads were in many places rendered almost impassable by snow. The +emperor did not even know the way to the fortress where Tukta Bey and +his followers were concealed, and it would have been almost impossible +for him to find it had it not been for certain tribes, through whose +territories he passed on the way, who furnished him with guides. These +tribes, perceiving how overwhelming was the force which Genghis Khan +commanded, knew that it would be useless for them to resist him. So +they yielded submission to him at once, and detached parties of +horsemen to go with him down the river to show him the way.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Death of Tukta Bey.</div> + +<p>Under the conduct of these guides Genghis Khan passed on. In due time +he arrived at the fortress of Ardish, and immediately forced Tukta Bey +and his allies to come to an engagement. Tukta's army was very soon +defeated and put to flight. Tukta himself, and many other khans and +chieftains who had joined him, were killed; but the Prince Kushluk was +once more fortunate enough to make his escape.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Kushluk escapes again.<br />Turkestan.</div> + +<p>He fled with a small troop of followers, all mounted on fleet horses, +and after various wanderings, in the course of which he and they who +were with him endured a great deal of privation and suffering, the +unhappy fugitive at last reached the dominions of a powerful prince +named Gurkhan, who reigned over a country which is situated in the +western part of Asia, toward the Caspian Sea, and is named Turkestan. +This is the country from which the people called the Turks, who +afterward spread themselves so widely over the western part of Asia +and the eastern part of Europe, originally sprung.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">He is received by Gurkhan.</div> + +<p>Gurkhan received Kushluk and his party in a very friendly manner, and +Genghis Khan did not follow them. Whether he thought that the distance +was too great, or that the power of Gurkhan was too formidable to make +it prudent for him to advance into his dominions without a stronger +force, does not appear. At any rate, for the time being he gave up the +pursuit, and after fully securing the fruits of the victory which he +had gained at Ardish, and receiving the submission of all the tribes +and khans that inhabited that region of country, he set out on his +return home.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Presentation of the <i>shongar</i>.</div> + +<p>It is related that one of the khans who gave <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>in his submission to +Genghis Khan at this time made him a present of a certain bird called +a <i>shongar</i>, according to a custom often observed among the people of +that region. The shongar was a very large and fierce bird of prey, +which, however, could be trained like the falcons which were so much +prized in the Middle Ages by the princes and nobles of Europe. It +seems it was customary for an inferior khan to present one of these +birds to his superior on great occasions, as an emblem and token of +his submission to his superior's authority. The bird in such a case +was very richly decorated with gold and precious stones, so that the +present was sometimes of a very costly and magnificent character.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Urus Inal.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan received such a present as this from a chieftain named +Urus Inal, who was among those that yielded to his sway in the country +of the Irtish, after the battle at which Tukta Bey was defeated and +killed. The bird was presented to Genghis Khan by Urus with great +ceremony, as an act of submission and homage.</p> + +<p>What, in the end, was the fate of Prince Kushluk, will appear in the +next chapter.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173-4]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i163.jpg" class="medgap" width="500" height="290" alt="PRESENTATION OF THE SHONGAR." title="" /> +<span class="caption">PRESENTATION OF THE SHONGAR.</span> +</div> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XIV" id="Chapter_XIV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XIV.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Idikut.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1208</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Idikut.<br />The old system of farming revenues.<br />Evils of farming the revenue.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">here</span> was another great and powerful khan, named Idikut, whose tribe +had hitherto been under the dominion of Gurkhan, the Prince of +Turkestan, where Kushluk had sought refuge, but who about this time +revolted from Gurkhan and went over to Genghis Khan, under +circumstances which illustrate, in some degree, the peculiar nature of +the political ties by which these different tribes and nations were +bound to each other. It seems that the tribe over which Idikut ruled +was tributary to Turkestan, and that Gurkhan had an officer stationed +in Idikut's country whose business it was to collect and remit the +tribute. The name of this collector was Shuwakem. He was accustomed, +it seems, like almost all tax-gatherers in those days, to exact more +than was his due. The system generally adopted by governments in that +age of the world for collecting their revenues from tributary or +conquered provinces was to <i>farm them</i>, as the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span>phrase was. That is, +they sold the whole revenue of a particular district in the gross to +some rich man, who paid for it a specific sum, considerably less, of +course, than the tax itself would really yield, and then he reimbursed +himself for his outlay and for his trouble by collecting the tax in +detail from the people. Of course, it was for the interest of the +tax-gatherer, in such a case, after having paid the round sum to the +government, to extort as much as possible from the people, since all +that he obtained over and above the sum that he had paid was his +profit on the transaction. Then, if the people complained to the +government of his exactions, they could seldom obtain any redress, for +the government knew that if they rebuked or punished the farmer of the +revenue, or interfered with him in any way, they would not be able to +make so favorable terms with him for the next year.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Modern system.<br />Disinterested collectors.<br />Independent and impartial courts.<br />Waste of the public money.</div> + +<p>The plan of farming the revenues thus led to a great deal of extortion +and oppression, which the people were compelled patiently to endure, +as there was generally no remedy. In modern times and among civilized +nations this system has been almost universally abandoned. The taxes +are now always collected for the government directly by officers who +have to pay over <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span>not a fixed sum, but simply what they collect. Thus +the tax-gatherers are, in some sense, impartial, since, if they +collect more than the law entitles them to demand, the benefit inures +almost wholly to the government, they themselves gaining little or no +advantage by their extortion. Besides this, there are courts +established which are, in a great measure, independent of the +government, to which the tax-payer can appeal at once in a case where +he thinks he is aggrieved. This, it is true, often puts him to a great +deal of trouble and expense, but, in the end, he is pretty sure to +have justice done him, while under the old system there was ordinarily +no remedy at all. There was nothing to be done but to appeal to the +king or chieftain himself, and these complaints seldom received any +attention. For, besides the natural unwillingness of the sovereign to +trouble himself about such disputes, he had a direct interest in not +requiring the extorted money to be paid back, or, rather, in not +having it proved that it was extorted. Thus the poor tax-payer found +that the officer who collected the money, and the umpire who was to +decide in case of disputes, were both directly interested against him, +and he was continually wronged; whereas, at the present day, by means +of a system <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span>which provides disinterested officers to determine and +collect the tax, and independent judges to decide all cases of +dispute, the evils are almost wholly avoided. The only difficulty now +is the extravagance and waste with which the public money is expended, +making it necessary to collect a much larger amount than would +otherwise be required. Perhaps some future generation will discover +some plain and simple remedy for this evil too.</p> + +<hr class="medium" /> + +<div class="sidenote">Shuwakem.</div> + +<p>The name of the officer who had the general charge of the collection +of the taxes in Idikut's territory for Gurkhan, King of Turkestan, +was, as has already been said, Shuwakem. He oppressed the people, +exacting more from them than was really due. Whether he had farmed the +revenue, and was thus enriching himself by his extortions, or whether +he was acting directly in Gurkhan's name, and made the people pay more +than he ought from zeal in his master's service, and a desire to +recommend himself to favor by sending home to Turkestan as large a +revenue from the provinces as possible, does not appear. At all +events, the people complained bitterly. They had, however, no access +to Gurkhan, Shuwakem's master, and so <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span>they carried their complaints +to Idikut, their own khan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Idikut's quarrel with Gurkhan's tax-gatherers.</div> + +<p>Idikut remonstrated with Shuwakem, but he, instead of taking the +remonstrance in good part and relaxing the severity of his +proceedings, resented the interference of Idikut, and answered him in +a haughty and threatening manner. This made Idikut very angry. Indeed, +he was angry before, as it might naturally be supposed that he would +have been, at having a person owing allegiance to a foreign prince +exercising authority in a proud and domineering manner within his +dominions, and the reply which Shuwakem made when he remonstrated with +him on account of his extortions exasperated him beyond all bounds. He +immediately caused Shuwakem to be assassinated. He also slew all the +other officers of Gurkhan within his country—those, probably, who +were employed to assist Shuwakem in collecting the taxes.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Rebellion.<br />He sends to Genghis Khan.</div> + +<p>The murder of these officers was, of course, an act of open rebellion +against Gurkhan, and Idikut, in order to shield himself from the +consequences of it, determined to join himself and his tribe at once +to the empire of Genghis Khan; so he immediately dispatched two +embassadors to the Mongul emperor with his proposals.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span></p><p>The envoys, accompanied by a suitable troop of guards and attendants, +went into the Mongul country and presently came up with Genghis Khan, +while he was on a march toward the country of some tribe or horde that +had revolted from him. They were very kindly received; for, although +Genghis Khan was not prepared at present to make open war upon +Gurkhan, or to invade his dominions in pursuit of Prince Kushluk, he +was intending to do this at some future day, and, in the mean time, he +was very glad to weaken his enemy by drawing off from his empire any +tributary tribes that were at all disposed to revolt from him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His reception of the embassy.</div> + +<p>He accordingly received the embassadors of Idikut in a very cordial +and friendly manner. He readily acceded to the proposals which Idikut +made through them, and, in order to give full proof to Idikut of the +readiness and sincerity with which he accepted his proposals, he sent +back two embassadors of his own to accompany Idikut's embassadors on +their return, and to join them in assuring that prince of the +cordiality with which Genghis Khan accepted his offers of friendship, +and to promise his protection.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Idikut's visit to Genghis Khan.</div> + +<p>Idikut was very much pleased, when his messengers returned, to learn +that his mission had <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span>been so successful. He immediately determined to +go himself and visit Genghis Khan in his camp, in order to confirm the +new alliance by making a personal tender to the emperor of his homage +and his services. He accordingly prepared some splendid presents, and, +placing himself at the head of his troop of guards, he proceeded to +the camp of Genghis Khan. The emperor received him in a very kind and +friendly manner. He accepted his presents, and, in the end, was so +much pleased with Idikut himself that he gave him one of his daughters +in marriage.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Gurkhan in a rage.</div> + +<p>As for Gurkhan, when he first heard of the murder of Shuwakem and the +other officers, he was in a terrible rage. He declared that he would +revenge his servant by laying waste Idikut's territories with fire and +sword. But when he heard that Idikut had placed himself under the +protection of Genghis Khan, and especially when he learned that he had +married the emperor's daughter, he thought it more prudent to postpone +his vengeance, not being quite willing to draw upon himself the +hostility of so great a power.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Subsequent history of Kushluk.<br />Jena.</div> + +<p>Prince Kushluk remained for many years in Turkestan and in the +countries adjoining it. He married a daughter of Gurkhan, his +protector. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span>Partly in consequence of this connection and of the high +rank which he had held in his own native land, and partly, perhaps, in +consequence of his personal courage and other military qualities, he +rapidly acquired great influence among the khans of Western Asia, and +at last he organized a sort of rebellion against Gurkhan, made war +against him, and deprived him of more than half his dominions. He then +collected a large army, and prepared to make war upon Genghis Khan. +Genghis Khan sent one of his best generals, at the head of a small but +very compact and well-disciplined force, against him. The name of this +general was Jena. Kushluk was not at all intimidated by the danger +which now threatened him. His own army was much larger than that of +Jena, and he accordingly advanced to meet his enemy without fear. He +was, however, beaten in the battle, and, when he saw that the day was +lost, he fled, followed by a small party of horsemen, who succeeded in +saving themselves with him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kushluk's final defeat and flight.<br />Hotly pursued by Jena.</div> + +<p>Jena set out immediately in pursuit of the fugitive, accompanied by a +small body of men mounted on the fleetest horses. The party who were +with Kushluk, being exhausted by the fatigue of the battle and +bewildered by the excitement and terror of their flight, could not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>keep together, but were overtaken one by one and slain by their +pursuers until only three were left. These three kept close to +Kushluk, and with him went on until Jena's party lost the track of +them.</p> + +<p>At length, coming to a place where two roads met, Jena asked a peasant +if he had seen any strange horsemen pass that way. The peasant said +that four horsemen had passed a short time before, and he told Jena +which road they had taken.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kushluk's death.</div> + +<p>Jena and his party rode on in the direction which the peasant had +indicated, and, pushing forward with redoubled speed, they soon +overtook the unhappy fugitives. They fell upon Kushluk without mercy, +and killed him on the spot. They then cut off his head, and turned +back to carry it to Genghis Khan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan's triumph.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan rewarded Jena in the most magnificent manner for his +successful performance of this exploit, and then, putting Kushluk's +head upon a pole, he displayed it in all the camps and villages +through which he passed, where it served at once as a token and a +trophy of his victory against an enemy, and, at the same time, as a +warning to all other persons of the terrible danger which they would +incur in attempting to resist his power.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XV" id="Chapter_XV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XV.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Story of Hujaku.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1211</p> + +<div class="sidenote">China.<br />The Chinese wall.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">he</span> accounts given us of the events and transactions of Genghis Khan's +reign after he acquired the supreme power over the Mongul and Tartar +nations are imperfect, and, in many respects, confused. It appears, +however, from them that in the year 1211, that is, about five years +after his election as grand khan, he became involved in a war with the +Chinese, which led, in the end, to very important consequences. The +kingdom of China lay to the southward of the Mongul territories, and +the frontier was defended by the famous Chinese wall, which extended +from east to west, over hills and valleys, from the great desert to +the sea, for many hundred miles. The wall was defended by towers, +built here and there in commanding positions along the whole extent of +it, and at certain distances there were fortified towns where powerful +garrisons were stationed, and reserves of troops were held ready to be +marched to different points along <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span>the wall, wherever there might be +occasion for their services.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The frontier.</div> + +<p>The wall was not strictly the Chinese frontier, for the territory on +the outside of it to a considerable distance was held by the Chinese +government, and there were many large towns and some very strong +fortresses in this outlying region, all of which were held and +garrisoned by Chinese troops.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Outside the wall.</div> + +<p>The inhabitants, however, of the countries outside the wall were +generally of the Tartar or Mongul race. They were of a nation or tribe +called <i>the Kitan</i>, and were somewhat inclined to rebel against the +Chinese rule. In order to assist in keeping them in subjection, one of +the Chinese emperors issued a decree which ordained that the governors +of those provinces should place in all the large towns, and other +strongholds outside the wall, twice as many families of the Chinese as +there were of the Kitan. This regulation greatly increased the +discontent of the Kitan, and made them more inclined to rebellion than +they were before.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Origin of the quarrel with the Chinese.<br />Yong-tsi.</div> + +<p>Besides this, there had been for some time a growing difficulty +between the Chinese government and Genghis Khan. It seems that the +Monguls had been for a long time accustomed to pay some sort of +tribute to the Emperor of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>China, and many years before, while Genghis +Khan, under the name of Temujin, was living at Karakorom, a subject of +Vang Khan, the emperor sent a certain royal prince, named Yong-tsi, to +receive what was due. While Yong-tsi was in the Mongul territory he +and Temujin met, but they did not agree together at all. The Chinese +prince put some slight upon Temujin, which Temujin resented. Very +likely Temujin, whose character at that time, as well as afterward, +was marked with a great deal of pride and spirit, opposed the payment +of the tribute. At any rate, Yong-tsi became very much incensed +against him, and, on his return, made serious charges against him to +the emperor, and urged that he should be seized and put to death. But +the emperor declined engaging in so dangerous an undertaking. +Yong-tsi's proposal, however, became known to Temujin, and he secretly +resolved that he would one day have his revenge.</p> + +<p>At length, about three or four years after Temujin was raised to the +throne, the emperor of the Chinese died, and Yong-tsi succeeded him. +The very next year he sent an officer to Genghis Khan to demand the +usual tribute. When the officer came into the presence of Genghis Khan +in his camp, and made his demand, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span>Genghis Khan asked him who was the +emperor that had sent him with such a message.</p> + +<p>The officer replied that Yong-tsi was at that time emperor of the +Chinese.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan's contempt for him.</div> + +<p>"Yong-tsi!" repeated Genghis Khan, in a tone of great contempt. "The +Chinese have a proverb," he added, "that such a people as they ought +to have a god for their emperor; but it seems they do not know how to +choose even a decent man."</p> + +<p>It was true that they had such a proverb. They were as remarkable, it +seems, in those days as they are now for their national +self-importance and vanity.</p> + +<p>"Go and tell your emperor," added Genghis Khan, "that I am a sovereign +ruler, and that I will never acknowledge him as my master."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Armies raised.<br />Hujaku.</div> + +<p>When the messenger returned with this defiant answer, Yong-tsi was +very much enraged, and immediately began to prepare for war. Genghis +Khan also at once commenced his preparations. He sent envoys to the +leading khans who occupied the territories outside the wall inviting +them to join him. He raised a great army, and put the several +divisions of it under the charge of his ablest generals. Yong-tsi +raised a great army too. The historians say <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span>that it amounted to three +hundred thousand men. He put this army under the command of a great +general named Hujaku, and ordered him to advance with it to the +northward, so as to intercept the army of Genghis Khan on its way, and +to defend the wall and the fortresses on the outside of it from his +attacks.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Many of the khans come over on Genghis's side.</div> + +<p>In the campaign which ensued Genghis Khan was most successful. The +Monguls took possession of a great many towns and fortresses beyond +the wall, and every victory that they gained made the tribes and +nations that inhabited those provinces more and more disposed to join +them. Many of them revolted against the Chinese authority, and turned +to their side. One of these was a chieftain so powerful that he +commanded an army of one hundred thousand men. In order to bind +himself solemnly to the covenant which he was to make with Genghis +Khan, he ascended a mountain in company with the envoy and with others +who were to witness the proceedings, and there performed the ceremony +customary on such occasions. The ceremony consisted of sacrificing a +white horse and a black ox, and then breaking an arrow, at the same +time pronouncing an oath by which he bound himself under the most +solemn sanctions to be faithful to Genghis Khan.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p><p>To reward the prince for this act of adhesion to his cause, Genghis +Khan made him king over all that portion of the country, and caused +him to be every where so proclaimed. This encouraged a great many +other khans and chieftains to come over to his side; and at length one +who had the command of one of the gates of the great wall, and of the +fortress which defended it, joined him. By this means Genghis Khan +obtained access to the interior of the Chinese dominions, and Yong-tsi +and his great general Hujaku became seriously alarmed.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Victory over Hujaku.</div> + +<p>At length, after various marchings and counter-marchings, Genghis Khan +learned that Hujaku was encamped with the whole of his army in a very +strong position at the foot of a mountain, and he determined to +proceed thither and attack him. He did so; and the result of the +battle was that Hujaku was beaten and was forced to retreat. He +retired to a great fortified town, and Genghis Khan followed him and +laid siege to the town. Hujaku, finding himself in imminent danger, +fled; and Genghis Khan was on the point of taking the town, when he +was suddenly stopped in his career by being one day wounded severely +by an arrow which was shot at him from the wall.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan is wounded.</div> + +<p>The wound was so severe that, while suffering <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span>under it, Genghis Khan +found that he could not successfully direct the operations of his +army, and so he withdrew his troops and retired into his own country, +to wait there until his wound should be healed. In a few months he was +entirely recovered, and the next year he fitted out a new expedition, +and advanced again into China.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Hujaku disgraced.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, Hujaku, who had been repeatedly defeated and driven +back the year before by Genghis Khan, had fallen into disgrace. His +rivals and enemies among the other generals of the army, and among the +officers of the court, conspired against him, and represented to the +emperor that he was unfit to command, and that his having failed to +defend the towns and the country that had been committed to him was +owing to his cowardice and incapacity. In consequence of these +representations Hujaku was cashiered, that is, dismissed from his +command in disgrace.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Restored again.</div> + +<p>This made him very angry, and he determined that he would have his +revenge. There was a large party in his favor at court, as well as a +party against him; and after a long and bitter contention, the former +once more prevailed, and induced the emperor to restore Hujaku to his +command again.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Dissensions among the Chinese.</div> + +<p>The quarrel, however, was not ended, and so, when Genghis Khan came +the next year to renew the invasion, the councils of the Chinese were +so distracted, and their operations so paralyzed by this feud, that he +gained very easy victories over them. The Chinese generals, instead of +acting together in a harmonious manner against the common enemy, were +intent only on the quarrel which they were waging against each other.</p> + +<p>At length the animosity proceeded to such an extreme that Hujaku +resolved to depose the emperor, who seemed inclined rather to take +part against him, assassinate all the chiefs of the opposite party, +and then finally to put the emperor to death, and cause himself to be +proclaimed in his stead.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Advance of the Monguls.</div> + +<p>In order to prepare the way for the execution of this scheme, he +forbore to act vigorously against Genghis Khan and the Monguls, but +allowed them to advance farther and farther into the country. This, of +course, increased the general discontent and excitement, and prepared +the way for the revolt which Hujaku was plotting.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Hujaku's rebellion.<br />Death of Yong-tsi.</div> + +<p>At length the time for action arrived. Hujaku suddenly appeared at the +head of a large force at the gates of the capital, and gave the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span>alarm +that the Monguls were coming. He pressed forward into the city to the +palace, and gave the alarm there. At the same time, files of soldiers, +whom he had ordered to this service, went to all parts of the city, +arresting and putting to death all the leaders of the party opposed to +him, under pretense that he had discovered a plot or conspiracy in +which they were engaged to betray the city to the enemy. The +excitement and confusion which was produced by this charge, and by the +alarm occasioned by the supposed coming of the Monguls, so paralyzed +the authorities of the town that nobody resisted Hujaku, or attempted +to save the persons whom he arrested. Some of them he caused to be +killed on the spot. Others he shut up in prison. Finding himself thus +undisputed master of the city, he next took possession of the palace, +seized the emperor, deposed him from his office, and shut him up in a +dungeon. Soon afterward he put him to death.</p> + +<p>This was the end of Yong-tsi; but Hujaku did not succeed, after all, +in his design of causing himself to be proclaimed emperor in his +stead. He found that there would be very great opposition to this, and +so he gave up this part of his plan, and finally raised a certain +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>prince of the royal family to the throne, while he retained his +office of commander-in-chief of the forces. Having thus, as he +thought, effectually destroyed the influence and power of his enemies +at the capital, he put himself once more at the head of his troops, +and went forth to meet Genghis Khan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Hujaku advances.</div> + +<p>Some accident happened to him about this time by which his foot was +hurt, so that he was, in some degree, disabled, but still he went on. +At length he met the vanguard of Genghis Khan's army at a place where +they were attempting to cross a river by a bridge. Hujaku determined +immediately to attack them. The state of his foot was such that he +could not walk nor even mount a horse, but he caused himself to be put +upon a sort of car, and was by this means carried into the battle.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The battle.<br />Hujaku's victory.</div> + +<p>The Monguls were completely defeated and driven back. Perhaps this was +because Genghis Khan was not there to command them. He was at some +distance in the rear with the main body of the army.</p> + +<p>Hujaku was very desirous of following up his victory by pursuing and +attacking the Mongul vanguard the next day. He could not, however, do +this personally, for, on account of the excitement and exposure which +he had endured <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span>in the battle, and the rough movements and joltings +which, notwithstanding all his care, he had to bear in being conveyed +to and fro about the field, his foot grew much worse. Inflammation set +in during the night, and the next day the wound opened afresh; so he +was obliged to give up the idea of going out himself against the +enemy, and to send one of his generals instead. The general to whom he +gave the command was named Kan-ki.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kan-ki's expedition.<br />Failure.<br />Hujaku enraged.</div> + +<p>Kan-ki went out against the enemy, but, after a time, returned +unsuccessful. Hujaku was very angry with him when he came to hear his +report. Perhaps the wound in his foot made him impatient and +unreasonable. At any rate, he declared that the cause of Kan-ki's +failure was his dilatoriness in pursuing the enemy, which was +cowardice or treachery, and, in either case, he deserved to suffer +death for it. He immediately sent to the emperor a report of the case, +asking that the sentence of death which he had pronounced against +Kan-ki might be confirmed, and that he might be authorized to put it +into execution.</p> + +<p>But the emperor, knowing that Kan-ki was a courageous and faithful +officer, would not consent.</p> + +<p>In the mean while, before the emperor's answer <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span>came back, the wrath +of Hujaku had had time to cool a little. Accordingly, when he received +the answer, he said to Kan-ki that he would, after all, try him once +more.</p> + +<p>"Take the command of the troops again," said he, "and go out against +the enemy. If you beat them, I will overlook your first offense and +spare your life; but if you are beaten yourself a second time, you +shall die."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kan-ki's second trial.<br />The sand-storm.</div> + +<p>So Kan-ki placed himself at the head of his detachment, and went out +again to attack the Monguls. They were to the northward, and were +posted, it seems, upon or near a sandy plain. At any rate, a strong +north wind began to blow at the time when the attack commenced, and +blew the sand and dust into the eyes of his soldiers so that they +could not see, while their enemies the Monguls, having their backs to +the wind, were very little incommoded. The result was that Kan-ki was +repulsed with considerable loss, and was obliged to make the best of +his way back to Hujaku's quarters to save the remainder of his men.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kan-ki's desperate resolution.</div> + +<p>He was now desperate. Hujaku had declared that if he came back without +having gained a victory he should die, and he had no doubt that the +man was violent and reckless enough to keep his word. He determined +not to submit. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span>He might as well die fighting, he thought, at the head +of his troops, as to be ignobly put to death by Hujaku's executioner. +So he arranged it with his troops, who probably hated Hujaku as much +as he did, that, on returning to the town, they should march in under +arms, take possession of the place, surround the palace, and seize the +general and make him prisoner, or kill him if he should attempt any +resistance.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The attack.<br />Hujaku's flight.<br />He is killed in the gardens.</div> + +<p>The troops accordingly, when they arrived at the gates of the town, +seized and disarmed the guards, and then marched in, brandishing their +weapons, and uttering loud shouts and outcries, which excited first a +feeling of astonishment and then of terror among the inhabitants. The +alarm soon spread to the palace. Indeed, the troops themselves soon +reached and surrounded the palace, and began thundering at the gates +to gain admission. They soon forced their way in. Hujaku, in the mean +time, terrified and panic-stricken, had fled from the palace into the +gardens, in hopes to make his escape by the garden walls. The soldiers +pursued him. In his excitement and agitation he leaped down from a +wall too high for such a descent, and, in his fall, broke his leg. He +lay writhing helplessly on the ground when <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span>the soldiers came up. They +were wild and furious with the excitement of pursuit, and they killed +him with their spears where he lay.</p> + +<p>Kan-ki took the head of his old enemy and carried it to the capital, +with the intention of offering it to the emperor, and also of +surrendering himself to the officers of justice, in order, as he said, +that he might be put to death for the crime of which he had been +guilty in heading a military revolt and killing his superior officer. +By all the laws of war this was a most heinous and a wholly +unpardonable offense.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kan-ki is pardoned and promoted.</div> + +<p>But the emperor was heartily glad that the turbulent and unmanageable +old general was put out of the way, for a man so unprincipled, so +ambitious, and so reckless as Hujaku was is always an object of +aversion and terror to all who have any thing to do with him. The +emperor accordingly issued a proclamation, in which he declared that +Hujaku had been justly put to death in punishment for many crimes +which he had committed, and soon afterward he appointed Kan-ki +commander-in-chief of the forces in his stead.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XVI" id="Chapter_XVI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XVI.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Conquests in China.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1211-1216</p> + +<div class="sidenote">War continued.<br />Rich and fertile country.<br />Grand invasion.<br />Simultaneous attack by four armies.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">A</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">fter</span> the death of Hujaku, the Emperor of China endeavored to defend +his dominions against Genghis Khan by means of his other generals, and +the war was continued for several years, during which time Genghis +Khan made himself master of all the northern part of China, and +ravaged the whole country in the most reckless and cruel manner. The +country was very populous and very rich. The people, unlike the +Monguls and Tartars, lived by tilling the ground, and they practiced, +in great perfection, many manufacturing and mechanic arts. The country +was very fertile, and, in the place of the boundless pasturages of the +Mongul territories, it was covered in all directions with cultivated +fields, gardens, orchards, and mulberry-groves, while thriving +villages and busy towns were scattered over the whole face of it. It +was to protect this busy hive of wealth and industry that the great +wall had been built ages before; for the Chinese had always been +stationary, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span>industrious, and peaceful, while the territories of +Central Asia, lying to the north of them, had been filled from time +immemorial with wild, roaming, and unscrupulous troops of marauders, +like those who were now united under the banner of Genghis Khan. The +wall had afforded for some hundreds of years an adequate protection, +for no commander had appeared of sufficient power to organize and +combine the various hordes on a scale great enough to enable them to +force so strong a barrier. But, now that Genghis Khan had come upon +the stage, the barrier was broken through, and the terrible and +reckless hordes poured in with all the force and fury of an +inundation. In the year 1214, which was the year following that in +which Hujaku was killed, Genghis Khan organized a force so large, for +the invasion of China, that he divided it into four different +battalions, which were to enter by different roads, and ravage +different portions of the country. Each of these divisions was by +itself a great and powerful army, and the simultaneous invasion of +four such masses of reckless and merciless enemies filled the whole +land with terror and dismay.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Enthusiasm of the troops.</div> + +<p>The Chinese emperor sent the best bodies of troops under his command +to guard the passes <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>in the mountains, and the bridges and +fording-places on the rivers, hoping in this way to do something +toward stemming the tide of these torrents of invasion. But it was all +in vain. Genghis Khan had raised and equipped his forces by means, in +a great measure, of the plunder which he had obtained in China the +year before, and he had made great promises and glowing +representations to his men in respect to the booty to be obtained in +this new campaign. The troops were consequently full of ardor and +enthusiasm, and they pressed on with such impetuosity as to carry all +before them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Captives.<br />Immense plunder.</div> + +<p>The Emperor of China, in pursuing his measures of defense, had ordered +all the men capable of bearing arms in the villages and in the open +country to repair to the nearest large city or fortress, there to be +enrolled and equipped for service. The consequence was that the +Monguls found in many places, as they advanced through the country, +nobody but infirm old men, and women and children in the hamlets and +villages. A great many of these, especially such as seemed to be of +most consequence, the handsomest and best of the women, and the oldest +children, they seized and took with them in continuing their march, +intending to make slaves of them. They also took possession <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span>of all +the gold and silver, and also of all the silks and other rich and +valuable merchandise which they found, and distributed it as plunder. +The spoil which they obtained, too, in sheep and cattle, was enormous. +From it they made up immense flocks and herds, which were driven off +into the Mongul country. The rest were slaughtered, and used to supply +the army with food.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Dreadful ravages.</div> + +<p>It was the custom of the invaders, after having pillaged a town and +its environs, and taken away all which they could convert to any +useful purpose for themselves, to burn the town itself, and then to +march on, leaving in the place only a smoking heap of ruins, with the +miserable remnant of the population which they had spared wandering +about the scene of desolation in misery and despair.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Base use made of the captives.</div> + +<p>They made a most cowardly and atrocious use, too, of the prisoners +whom they conveyed away. When they arrived at a fortified town where +there was a garrison or any other armed force prepared to resist them, +they would bring forward these helpless captives, and put them in the +fore-front of the battle in such a manner that the men on the walls +could not shoot their arrows at their savage assailants without +killing their own wives and children. The officers <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>commanded the men +to fire notwithstanding. But they were so moved by the piteous cries +which the women and children made that they could not bear to do it, +and so they refused to obey, and in the excitement and confusion thus +produced the Monguls easily obtained possession of the town.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Extent of Mongul conquests.</div> + +<p>There are two great rivers in China, both of which flow from west +to east, and they are at such a distance from each other and from +the frontiers that they divide the territory into three nearly equal +parts. The northernmost of these rivers is the Hoang Ho. The Monguls +in the course of two years overran and made themselves masters of +almost the whole country lying north of this river, that is, of +about one third of China proper. There were, however, some +strongly-fortified towns which they found it very difficult to +conquer.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The siege of Yen-king.</div> + +<p>Among other places, there was the imperial city of Yen-king, where the +emperor himself resided, which was so strongly defended that for some +time the Monguls did not venture to attack it. At length, however, +Genghis Khan came himself to the place, and concentrated there a very +large force. The emperor and his court were very much alarmed, +expecting an immediate assault. Still Genghis Khan hesitated. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span>Some of +his generals urged him to scale the walls, and so force his way into +the city. But he thought it more politic to adopt a different plan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Proposed terms of arrangement.</div> + +<p>So he sent an officer into the town with proposals of peace to be +communicated to the emperor. In these proposals Genghis Khan said that +he himself was inclined to spare the town, but that to appease his +soldiers, who were furious to attack and pillage the city, it would be +necessary to make them considerable presents, and that, if the emperor +would agree to such terms with him as should enable him to satisfy his +men in this respect, he would spare the city and would retire.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Difference of opinion.</div> + +<p>The emperor and his advisers were much perplexed at the receipt of +this proposal. There was great difference of opinion among the +counselors in respect to the reply which was to be made to it. Some +were in favor of rejecting it at once. One general, not content with a +simple rejection of it, proposed that, to show the indignation and +resentment which they felt in receiving it, the garrison should march +out of the gates and attack the Monguls in their camp.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Consultation on the subject.</div> + +<p>There were other ministers, however, who urged the emperor to submit +to the necessity of the case, and make peace with the conqueror. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span>They +said that the idea of going out to attack the enemy in their camp was +too desperate to be entertained for a moment, and if they waited +within the walls and attempted to defend themselves there, they +exposed themselves to a terrible danger, without any countervailing +hope of advantage at all commensurate with it; for if they failed to +save the city they were all utterly and irretrievably ruined; and if, +on the other hand, they succeeded in repelling the assault, it was +only a brief respite that they could hope to gain, for the Monguls +would soon return in greater numbers and in a higher state of +excitement and fury than ever. Besides, they said, the garrison was +discontented and depressed in spirit, and would make but a feeble +resistance. It was composed mainly of troops brought in from the +country, away from their families and homes, and all that they desired +was to be released from duty, in order that they might go and see what +had become of their wives and children.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The conditions accepted.<br />Terms of peace agreed upon.</div> + +<p>The emperor, in the end, adopted this counsel, and he sent a +commissioner to the camp of Genghis Khan to ask on what terms peace +could be made. Genghis Khan stated the conditions. They were very +hard, but the emperor was compelled to submit to them. One of the +stipulations <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span>was that Genghis Khan was to receive one of the Chinese +princesses, a daughter of the late emperor Yong-tsi, to add to the +number of his wives. There were also to be delivered to him for slaves +five hundred young boys and as many girls, three thousand horses, a +large quantity of silk, and an immense sum of money. As soon as these +conditions were fulfilled, after dividing the slaves and the booty +among the officers and soldiers of his army, Genghis Khan raised the +siege and moved off to the northward.</p> + +<p>In respect to the captives that his soldiers had taken in the towns +and villages—the women and children spoken of above—the army carried +off with them all that were old enough to be of any value as slaves. +The little children, who would only, they thought, be in the way, they +massacred.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The emperor's uneasiness.<br />Consultations.</div> + +<p>The emperor was by no means easy after the Mongul army had gone. A +marauding enemy like that, bought off by the payment of a ransom, is +exceedingly apt to find some pretext for returning, and the emperor +did not feel that he was safe. Very soon after the Monguls had +withdrawn, he proposed to his council the plan of removing his court +southward to the other side of the Hoang Ho, to a large city in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span>province of Henan. Some of his counselors made great objections to +this proposal. They said that if the emperor withdrew in that manner +from the northern provinces that portion of his empire would be +irretrievably lost. Genghis Khan would soon obtain complete and +undisputed possession of the whole of it. The proper course to be +adopted, they said, was to remain and make a firm stand in defense of +the capital and of the country. They must levy new troops, repair the +fortifications, recruit the garrison, and lay in supplies of food and +of other military stores, and thus prepare themselves for a vigorous +and efficient resistance in case the enemy should return.</p> + +<p>But the emperor could not be persuaded. He said that the treasury was +exhausted, the troops were discouraged, the cities around the capital +were destroyed, and the whole country was so depopulated by the +devastations of the Monguls that no considerable number of fresh +levies could be obtained; and that, consequently, the only safe course +for the government to pursue was to retire to the southward, beyond +the river. He would, however, he added, leave his son, with a strong +garrison, to defend the capital.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Abandonment of the capital.<br />Revolt of the guards.</div> + +<p>He accordingly took with him a few favorites of his immediate family +and a small body <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span>of troops, and commenced his journey—a journey +which was considered by all the people as a base and ignoble flight. +He involved himself in endless troubles by this step. A revolt broke +out on the way among the guards who accompanied him. One of the +generals who headed the revolt sent a messenger to Genghis Khan +informing him of the emperor's abandonment of his capital, and +offering to go over, with all the troops under his command, to the +service of Genghis Khan if Genghis Khan would receive him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The siege of the capital renewed.</div> + +<p>When Genghis Khan heard thus of the retreat of the emperor from his +capital, he was, or pretended to be, much incensed. He considered the +proceeding as in some sense an act of hostility against himself, and, +as such, an infraction of the treaty and a renewal of the war. So he +immediately ordered one of his leading generals—a certain chieftain +named Mingan—to proceed southward at the head of a large army and lay +siege to Yen-king again.</p> + +<p>The old emperor, who seems now to have lost all spirit, and to have +given himself up entirely to despondency and fear, was greatly alarmed +for the safety of his son the prince, whom he had left in command at +Yen-king. He immediately sent orders to his son to leave the city <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span>and +come to him. The departure of the prince, in obedience to these +orders, of course threw an additional gloom over the city, and excited +still more the general discontent which the emperor's conduct had +awakened.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Wan-yen and Mon-yen.<br />Their perplexity.</div> + +<p>The prince, on his departure, left two generals in command of the +garrison. Their names were Wan-yen and Mon-yen. They were left to +defend the city as well as they could from the army of Monguls under +Mingan, which was now rapidly drawing near. The generals were greatly +embarrassed and perplexed with the difficulties of their situation. +The means of defense at their disposal were wholly inadequate, and +they knew not what to do.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Suicide proposed.</div> + +<p>At length one of them, Wan-yen, proposed to the other that they should +kill themselves. This Mon-yen refused to do. Mon-yen was the commander +on whom the troops chiefly relied, and he considered suicide a mode of +deserting one's post scarcely less dishonorable than any other. He +said that his duty was to stand by his troops, and, if he could not +defend them where they were, to endeavor to draw them away, while +there was an opportunity, to a place of safety.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Wan-yen in despair.</div> + +<p>So Wan-yen, finding his proposal rejected, went away in a rage. He +retired to his apartment, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span>and wrote a dispatch to the emperor, in +which he explained the desperate condition of affairs, and the +impossibility of saving the city, and in the end declared himself +deserving of death for not being able to accomplish the work which his +majesty had assigned to him.</p> + +<p>He enveloped and sealed this dispatch, and then, calling his domestics +together, he divided among them, in a very calm and composed manner, +all his personal effects, and then took leave of them and dismissed +them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His suicide.</div> + +<p>A single officer only now remained with him. In the presence of this +officer he wrote a few words, and then sent him away. As soon as the +officer had gone, he drank a cup of poison which he had previously +ordered to be prepared for him, and in a few minutes was a lifeless +corpse.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Mon-yen's plan.<br />Petition of the wives.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, the other general, Mon-yen, had been making +preparations to leave the city. His plan was to take with him such +troops as might be serviceable to the emperor, but to leave all the +inmates of the palace, as well as the inhabitants of the city, to +their fate. Among the people of the palace were, it seems, a number of +the emperor's wives, whom he had left behind at the time of his own +flight, he having taken with him at that time only a few of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>more +favored ones. These women who were left, when they heard that Mon-yen +was intending to abandon the city with a view of joining the emperor +in the south, came to him in a body, and begged him to take them with +him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Sacking of the city by Mingan.</div> + +<p>In order to relieve himself of their solicitations, he said that he +would do so, but he added that he must leave the city himself with the +guards to prepare the way, and that he would return immediately for +them. They were satisfied with this promise, and returned to the +palace to prepare for the journey. Mon-yen at once left the city, and +very soon after he had gone, Mingan, the Mongul general, arrived at +the gates, and, meeting with no effectual resistance, he easily forced +his way in, and a scene of universal terror and confusion ensued. The +soldiers spread themselves over the city in search of plunder, and +killed all who came in their way. They plundered the palace and then +set it on fire. So extensive was the edifice, and so vast were the +stores of clothing and other valuables which it contained, even after +all the treasures which could be made available to the conquerors had +been taken away, that the fire continued to burn among the ruins for a +month or more.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Massacres.</div> + +<p>What became of the unhappy women who <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span>were so cruelly deceived by +Mon-yen in respect to their hopes of escape does not directly appear. +They doubtless perished with the other inhabitants of the city in the +general massacre. Soldiers at such a time, while engaged in the sack +and plunder of a city, are always excited to a species of insane fury, +and take a savage delight in thrusting their pikes into all that come +in their way.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Fate of Mon-yen.</div> + +<p>Mon-yen excused himself, when he arrived at the quarters of the +emperor, for having thus abandoned the women to their fate by the +alleged impossibility of saving them. He could not have succeeded, he +said, in effecting his own retreat and that of the troops who went +with him if he had been encumbered in his movements by such a company +of women. The emperor accepted this excuse, and seemed to be satisfied +with it, though, not long afterward, Mon-yen was accused of conspiracy +against the emperor and was put to death.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Treasures.</div> + +<p>Mingan took possession of the imperial treasury, where he found great +stores of silk, and also of gold and silver plate. All these things he +sent to Genghis Khan, who remained still at the north at a grand +encampment which he had made in Tartary.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Conquests extended.<br />Governors appointed.</div> + +<p>After this, other campaigns were fought by <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span>Genghis Khan in China, in +the course of which he extended his conquests still farther to the +southward, and made himself master of a very great extent of country. +After confirming these conquests, he selected from among such Chinese +officers as were disposed to enter into his service suitable persons +to be appointed governors of the provinces, and in this way annexed +them to his dominions; these officers thus transferring their +allegiance from the emperor to him, and covenanting to send to him the +tribute which they should annually collect from their respective +dominions. Every thing being thus settled in this quarter, Genghis +Khan next turned his attention to the western frontiers of his empire, +where the Tartar and Mongul territory bordered on Turkestan and the +dominions of the Mohammedans.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XVII" id="Chapter_XVII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XVII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Sultan Mohammed.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1217</p> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">T</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">he</span> portion of China which Genghis Khan had added to his dominions by +the conquests described in the last chapter was called Katay, and the +possession of it, added to the extensive territories which were +previously under his sway, made his empire very vast. The country +which he now held, either under his direct government, or as tributary +provinces and kingdoms, extended north and south through the whole +interior of Asia, and from the shores of the Japan and China Seas on +the east, nearly to the Caspian Sea on the west, a distance of nearly +three thousand miles.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Mohammedan countries on the west.<br />Sultan Mohammed.<br />Karazm.</div> + +<p>Beyond his western limits lay Turkestan and other countries governed +by the Mohammedans. Among the other Mohammedan princes there was a +certain Sultan Mohammed, a great and very powerful sovereign, who +reigned over an extensive region in the neighborhood of the Caspian +Sea, though the principal seat of his power was a country called +Karazm. He <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span>was, in consequence, sometimes styled Mohammed Karazm.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Proposed embassy.</div> + +<p>It might perhaps have been expected that Genghis Khan, having subdued +all the rivals within his reach in the eastern part of Asia, and being +strong and secure in the possession of his power, would have found +some pretext for making war upon the sultan, with a view of conquering +his territories too, and adding the countries bordering on the Caspian +to his dominions. But, for some reason or other, he concluded, in this +instance, to adopt a different policy. Whether it was that he was +tired of war and wished for repose, or whether the sultan's dominions +were too remote, or his power too great to make it prudent to attack +him, he determined on sending an embassy instead of an army, with a +view of proposing to the sultan a treaty of friendship and alliance.</p> + +<p>The time when this embassy was sent was in the year 1217, and the name +of the principal embassador was Makinut.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Makinut and his suite.</div> + +<p>Makinut set out on his mission accompanied by a large retinue of +attendants and guards. The journey occupied several weeks, but at +length he arrived in the sultan's dominions. Soon after his arrival he +was admitted to an audience of the sultan, and there, accompanied <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span>by +his own secretaries, and in the presence of all the chief officers of +the sultan's court, he delivered his message.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Speech of the embassador.</div> + +<p>He gave an account in his speech of the recent victories which his +sovereign, Genghis Khan, had won, and of the great extension which his +empire had in consequence attained. He was now become master, he said, +of all the countries of Central Asia, from the eastern extremity of +the continent up to the frontiers of the sultan's dominions, and +having thus become the sultan's neighbor, he was desirous of entering +into a treaty of amity and alliance with him, which would be obviously +for the mutual interest of both. He had accordingly been sent an +embassador to the sultan's court to propose such an alliance. In +offering it, the emperor, he said, was actuated by a feeling of the +sincerest good-will. He wished the sultan to consider him as a father, +and he would look upon the sultan as a son.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Father and son.<br />The sultan not pleased.</div> + +<p>According to the patriarchal ideas of government which prevailed in +those days, the relation of father to son involved not merely the idea +of a tie of affection connecting an older with a younger person, but +it implied something of pre-eminence and authority on the one part, +and dependence and subjection on the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span>other. Perhaps Genghis Khan did +not mean his proposition to be understood in this sense, but made it +solely in reference to the disparity between his own and the sultan's +years, for he was himself now becoming considerably advanced in life. +However this may be, the sultan was at first not at all pleased with +the proposition in the form in which the embassador made it.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Private interview.</div> + +<p>He, however, listened quietly to Makinut's words, and said nothing +until the public audience was ended. He then took Makinut alone into +another apartment in order to have some quiet conversation with him. +He first asked him to tell him the exact state of the case in respect +to all the pretended victories which Genghis Khan had gained, and, in +order to propitiate him and induce him to reveal the honest truth, he +made him a present of a rich scarf, splendidly adorned with jewels.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Conversation.</div> + +<p>"How is it?" said he; "has the emperor really made all those +conquests, and is his empire as extensive and powerful as he pretends? +Tell me the honest truth about it."</p> + +<p>"What I have told your majesty is the honest truth about it," replied +Makinut. "My master the emperor is as powerful as I have represented +him, and this your majesty will <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span>soon find out in case you come to +have any difficulty with him."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Anger of the sultan.</div> + +<p>This bold and defiant language on the part of the embassador greatly +increased the irritation which the sultan felt before. He seemed much +incensed, and replied in a very angry manner.</p> + +<p>"I know not what your master means," said he, "by sending such +messages to me, telling me of the provinces that he has conquered, and +boasting of his power, or upon what ground he pretends to be greater +than I, and expects that I shall honor him as my father, and be +content to be treated by him only as his son. Is he so very great a +personage as this?"</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Makinut returns a soft answer.</div> + +<p>Makinut now found that perhaps he had spoken a little too plainly, and +he began immediately to soften and modify what he had said, and to +compliment the sultan himself, who, as he was well aware, was really +superior in power and glory to Genghis Khan, notwithstanding the great +extension to which the empire of the latter had recently attained. He +also begged that the sultan would not be angry with him for delivering +the message with which he had been intrusted. He was only a servant, +he said, and he was bound to obey the orders of his master. He assured +the sultan, moreover, that <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span>if any unfavorable construction could by +possibility be put upon the language which the emperor had used, no +such meaning was designed on his part, but that in sending the +embassage, and in every thing connected with it, the emperor had acted +with the most friendly and honorable intentions.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The sultan is appeased.<br />Treaty made.</div> + +<p>By means of conciliating language like this the sultan was at length +appeased, and he finally was induced to agree to every thing which the +embassador proposed. A treaty of peace and commerce was drawn up and +signed, and, after every thing was concluded, Makinut returned to the +Mongul country loaded with presents, some of which were for himself +and his attendants, and others were for Genghis Khan.</p> + +<p>He was accompanied, too, by a caravan of merchants, who, in +consequence of the new treaty, were going into the country of Genghis +Khan with their goods, to see what they could do in the new market +thus opened to them. This caravan traveled in company with Makinut on +his return, in order to avail themselves of the protection which the +guard that attended him could afford in passing through the +intervening countries. These countries being filled with hordes of +Tartars, who were very little under the dominion of law, it would have +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span>been unsafe for a caravan of rich merchandise to pass through them +without an escort.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan is pleased.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan was greatly pleased with the result of his embassy. He +was also much gratified with the presents that the sultan had sent +him, which consisted of costly stuffs for garments, beautiful and +highly-wrought arms, precious stones, and other similar articles. He +welcomed the merchants too, and opened facilities for them to travel +freely throughout his dominions and dispose of their goods.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Opening of the trade.</div> + +<p>In order that future caravans might go and come at all times in +safety, he established guards along the roads between his country and +that of the sultan. These guards occupied fortresses built at +convenient places along the way, and especially at the crossing-places +on the rivers, and in the passes of the mountains; and there orders +were given to these guards to scour the country in every direction +around their respective posts, in order to keep it clear of robbers. +Whenever a band of robbers was formed, the soldiers hunted them from +one lurking-place to another until they were exterminated. In this +way, after a short time, the country became perfectly safe, and the +caravans of merchants could go and come with the richest goods, and +even with treasures of gold and silver, without any fear.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">The exorbitant merchants.</div> + +<p>At first, it would seem, some of the merchants from the countries of +Mohammed asked too much for their goods. At least a story is told of a +company who came very soon after the opening of the treaty, and who +offered their goods first to Genghis Khan himself, but they asked such +high prices for them that he was astonished.</p> + +<p>"I suppose," said he, "by your asking such prices as these, you +imagine that I have never bought any goods before."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Their punishment.</div> + +<p>He then took them to see his treasures, and showed them over a +thousand large chests filled with valuables of every description; gold +and silver utensils, rich silks, arms and accoutrements splendidly +adorned with precious stones, and other such commodities. He told them +that he showed them these things in order that they might see that he +had had some experience in respect to dealings in merchandise of that +sort before, and knew something of its just value. And that, since +they had been so exorbitant in their demands, presuming probably upon +the ignorance of those whom they came to deal with, he should send +them back with all their goods, and not allow them to sell them any +where in his dominions, at any price.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221-2]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i210.jpg" class="medgap" width="500" height="291" alt="MERCHANTS OFFERING THEIR GOODS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">MERCHANTS OFFERING THEIR GOODS.</span> +</div> + +<p>This threat he put in execution. The merchants <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span>were obliged to go back without selling any of their goods at all.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The next company.<br />Their artful management.</div> + +<p>The next company of merchants that came, having heard of the adventure +of the others, determined to act on a different principle. +Accordingly, when they came into the presence of the khan with their +goods, and he asked them the prices of some of them, they replied that +his majesty might himself fix the price of the articles, as he was a +far better judge of the value of such things than they were. Indeed, +they added that if his majesty chose to take them without paying any +thing at all he was welcome to do so.</p> + +<p>This answer pleased the emperor very much. He paid them double price +for the articles which he selected from their stores, and he granted +them peculiar privileges in respect to trading with his subjects while +they remained in his dominions.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan fits out a company.<br />Embassadors.</div> + +<p>The trade which was thus opened between the dominions of the sultan +and those of Genghis Khan was not, however, wholly in the hands of +merchants coming from the former country. Soon after the coming of the +caravan last mentioned, Genghis Khan fitted out a company of merchants +from his own country, who were to go into the country of the sultan, +taking <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span>with them such articles, the products of the country of the +Monguls, as they might hope to find a market for there. There were +four principal merchants, but they were attended by a great number of +assistants, servants, camel-drivers, etc., so that the whole company +formed quite a large caravan. Genghis Khan sent with them three +embassadors, who were to present to the sultan renewed assurances of +the friendly feelings which he entertained for him, and of his desire +to encourage and promote as much as possible the commercial +intercourse between the two countries which had been so happily begun.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Mohammedans.</div> + +<p>The three embassadors whom Genghis Khan selected for this service were +themselves Mohammedans. He had several persons of this faith among the +officers of his court, although the Monguls had a national religion of +their own, which was very different from that of the Mohammedans; +still, all forms of worship were tolerated in Genghis Khan's +dominions, and the emperor was accustomed to take good officers into +his service wherever he could find them, without paying any regard to +the nature of their religious belief so far as their general duties +were concerned. But now, in sending this deputation to the sultan, he +selected the embassadors <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span>from among the Mohammedans at his court, +thinking that it would please the sultan better to receive his message +through persons of his own religious faith. Besides, the three persons +whom he appointed were natives of Turkestan, and they were, of course, +well acquainted with the language of the country and with the country +itself.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Messengers from the court.</div> + +<p>Besides the merchants and the embassadors, Genghis Khan gave +permission to each of his wives, and also to each of the great lords +of his court, to send a servant or messenger with the caravan, to +select and purchase for their masters and mistresses whatever they +might find most curious or useful in the Mohammedan cities which the +caravan might visit. The lords and ladies were all very glad to avail +themselves of the opportunity thus afforded them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Large party.</div> + +<p>All these persons, the embassadors and their suite, the merchants and +their servants, and the special messengers sent by the lords and +ladies of the court, formed, as may well be supposed, a very numerous +company. It is said that the caravan, when ready to commence its +march, contained no less than four hundred and fifty persons.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Roads doubly guarded.</div> + +<p>Every thing being at last made ready, the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span>caravan set out on its long +journey. It was accompanied by a suitable escort, and, in order to +provide still more effectually for the safety of the rich merchandise +and the valuable lives committed to it, Genghis Khan sent on orders +beforehand to all the military stations on the way, directing the +captains to double the guard on their respective sections of the road +while the caravan was passing.</p> + +<p>By means of these and other similar precautions the expedition +accomplished the journey in safety, and arrived without any misfortune +in the Mohammedan country. Very serious misfortunes, however, awaited +them there immediately after their arrival, arising out of a train of +events which had been for some time in progress, and which I must now +go back a little to describe.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The Calif of Bagdad.</div> + +<p>It seems that some difference had arisen some time before this between +the Sultan Mohammed and the Calif of Bagdad, who was the great head of +the Mohammedan power. Mohammed applied to the calif to grant him +certain privileges and powers which had occasionally been bestowed on +other sultans who had rendered great services to the Mohammedan +empire. He claimed that he had merited these rewards by the services +which he had rendered. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>He had conquered, he said, more than one +hundred princes and chieftains, and had cut off their heads and +annexed their territories to his dominions, thus greatly enlarging and +extending the Mohammedan power.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Mohammed's demand and the calif's reply.</div> + +<p>Mohammed made this demand of the calif through the medium of an +embassador whom he sent to Bagdad. The calif, after hearing what the +embassador had to say, refused to comply. He said that the services +which Mohammed had rendered were not of sufficient importance and +value to merit the honors and privileges which Mohammed demanded. But, +although he thus declined complying with Mohammed's request, he showed +a disposition to treat the sultan himself with all proper deference by +sending an embassador of his own to accompany Mohammed's embassador on +his return, with instructions to communicate the reply which the calif +felt bound to make in a respectful and courteous manner.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The sultan calls a council.<br />Mohammed's plan for revenge.<br />March of the army.<br />Failure.</div> + +<p>Mohammed received the calif's embassador very honorably, and in his +presence concealed the anger which the answer of the calif excited in +his mind. As soon as the embassador was gone, however, he convened a +grand council of all the great chieftains, and generals, and ministers +of state in his dominions, and announced <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span>to them his determination to +raise an army and march to Bagdad, with a view of deposing the calif +and reigning in his stead. The great personages assembled at the +council were very ready to enter into this scheme, for they knew that +if it was successful there would be a great many honors and a great +deal of booty that would fall to their share in the final distribution +of the spoil. So they all engaged with great zeal in aiding the sultan +to form and equip his army. In due time the expedition was ready, and +the sultan commenced his march. But, as often happens in such cases, +the preparations had been hindered by various causes of delay, and it +was too late in the season when the army began to move. The forces +moved slowly, too, after they commenced their march, so that the +winter came on while they were among the passes of the mountains. The +winter was unusually severe, and the troops suffered so much from the +frosts and the rains, and from the various hardships to which they +were in consequence exposed, that the sultan found it impossible to go +on. He was consequently obliged to return, and begin his work over +again. And the worst of it was, that the calif was now aware of his +designs, and would be able, he knew, before the next <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span>season, to take +effectual measures to defend himself.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The calif's plans.</div> + +<p>When the calif heard of the misfortunes which had befallen the +sultan's army, and his narrow escape from the dangers of a formidable +invasion, he was at first overjoyed, and he resolved at once on making +war upon the rebellious sultan. In forming his plans for the campaign, +the idea occurred to him of endeavoring to incite Genghis Khan to +invade the sultan's dominions from the east while he himself attacked +him from the west; for Bagdad, the capital of the calif, was to the +westward of the sultan's country, as the empire of the Monguls was to +the eastward of it.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Objections to them.</div> + +<p>But when the calif proposed his plan to his counselors, some of them +objected to it very strenuously. The sultan and the people of his +country were, like the calif himself, Mohammedans, while the Monguls +were of another religion altogether, or, as the Mohammedans called +them, unbelievers or infidels; and the counselors who objected to the +calif's proposal said that it would be very wrong to bring the enemies +of God into the country of the faithful to guard against a present and +temporary danger, and thereby, perhaps, in the end occasion the ruin +both of their religion and their empire. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span>It would be an impious deed, +they thought, thus to bring in a horde of barbarian infidels to wage +war with them against their brethren.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Arguments of the calif.</div> + +<p>To this the calif replied that the emergency was so critical that they +were justified in availing themselves of any means that offered to +save themselves from the ruin with which they were threatened. And as +to the possibility that Genghis Khan, if admitted to the country as +their ally, would in the end turn his arms against them, he said that +they must watch, and take measures to guard against such a danger. +Besides, he would rather have an open unbeliever like Genghis Khan for +a foe, than a Mohammedan traitor and rebel like the sultan. He added, +moreover, that he did not believe that the Mongul emperor felt any +animosity or ill will against the Mohammedans or against their faith. +It was evident, indeed, that he did not, for he had a great many +Mohammedans in his dominions, and he allowed them to live there +without molestation. He even had Mohammedan officers of very high rank +in his court.</p> + +<p>So it was finally decided to send a message and invite him to join the +calif in making war on the sultan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Message to Genghis Khan.<br />Artful device.</div> + +<p>The difficulty was now to contrive some means by which this message +could be conveyed <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span>through the sultan's territories, which, of course, +lay between the dominions of the calif and those of Genghis Khan. To +accomplish this purpose the calif resorted to a very singular device. +Instead of writing his communication in a letter, he caused it to be +pricked with a needle and some indigo, by a sort of tattooing process, +upon the messenger's head, in such a manner that it was concealed by +his hair. The messenger was then disguised as a countryman and sent +forth. He succeeded in accomplishing the journey in safety, and when +he arrived Genghis Khan had only to cause his head to be shaved, when +the inscription containing the calif's proposal to him at once became +legible.</p> + +<p>This method of making the communication was considered very safe, for +even if, from any accident, the man had been intercepted on the way, +on suspicion of his being a messenger, the sultan's men would have +found nothing, in searching him, to confirm their suspicions, for it +is not at all probable that they would have thought of looking for a +letter among his hair.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The answer of Genghis Khan.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan was well pleased to receive the proposals of the calif, +but he sent back word in reply that he could not at present engage in +any hostile movement against the sultan on account of the treaty of +peace and commerce <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span>which he had recently established with him. So +long as the sultan observed the stipulations of the treaty, he felt +bound in honor, he said, not to break it. He knew, however, he added, +that the restless spirit of the sultan would not long allow things to +remain in the posture they were then in, and that on the first +occasion given he would not fail to declare war against him.</p> + +<p>Things were in this state when the grand caravan of merchants and +embassadors which Genghis Khan had sent arrived at the frontiers of +the sultan's dominions.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The caravan arrives at Otrar.<br />The governor's treachery.</div> + +<p>After passing the frontier, the first important place which they +reached was a city called Otrar. They were received very courteously +by the governor of this place, and were much pleased with the +opportunity afforded them to rest from the fatigues of their long +journey. It seems, however, after all, that the governor's friendship +for his guests was only pretended, for he immediately wrote to the +sultan, informing him that a party of persons had arrived at his city +from the Mongul country who pretended to be merchants and embassadors, +but that he believed that they were spies, for they were extremely +inquisitive about the strength of the garrisons and the state of the +defenses of the country generally. He had no doubt, he added, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span>that +they were emissaries sent by Genghis Khan to find out the best way of +invading his dominions.</p> + +<p>One account states that the motive which induced the governor to make +these representations to the sultan was some offense which he took at +the familiar manner in which he was addressed by one of the +embassadors, who was a native of Otrar, and had known the governor in +former times when he was a private person. Another says that his +object was to have the expedition broken up, in order that he might +seize for himself the rich merchandise and the valuable presents which +the merchants and embassadors had in their possession.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The party massacred.</div> + +<p>At any rate, he wrote to the sultan denouncing the whole party as +foreign emissaries and spies, and in a short time he received a reply +from the sultan directing him to put them all to death, or otherwise +to deal with them as he thought proper. So he invited the whole party +to a grand entertainment in his palace, and then, at a given signal, +probably after most of them had become in some measure helpless from +the influence of the wine, a body of his guards rushed in and +massacred them all.</p> + +<p>Or, rather, they attempted to massacre them all, but one of the +merchants' men contrived in <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>the confusion to make his escape. He +succeeded in getting back into the Mongul country, where he reported +what had happened to Genghis Khan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan hears the tidings.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan was greatly exasperated when he heard these tidings. He +immediately called together his sons, and all the great lords and +chieftains of his court, and recited to them the story of the massacre +of the merchants in such a manner as to fill their hearts with +indignation and rage, and to inspire them all with a burning thirst +for revenge.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">He declares war.</div> + +<p>He also immediately sent word to the sultan that, since by so infamous +an action he had violated all the engagements which had subsisted +between them, he, from that instant, declared himself his mortal +enemy, and would take vengeance upon him for his treacherousness and +cruelty by ravaging his country with fire and sword.</p> + +<p>This message was sent, it was said, by three embassadors, whose +persons ought to have been considered sacred, according to every +principle of international law. But the sultan, as soon as they had +delivered their message, ordered their heads to be cut off.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Preparations.</div> + +<p>This new massacre excited the rage and fury of Genghis Khan to a +higher pitch than ever. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span>For three days, it is said, he neither ate +nor slept, and seemed almost beside himself with mingled vexation, +grief, and anger. And afterward he busied himself night and day with +the arrangements for assembling his army and preparing to march, and +he allowed himself no rest until every thing was ready.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XVIII" id="Chapter_XVIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XVIII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The War with the Sultan.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1217-1218</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Marshaling of the army.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">G</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">enghis</span> Khan made his preparations for a war on an immense scale. He +sent messengers in every direction to all the princes, khans, +governors, and other chieftains throughout his empire, with letters +explaining to them the cause of the war, and ordering them to repair +to the places of rendezvous which he appointed, with all the troops +that they could raise.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Arms and armor.</div> + +<p>He gave particular directions in respect to the manner in which the +men were to be armed and equipped. The arms required were the sabre, +the bow, with a quiver full of arrows, and the battle-axe. Each +soldier was also to carry a rope, ropes and cordage being continually +in demand among people living on horseback and in tents.</p> + +<p>The officers were to wear armor as well as to carry arms. Those who +could afford it were to provide themselves with a complete coat of +mail. The rest were to wear helmets and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span>breast-plates only. The +horses were also to be protected as far as possible by breast-plates, +either of iron, or of leather thick and tough enough to prevent an +arrow from penetrating.</p> + +<p>When the troops thus called for appeared at the place of rendezvous +appointed for them, Genghis Khan found, as is said, that he had an +army of seven hundred thousand men!</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Provision for contingencies.</div> + +<p>The army being thus assembled, Genghis Khan caused certain rules and +regulations, or articles of war, as they might be called, to be drawn +up and promulgated to the troops. One of the rules was that no body of +troops were ever to retreat without first fighting, whatever the +imminence of the danger might be. He also ordered that where a body of +men were engaged, if any subordinate division of them, as one company +in a regiment, or one regiment in a battalion, should break ranks and +fly before the order for a retreat should have been given by the +proper authority, the rest were to leave fighting the enemy, and +attack the portion flying, and kill them all upon the spot.</p> + +<p>The emperor also made formal provision for the event of his dying in +the course of the campaign. In this case a grand assembly of all the +khans and chieftains of the empire was to be convened, and then, in +the presence of these <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span>khans and of his sons, the constitution and +laws of the empire, as he had established them, were to be read, and +after the reading the assembly were to proceed to the election of a +new khan, according to the forms which the constitution had provided.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The army commences its march.</div> + +<p>After all these affairs had been arranged, Genghis Khan put his army +in motion. He was obliged, of course, to separate it into several +grand divisions, and to send the several divisions forward by +different roads, and through different sections of the country. So +large a body can never be kept together on a long march, on account of +the immense quantity of food that is required, both for the horses and +the men, and which must be supplied in the main by the country itself +which they traverse, since neither horses nor men can carry food with +them for more than a very few days.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jughi's division.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan put one of the largest divisions under the command of his +son Jughi, the prince who distinguished himself so much in the +conflicts by which his father raised himself to the supreme power.</p> + +<p>Jughi was ordered to advance with his division through Turkestan, the +country where the Prince Kushluk had sought refuge, and which still +remained, in some degree, disaffected toward <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span>Genghis Khan. Genghis +Khan himself, with the main body of the army, took a more southerly +route directly toward the dominions of the sultan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Preparations of the sultan.<br />His army.</div> + +<p>In the mean time the sultan himself had not been idle. He collected +together all the forces that he could command. When they were +mustered, the number of men was found to be four hundred thousand. +This was a large army, though much smaller than that of Genghis Khan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His plan.</div> + +<p>The sultan set out upon his march with his troops to meet the +invaders. After advancing for some distance, he learned that the army +of Jughi, which had passed through Turkestan, was at the northward of +his position, and he found that by turning in that direction he might +hope to meet and conquer that part of the Mongul force before it could +have time to join the main body. He determined at once to adopt this +plan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The sultan meets Jughi.</div> + +<p>He accordingly turned his course, and marched forward into the part of +the country where he supposed Jughi to be. At length he came to a +place where his scouts found, near a river, a great many dead bodies +lying on the ground. Among the others who had fallen there was one man +who was wounded, but was not dead. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span>This wounded man told the scouts +that the bodies were those of persons who had been slain by the army +of Jughi, which had just passed that way. The sultan accordingly +pressed forward and soon overtook them. Jughi was hastening on in +order to join his father.</p> + +<p>Jughi consulted his generals in respect to what it was best to do. +They advised him to avoid a battle.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Opinion of the generals.</div> + +<p>"We are not strong enough," said they, "to encounter alone the whole +of the sultan's army. It is better that we should retreat, which we +can do in an orderly manner, and thus join the main body before we +give the enemy battle. Or, if the sultan should attempt to pursue us, +he can not keep his army together in doing so. They will necessarily +become divided into detachments on the road, and then we can turn and +destroy them in detail, which will be a much surer mode of proceeding +than for us to attack them in the mass."</p> + +<p>Jughi was not willing to follow this advice.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jughi's decision.</div> + +<p>"What will my father and my brothers think," said he, "when they see +us coming to them, flying from the enemy, without having fought them, +contrary to his express commands? No. We must stand our ground, +trusting to our valor, and do our best. If we are to die at <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span>all, we +had better be slain in battle than in flight. You have done your duty +in admonishing me of the danger we are in, and now it remains for me +to do mine in trying to bring you out of it with honor."</p> + +<p>So he ordered the army to halt, and to be drawn up in order of battle.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The battle commenced.<br />Neither party victorious.</div> + +<p>The battle was soon commenced, and it was continued throughout the +day. The Monguls, though fewer in numbers, were superior to their +enemies in discipline and in courage, and the advantage was obviously +on their side, though they did not gain a decisive victory. Toward +night, however, the sultan's troops evinced every where a disposition +to give way, and it was with great difficulty that the officers could +induce them to maintain their ground until the darkness came on and +put an end to the conflict. When at length the combatants could no +longer see to distinguish friend from foe, the two armies withdrew to +their respective camps, and built their fires for the night.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jughi withdraws.</div> + +<p>Jughi thought that by fighting during this day he had done all that +his father required of him to vindicate the honor of the army, and +that now it would be most prudent to retreat, without risking another +battle on the morrow. So he caused fresh supplies of fuel to be put +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span>upon the camp-fires in order to deceive the enemy, and then marched +out of his camp in the night with all his men. The next morning, by +the time that the sultan's troops were again under arms, he had +advanced far on his march to join his father, and was beyond their +reach.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His reception by his father.</div> + +<p>He soon rejoined his father, and was received by him with great joy. +Genghis Khan was extremely pleased with the course which his son had +pursued, and bestowed upon him many public honors and rewards.</p> + +<p>After this other great battles were fought between the two armies. At +one of them, a great trumpet fifteen feet long is mentioned among the +other martial instruments that were used to excite the men to ardor in +making the charge.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The Monguls victorious.<br />The sultan's plans.</div> + +<p>In these battles the Monguls were victorious. The sultan, however, +still continued to make head as well as he could against the invaders, +until at length he found that he had lost one hundred and sixty +thousand of his men. This was almost half of his army, and the loss +enfeebled him so much that he was convinced that it was useless for +him any longer to resist the Monguls in the open field; so he sent off +his army in detachments to the different towns and fortresses of his +kingdom, ordering the several <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span>divisions to shut themselves up and +defend themselves as well as they could, in the places assigned to +them, until better times should return.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Flying squadron.</div> + +<p>The sultan, however, did not seek shelter in this way for himself. He +selected from his troops a certain portion of those who were most +active and alert and were best mounted, and formed of them a sort of +flying squadron with which he could move rapidly from place to place +through the country, wherever his aid might be most required.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan, of course, now prepared to attack the cities where the +several divisions of the sultan's army had intrenched themselves. He +wished first to get possession of Otrar, which was the place where the +embassadors and the merchants had been massacred. But the city was not +very large, and so, instead of marching toward it himself, he gave the +charge of capturing it to two of his younger sons, whom he sent off +for the purpose at the head of a suitable detachment.</p> + +<p>He himself, with the main body, set off upon a march toward the cities +of Samarcand and Bokhara, which were the great central cities of the +sultan's dominions.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XIX" id="Chapter_XIX"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XIX.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Fall of Bokhara.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1218-1219</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Description of the town Bokhara.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">B</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">okhara</span> was a great and beautiful city. It was situated in the midst +of a very fine and fertile country, in a position very favorable for +the trade and commerce of those days. It was also a great seat of +learning and of the arts and sciences. It contained many institutions +in which were taught such arts and sciences as were then cultivated, +and students resorted to it from all the portions of Western Asia.</p> + +<p>The city proper was inclosed with a strong wall. Besides this there +was an outer wall, thirty miles in circumference, which inclosed the +suburbs of the town, and also a beautiful region of parks and gardens, +which contained the public places of amusement and the villas of the +wealthy inhabitants. It was this peaceful seat of industry and wealth +that Genghis Khan, with his hordes of ruthless barbarians, was coming +now to sack and plunder.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Zarnuk.</div> + +<p>The first city which the Monguls reached on <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span>their march toward +Bokhara was one named Zarnuk. In approaching it a large troop rode up +toward the walls, uttering terrific shouts and outcries. The people +shut the gates in great terror. Genghis Khan, however, sent an officer +to them to say that it was useless for them to attempt to resist him, +and to advise them to surrender at once. They must demolish their +citadel, he said, and send out all the young and able-bodied men to +Genghis Khan. The officer advised them, too, to send out presents to +Genghis Khan as an additional means of propitiating him and inducing +him to spare the town.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">An immediate surrender.</div> + +<p>The inhabitants yielded to this advice. The gates were thrown open. +All the young men who were capable of bearing arms were marshaled and +marched out to the Mongul camp. They were accompanied by the older men +among the inhabitants, who took with them the best that the town +contained, for presents. Genghis Khan accepted the presents, ordered +the young men to be enrolled in his army, and then, dismissing the +older ones in peace, he resumed his march and went on his way.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Nur.</div> + +<p>He next came to a town named Nur. One of the men from Zarnuk served as +a guide to show the detachment which was sent to summon <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span>the city a +near way to reach it. Nur was a sort of sacred town, having many holy +places in it which were resorted to by many pilgrims and other +devotees.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Fate of Nur.</div> + +<p>The people of Nur shut the gates and for some time refused to +surrender. But at last, finding that it was useless to attempt to +resist, they opened the gates and allowed the Monguls to come in. +Genghis Khan, to punish the inhabitants, as he said, for even thinking +of resisting him, set aside a supply of cattle and other provisions to +keep them from starving, and then gave up all the rest of the property +found in the town to be divided among his soldiers as plunder.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The siege of Bokhara commenced.</div> + +<p>At length the army reached the great plain in which Bokhara was +situated, and encamped before the town. Bokhara was very large and +very populous, as may well be supposed from its outer wall of thirty +miles in circuit, and Genghis Khan did not expect to make himself +master of it without considerable difficulty and delay. He was, +however, very intent on besieging and taking it, not only on account +of the general wealth and importance of the place, but also because he +supposed that the sultan himself was at this time within the walls. He +had heard that the sultan had retreated there with <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span>his flying +squadron, taking with him all his treasure.</p> + +<p>This was, however, a mistake. The sultan was not there. He had gone +there, it is true, at first, and had taken with him the most valuable +of his treasures, but before Genghis Khan arrived he had secretly +withdrawn to Samarcand, thinking that he might be safer there.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The sultan's anxiety.<br />Intercepted letters.</div> + +<p>In truth, the sultan was beginning to be very much disheartened and +discouraged. Among other things which occurred to disturb his mind, +certain letters were found and brought to him, as if they had been +intercepted, which letters gave accounts of a conspiracy among his +officers to desert him and go over to the side of Genghis Khan. These +letters were not signed, and the sultan could not discover who had +written them, but the pretended conspiracy which they revealed filled +his soul with anxiety and distress.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The deserter.</div> + +<p>It was only a pretended conspiracy after all, for the letters were +written by a man in Genghis Khan's camp, and with Genghis Khan's +permission or connivance. This man was a Mohammedan, and had been in +the sultan's service; but the sultan had put to death his father and +his brothers on account of some alleged offense, and he had become so +incensed at the act <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span>that he had deserted to Genghis Khan, and now he +was determined to do his former sovereign all the mischief in his +power. His intimate knowledge of persons and things connected with the +sultan's court and army enabled him to write these letters in such a +way as to deceive the sultan completely.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The outer wall taken.</div> + +<p>It was past midsummer when the army of Genghis Khan laid siege to +Bokhara, and it was not until the spring of the following year that +they succeeded in carrying the outer wall, so strongly was the city +fortified and so well was it defended. After having forced the outer +wall, the Monguls destroyed the suburbs of the town, devastated the +cultivated gardens and grounds, and pillaged the villas. They then +took up their position around the inner wall, and commenced the siege +of the city itself in due form.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Grand sortie made by the garrison.<br />Evacuation of the town.</div> + +<p>The sultan had left three of his greatest generals in command of the +town. These men determined not to wait the operations of Genghis Khan +in attacking the walls, but to make a sudden sally from the gates, +with the whole force that could be spared, and attack the besiegers in +their intrenchments. They made this sally in the night, at a time when +the Monguls were least expecting it. They were, however, wholly +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span>unsuccessful. They were driven back into the city with great loss. +The generals, it seems, had determined to risk all on this desperate +attempt, and, in case it failed, at once to abandon the city to its +fate. Accordingly, when driven into the city through the gates on one +side, they marched directly through it and passed out through the +gates on the other side, hoping to save themselves and the garrison by +this retreat, with a view of ultimately rejoining the sultan. They, +however, went first in a southerly direction from the city toward the +River Amoor. The generals took their families and those of the +principal officers of the garrison with them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Pursuit.<br />The fugitives overtaken.</div> + +<p>The night was dark, and they succeeded in leaving the city without +being observed. In the morning, however, all was discovered, and +Genghis Khan sent off a strong detachment of well-mounted troops in +pursuit. These troops, after about a day's chase, overtook the flying +garrison near the river. There was no escape for the poor fugitives, +and the merciless Monguls destroyed them almost every one by riding +over them, trampling them down with their horses' hoofs, and cutting +them to pieces with their sabres.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Surrender.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, while this detachment had <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span>been pursuing the +garrison, Genghis Khan, knowing that there were no longer any troops +within the city to defend it, and that every thing there was in utter +confusion, determined on a grand final assault; but, while his men +were getting the engines ready to batter down the walls, a procession, +consisting of all the magistrates and clergy, and a great mass of the +principal citizens, came forth from one of the gates, bearing with +them the keys of the city. These keys they offered to Genghis Khan in +token of surrender, and begged him to spare their lives.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Conditions made.</div> + +<p>The emperor received the keys, and said to the citizens that he would +spare their lives on condition that, if there were any of the sultan's +soldiers concealed in the city, they would give them up, and that they +would also seize and deliver to him any of the citizens that were +suspected of being in the sultan's interest. This they took a solemn +oath that they would do.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The governor of the citadel.</div> + +<p>The soldiers, however—that is, those that remained in the town—were +not delivered up. Most of them retired to the castle, which was a sort +of citadel, and put themselves under the command of the governor of +the castle, who, being a very energetic and resolute man, declared +that he never would surrender.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span></p><p>There were a great many of the young men of the town, sons of the +leading citizens, who also retired to the castle, determined not to +yield to the conqueror.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan enters the city.<br />Valuables surrendered.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan, having thus obtained the keys of the city itself, caused +the gates to be opened, and his troops marched in and took possession. +He had promised the citizens that his soldiers should spare the lives +of the people and should not pillage the houses on condition that the +magistrates delivered up peaceably the public magazines of grain and +other food to supply his army; also that all the people who had buried +or otherwise concealed gold and silver, or other treasures, should +bring them forth again and give them up, or else make known where they +were concealed. This the people promised that they would do.</p> + +<p>After having entered the town, Genghis Khan was riding about the +streets on horseback at the head of his troop of guards when he came +to a large and very beautiful edifice. The doors were wide, and he +drove his horse directly in. His troops, and the other soldiers who +were there, followed him in. There were also with him some of the +magistrates of the town, who were accompanying him in his progress +about the city.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">The emperor in the mosque.</div> + +<p>After the whole party had entered the edifice, Genghis Khan looked +around, and then asked them, in a jeering manner, if that was the +sultan's palace.</p> + +<p>"No," said they, "it is the house of God."</p> + +<p>The building was a mosque.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Desecration of the mosque.</div> + +<p>On hearing this, Genghis Khan alighted from his horse, and, giving the +bridle to one of the principal magistrates to hold, he went up, in a +very irreverent manner, to a sacred place where the priests were +accustomed to sit. He seized the copy of the Koran which he found +there, and threw it down under the feet of the horses. After amusing +himself for a time in desecrating the temple by these and other +similar performances, he caused his soldiers to bring in their +provisions, and allowed them to eat and drink in the temple, in a +riotous manner, without any regard to the sacredness of the place, or +to the feelings of the people of the town which he outraged by this +conduct.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan makes a speech.</div> + +<p>A few days after this Genghis Khan assembled all the magistrates and +principal citizens of the town, and made a speech to them from an +elevated stand or pulpit which was erected for the purpose. He began +his speech by praising God, and claiming to be an object of his +special favor, in proof of which he recounted <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span>the victories which he +had obtained, as he said, through the Divine aid. He then went on to +denounce the perfidious conduct of the sultan toward him in making a +solemn treaty of peace with him and then treacherously murdering his +merchants and embassadors. He said that the sultan was a detestable +tyrant, and that God had commissioned him to rid the earth of all such +monsters. He said, in conclusion, that he would protect their lives, +and would not allow his soldiers to take away their household goods, +provided they surrendered to him fairly and honestly all their money +and other treasures; and if any of them refused to do this, or to tell +where their treasures were hid, he would put them to the torture, and +compel them to tell.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The inhabitants give up every thing.<br />Conflagration.<br />Surrender of the citadel.</div> + +<p>The wretched inhabitants of the town, feeling that they were entirely +at the mercy of the terrible hordes that were in possession of the +city, did not attempt to conceal any thing. They brought forward their +hidden treasures, and even offered their household goods to the +conqueror if he was disposed to take them. They were only anxious to +save, if possible, their dwellings and their lives. Genghis Khan +appeared at first to be pleased with the submissive spirit which they +manifested, but at last, under pretense that he heard of some soldiers +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span>being concealed somewhere, and perhaps irritated at the citadel's +holding out so long against him, he ordered the town to be set on +fire. The buildings were almost all of wood, and the fire raged among +them with great fury. Multitudes of the inhabitants perished in the +flames, and great numbers died miserably afterward from want and +exposure. The citadel immediately afterward surrendered, and it would +seem that Genghis Khan began to feel satisfied with the amount of +misery which he had caused, for it is said that he spared the lives of +the governor and of the soldiers, although we might have expected that +he would have massacred them all.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The town utterly destroyed.</div> + +<p>The citadel was, however, demolished, and thus the town itself, and +all that pertained to it, became a mass of smoking ruins. The property +pillaged from the inhabitants was divided among the Mongul troops, +while the people themselves went away, to roam as vagabonds and +beggars over the surrounding country, and to die of want and despair.</p> + +<p>What difference is there between such a conqueror as this and the +captain of a band of pirates or of robbers, except in the immense +magnitude of the scale on which he perpetrates his crimes?</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">News of the fall of Otrar.</div> + +<p>The satisfaction which Genghis Khan felt at the capture of Bokhara was +greatly increased by the intelligence which he received soon afterward +from the two princes whom he had sent to lay siege to Otrar, informing +him that that city had fallen into their hands, and that the governor +of it, the officer who had so treacherously put to death the +embassadors and the merchants, had been taken and slain. The name of +this governor was Gayer Khan. The sultan, knowing that Genghis Khan +would doubtless make this city one of his first objects of attack, +left the governor a force of fifty thousand men to defend it. He +afterward sent him an additional force of ten thousand men, under the +command of a general named Kariakas.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Plans for the defense of Otrar.</div> + +<p>With these soldiers the governor shut himself up in the city. He knew +very well that if he surrendered or was taken he could expect no +mercy, and he went to work accordingly strengthening the +fortifications, and laying in stores of provisions, determined to +fight to the last extremity. The captain of the guard who came to +assist him had not the same reason for being so very obstinate in the +defense of the town, and this difference in the situation of the two +commanders led to difficulty in the end, as we shall presently see.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Sorties.<br />The proposal made to Genghis Khan.</div> + +<p>The Mongul princes began the siege of Otrar by filling up the ditches +that encircled the outer wall of the town in the places where they +wished to plant their battering-rams to make breaches in the walls. +They were hindered a great deal in their work, as is usual in such +cases, by the sallies of the besieged, who rushed upon them in the +night in great numbers, and with such desperate fury that they often +succeeded in destroying some of the engines, or setting them on fire +before they could be driven back into the town. This continued for +some time, until at last the Mongul princes began to be discouraged, +and they sent word to their father, who was then engaged in the siege +of Bokhara, informing him of the desperate defense which was made by +the garrison of Otrar, and asking his permission to turn the siege +into a blockade—that is, to withdraw from the immediate vicinity of +the walls, and to content themselves with investing the city closely +on every side, so as to prevent any one from going out or coming in, +until the provisions of the town should be exhausted, and the garrison +be starved into a surrender. In this way, they said, the lives of vast +numbers of the troops would be saved.</p> + +<p>But their father sent back word to them that <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span>they must do no such +thing, but must go on and <i>fight their way</i> into the town, no matter +how many of the men were killed.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The siege renewed.<br />The outer walls taken.</div> + +<p>So the princes began again with fresh ardor, and they pushed forward +their operations with such desperate energy that in less than a month +the outer wall, and the works of the besieged to defend it, were all +in ruins. The towers were beaten down, the ramparts were broken, and +many breaches were made through which the besiegers might be expected +at any moment to force their way into the town. The besieged were +accordingly obliged to abandon the outer walls and retire within the +inner lines.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Desperate conflicts.</div> + +<p>The Monguls now had possession of the suburbs, and, after pillaging +them of all that they could convert to their own use, and burning and +destroying every thing else, they advanced to attack the inner works; +and here the contest between the besiegers and the garrison was +renewed more fiercely than ever. The besieged continued their +resistance for five months, defending themselves by every possible +means from the walls, and making desperate sallies from time to time +in order to destroy the Monguls' engines and kill the men.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kariakas and the governor.</div> + +<p>At length Kariakas, the captain of the guard, who had been sent to +assist the governor in the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span>defense of the town, began to think it was +time that the carnage should cease and that the town should be +surrendered. But the governor, who knew that he would most assuredly +be beheaded if in any way he fell into the hands of the enemy, would +not listen to any proposal of the kind. He succeeded, also, in +exciting among the people of the town, and among the soldiers of the +garrison, such a hatred of the Monguls, whom he represented as +infidels of the very worst character, the enemies alike of God and +man, that they joined him in the determination not to surrender.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Treason.</div> + +<p>Kariakas now found himself an object of suspicion and distrust in the +town and in the garrison on account of his having made the proposal to +surrender, and feeling that he was not safe, he determined to make a +separate peace for himself and his ten thousand by going out secretly +in the night and giving himself up to the princes. He thought that by +doing this, and by putting the Monguls in possession of the gate +through which his troops were to march out, so as to enable them to +gain admission to the city, his life would be spared, and that he +might perhaps be admitted into the service of Genghis Khan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Punishment of treason.</div> + +<p>But he was mistaken in this idea. The <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span>princes said that a man who +would betray his own countrymen would betray <i>them</i> if he ever had a +good opportunity. So they ordered him and all his officers to be +slain, and the men to be divided among the soldiers as slaves.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The Monguls enter the town.<br />Citadel stormed.</div> + +<p>They nevertheless took possession of the gate by which the deserters +had come out, and by this means gained admission to the city. The +governor fled to the citadel with all the men whom he could assemble, +and shut himself up in it. Here he fought desperately for a month, +making continual sallies at the head of his men, and doing every thing +that the most resolute and reckless bravery could do to harass and +beat off the besiegers. But all was in vain. In the end the walls of +the citadel were so broken down by the engines brought to bear upon +them, that one day the Monguls, by a determined and desperate assault +made on all sides simultaneously, forced their way in, through the +most dreadful scenes of carnage and destruction, and began killing +without mercy every soldier that they could find.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Desperation of the governor.</div> + +<p>The soldiers defended themselves to the last. Some took refuge in +narrow courts and lanes, and on the roofs of the houses—for the +citadel was so large that it formed of itself quite a little town—and +fought desperately till they were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span>brought down by the arrows of the +Monguls. The governor took his position, in company with two men who +were with him, on a terrace of his palace, and refused to surrender, +but fought on furiously, determined to kill any one who attempted to +come near him. His wife was near, doing all in her power to encourage +and sustain him.</p> + +<p>Genghis Khan had given orders to the princes not to kill the governor, +but to take him alive. He wished to have the satisfaction of disposing +of him himself. For this reason the soldiers who attempted to take him +on the terrace were very careful not to shoot their arrows at him, but +only at the men who were with him, and while they did so a great many +of them were killed by the arrows which the governor and his two +friends discharged at those who attempted to climb up to the place +where they were standing.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261-2]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i249.jpg" class="medgap" width="500" height="289" alt="THE GOVERNOR ON THE TERRACE." title="" /> +<span class="caption">THE GOVERNOR ON THE TERRACE.</span> +</div> + +<div class="sidenote2">Courage and devotion of his wife.</div> + +<p>After a while the two men were killed, but the governor remained +alive. Yet nobody could come near him. Those that attempted it were +shot, and fell back again among their companions below. The governor's +wife supplied him with arrows as fast as he could use them. At length +all the arrows were spent, and then she brought him stones, which he <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span>hurled down upon his assailants when they tried to climb up to him. +But at last so many ascended together that the governor could not beat +them all back, and he was at length surrounded and secured, and +immediately put in irons.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The governor's fate.</div> + +<p>The princes wrote word at once to their father that the town was +taken, and that the governor was in their hands a prisoner. They +received orders in return to bring him with them to Bokhara. While on +the way, however, another order came requiring them to put the +prisoner to death, and this order was immediately executed.</p> + +<p>What was the fate of his courageous and devoted wife has never been +known.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XX" id="Chapter_XX"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XX.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Battles and Sieges.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1219-1220</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Continuation of the war.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">A</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">fter</span> the fall of Bokhara and Otrar, the war was continued for two +years with great vigor by Genghis Khan and the Monguls, and the poor +sultan was driven from place to place by his merciless enemies, until +at last his cause was wholly lost, and he himself, as will appear in +the next chapter, came to a miserable end.</p> + +<p>During the two years while Genghis Khan continued the war against him, +a great many incidents occurred illustrating the modes of warfare +practiced in those days, and the sufferings which were endured by the +mass of the people in consequence of these terrible struggles between +rival despots contending for the privilege of governing them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Saganak.</div> + +<p>At one time Genghis Khan sent his son Jughi with a large detachment to +besiege and take a certain town named Saganak. As soon as Jughi +arrived before the place, he sent in a flag of truce to call upon the +people of the town <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span>to surrender, promising, at the same time, to +treat them kindly if they would do so.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Hassan.<br />The murdered embassador.</div> + +<p>The bearer of the flag was a Mohammedan named Hassan. Jughi probably +thought that the message would be better received by the people of the +town if brought to them by one of their own countrymen, but he made a +great mistake in this. The people, instead of being pleased with the +messenger because he was a Mohammedan, were very much exasperated +against him. They considered him a renegade and a traitor; and, +although the governor had solemnly promised that he should be allowed +to go and come in safety, so great a tumult arose that the governor +found it impossible to protect him, and the poor man was torn to +pieces by the mob.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jughi's revenge.</div> + +<p>Jughi immediately assaulted the town with all his force, and as soon +as he got possession of it he slaughtered without mercy all the +officers and soldiers of the garrison, and killed also about one half +of the inhabitants, in order to avenge the death of his murdered +messenger. He also caused a handsome monument to be erected to his +memory in the principal square of the town.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jughi's general policy.</div> + +<p>Jughi treated the inhabitants of every town that dared to resist with +extreme severity, while <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span>those that yielded at once were, in some +degree, spared and protected. The consequence of this policy was that +the people of many of the towns surrendered without attempting to +defend themselves at all. In one case the magistrates and other +principal inhabitants of a town came out to meet him a distance of two +days' journey from them, bringing with them the keys of the town, and +a great quantity of magnificent presents, all of which they laid at +the conqueror's feet, and implored his mercy.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Account of a stratagem.<br />The town taken.</div> + +<p>There was one town which Jughi's force took by a kind of stratagem. A +certain engineer, whom he employed to make a reconnoissance of the +fortifications, reported that there was a place on one side of the +town where there was a ditch full of water outside of the wall, which +made the access to the wall there so difficult that the garrison would +not be at all likely to expect an attack on that side. The engineer +proposed a plan for building some light bridges, which the soldiers +were to throw over the ditch in the night, after having drawn off the +attention of the garrison to some other quarter, and then, mounting +upon the walls by means of ladders, to get into the town. This plan +was adopted. The bridges and the ladders were prepared, and then, when +the appointed night came, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span>a feigned attack was made in the opposite +part of the town. The garrison were then all called off to repel this +pretended attack, and in this way the wall opposite to the ditch was +left undefended. The soldiers then threw the bridges over the ditch, +and planted the ladders against the wall, and before the garrison +could get intelligence of what they were doing they had made their way +into the town, and had opened one of the gates, and by this means the +whole army got in. The engineer himself, who had proposed the plan, +went up first on the first ladder that was planted against the wall. +To take the lead in such an escalade required great coolness and +courage, for it was dark, and no one knew, in going up the ladder, how +many enemies he might have to encounter at the top of it.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A beautiful city.</div> + +<p>The next place which the army of Jughi approached was a quiet and +beautiful town, the seat of several institutions of learning, and the +residence of learned men and men of leisure. It was a very pleasant +place, full of fountains, gardens, and delightful pleasure-grounds, +with many charming public and private promenades. The name of this +place was Toukat, and the beauty and attractiveness of it were +proverbial through all the country.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Toukat.</div> + +<p>Toukat was a place rather of pleasure than <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span>of strength, and yet it +was surrounded by a wall, and the governor of it determined to make an +effort to defend it. The garrison fought bravely, and they kept the +besiegers off for three days. At the end of that time the engines of +the Monguls had made so many breaches in the walls that the governor +was convinced that they would soon get in, and so he sent to Jughi to +ask for the terms on which he would allow them to surrender. Jughi +replied that he would not now make any terms with him at all. It was +too late. He ought to have surrendered at the beginning.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Toukat taken.<br />Arrangements for plundering it.</div> + +<p>So the Mongul army forced its way into the town, and slaughtered the +whole garrison without mercy. Jughi then ordered all the inhabitants, +men, women, and children, to repair to a certain place on the plain +outside the walls. In obedience to this command, all the people went +to the appointed place. They went with fear and trembling, expecting +that they were all to be killed. But they found, in the end, that the +object of Jughi in bringing them thus out of the town was not to kill +them, but only to call them away from the houses, so that the soldiers +could plunder them more conveniently while the owners were away. After +being kept out of the town for a time <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span>they were allowed to return, +and when they went back to their houses they found that they had been +pillaged and stripped of every thing that the soldiers could carry +away.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kojend.<br />Timur Melek.<br />His preparations for defense.</div> + +<p>There was another large and important town named Kojend. It was +situated two or three hundred miles to the northward of Samarcand, on +the River Sir, which flows into Aral Lake. The governor of this city +was Timur Melek. He was a very powerful chieftain, and a man of great +military renown, having often been in active service under the sultan +as one of the principal generals of his army. When Timur heard of the +fall of Toukat, he presumed that his city of Kojend would be next +attacked, as it seemed to come next in the way of the Mongul army; so +he began to make vigorous preparations for defense. He broke up all +the roads leading toward the town, and destroyed the bridges. He also +laid in great supplies of food to maintain the inhabitants in case of +a protracted siege, and he ordered all the corn, fruits, and cattle of +the surrounding country, which he did not require for this purpose, to +be taken away and stowed in secret places at a distance, to prevent +their falling into the hands of the enemy.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Engines and battering-rams.</div> + +<p>Jughi did not himself attack this town, but <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span>sent a large detachment +under the orders of a general named Elak Nevian. Elak advanced toward +the city and commenced his operations. The first thing that was to be +done was to rebuild a bridge over the river, so as to enable him to +gain access to the town, which was on the opposite bank. Then he set +up immense engines at different points along the line, some of which +were employed to batter down the walls, and others, at the same time, +to throw stones, darts, and arrows over the parapets, in order to +drive the garrison back from them. These engines did great execution. +Those built to batter down the walls were of great size and power. +Some of them, it was said, threw stones over the wall as big as +millstones.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The floating batteries.</div> + +<p>Timur Melek was equally active in the defense of the town. He built a +number of flat-bottomed boats, which might be called floating +batteries, since they were constructed for throwing missiles of all +sorts into the camp of the enemy. These batteries, it is said, were +covered over on the top to protect the men, and they had port-holes in +the sides, like a modern man-of-war, out of which, not cannon balls +and bomb-shells indeed, but arrows, darts, javelins, and stones were +projected. The boats were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span>sent out, some on the upper side of the +town and some on the lower, and were placed in stations where they +could most effectually reach the Mongul works. They were the means of +killing and wounding great multitudes of men, and they greatly +disturbed and hindered the besiegers' operations.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The morass.<br />Obstinate conflict.</div> + +<p>Still Elak persevered. He endeavored to shut up the city on every side +as closely as possible; but there was on one side a large morass or +jungle which he could not guard, and Timur received a great many +re-enforcements, to take the place of the men who were killed on the +walls, by that way. In the mean time, however, Elak was continually +receiving re-enforcements too from Prince Jughi, who was not at a +great distance, and thus the struggle was continued with great fury.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The pretended deserters.</div> + +<p>At last Timur contrived an ingenious stratagem, by which he hoped to +cause his enemy to fall into a snare. It seems that there was a small +island in the river, not far from the walls of the city, on which, +before the siege commenced, Timur had built a fortress, to be held as +a sort of advanced post, and had garrisoned the fortress with about +one thousand men. Timur now, in order to divert the attention of the +Monguls from the city itself, sent a number of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span>men out from the city, +who pretended to be deserters, and went immediately to the Mongul +camp. Of course, Elak questioned them about the defenses of the city, +in order to learn where the weak points were for him to attack. The +pretended deserters advised him to attack this fortress on the island, +saying that it could very easily be taken, and that its situation was +such that, when it was taken, the city itself must surrender, for it +completely commanded the place.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">No more stones.</div> + +<p>So Elak caused his principal engines to be removed to the bank of the +river, opposite the island, and employed all his energies and spent +all his ammunition in shooting at the fortress; but the river was so +wide, and the walls of the fortress wore so thick and so high, that he +made very little impression. At last his whole supply of stones—for +stones served in those days instead of cannon balls—was exhausted, +and as the town was situated in an alluvial district, in which no +stones were to be found, he was obliged to send ten or twelve miles to +the upland to procure a fresh supply of ammunition. All this consumed +much time, and enabled the garrison to recruit themselves a great deal +and to strengthen their defenses.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Building of the jetty.<br />The horsemen in the water.</div> + +<p>The operations of the siege were in a great measure suspended while +the men were obtaining <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span>a new supply of stones, and the whole +disposable force of the army was employed in going back and forth to +bring them. At length an immense quantity were collected; but then the +Mongul general changed his plan. Instead of throwing the stones from +his engines toward the fortress on the island, which it had been +proved was beyond his reach, he determined to build out a jetty into +the river toward it, so as to get a stand-point for his engines nearer +the walls, where they could have some chance of doing execution. So he +set his men at work to prepare fascines, and bundles, and rafts of +timber, which were to be loaded with the stones and sunk in the river +to form the foundation for the proposed bank. The men would bring the +stones down to the bank in their hands, and then horsemen, who were +ready on the brink, would take them, and, resting them on the saddle, +would drive their horses in until they came near the place where the +stones were to go, when they would throw them down and then return for +others. In this way they could work upon the jetty in many parts at +once, some being employed in building at the end where it abutted on +the shore, while the horsemen were laying the foundations at the same +time out in the middle of the stream. The work of the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span>horsemen was +very difficult and dangerous, on account of holes in the sandy bottom +of the river, into which they were continually sinking. Besides this, +the garrison on the walls were doing their utmost all the time to +impede the work by shooting arrows, javelins, stones, and fiery darts +among the workmen, by which means vast numbers, both of men and +horses, were killed.</p> + +<p>The Monguls, however, persevered, and, notwithstanding all the +opposition which the garrison made, they succeeded in advancing the +mole which they were building so far that Timur was convinced that +they would soon gain so advantageous a position that it would be +impossible for him to hold out against them. So he determined to +attempt to make his escape. His plan was to embark on board his boats, +with all his men, and go down the river in the night.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Timur's boats.<br />The fire-proof awnings.</div> + +<p>In order to prepare for this undertaking, he employed his men secretly +in building more boats, until he had in all more than seventy. These +boats were kept out of sight, in hidden places in the river, until all +were ready. Each of them was covered with a sort of heavy awning or +roof, made of wet felt, which was plastered over with a coating of +clay and vinegar. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span>This covering was intended both to defend the men +from missiles and the boats themselves from being set on fire.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The fire-boats and the bridge.<br />The bridge burned.</div> + +<p>There was one obstacle to the escape of the boats which it was +necessary to remove beforehand, and that was the bridge which the +Monguls had built across the river, just below the town, when they +first came to besiege it. To destroy this bridge, Timur one night made +a sally from one of the gates, and attacked the men who were stationed +to guard the bridge. At the same time he sent down the current of the +river a number of great flat-bottomed boats, filled with combustibles +of various kinds, mixed with tar and naphtha. These combustibles were +set on fire before they were launched, and, as the current of the +river bore them down one after another against the bridge, they set +the wooden piers and posts that supported it on fire, while the guard, +being engaged with the party which had sallied from the town, could +not go to extinguish the flames, and thus the bridge was consumed.</p> + +<p>The way being thus opened, Timur Melek very soon afterward embarked +his family and the greater part of his army on board the boats in the +night; and, while the Monguls had no suspicion of what was going on, +the boats were <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span>launched, and sent off one after another swiftly down +the stream. Before morning came all traces of the party had passed +away.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Pursuit.<br />Battle in the river.</div> + +<p>Very soon, however, the Mongul general heard how his intended prey had +escaped him, and he immediately sent off a strong detachment to follow +the southern bank of the river and pursue the fugitives. The +detachment soon overtook them, and then a furious battle ensued +between the Mongul horsemen on the banks and in the margin of the +water and the men in the boats, who kept the boats all the time as +near as possible to the northern shore.</p> + +<p>Sometimes, however, when the stream was narrow, or when a rocky point +projected from the northern shore, so as to drive the boats nearer to +the Mongul side, the battle became very fierce and bloody. The Monguls +drove their horses far into the water, so as to be as near as possible +to the boats, and threw arrows, javelins, and fiery darts at them, +while the Mohammedans defended themselves as well as they could from +their windows or port-holes.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277-8]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> +<img src="images/i264.jpg" class="medgap" width="500" height="291" alt="BATTLE OF THE BOATS." title="" /> +<span class="caption">BATTLE OF THE BOATS.</span> +</div> + +<div class="sidenote2">The boats aground.</div> + +<p>Things went on in this way for some time, until, at length, the boats +arrived at a part of the river where the water was so shallow—being +obstructed by sand-bars and shoals—that the boats fell aground. There +was nothing <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span>now for Timur to do but to abandon the boats and escape with his men +to the land. This he succeeded in doing; and, after reaching the +shore, he was able to form his men in array, on an elevated piece of +ground, before Elak could bring up a sufficient number of men to +attack him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Timur's adventures.<br />He finally escapes.</div> + +<p>When the Monguls at length came to attack him, he beat them off in the +first instance, but he was obliged soon afterward to leave the field +and continue his retreat. Of course, he was hotly pursued by the +Monguls. His men became rapidly thinned in number, some being killed, +and others getting separated from the main body in the confusion of +the flight, until, at last, Timur was left almost alone. At last he +was himself on the very point of being taken. There were three Monguls +closely pursuing him. He turned round and shot an arrow at the +foremost of the pursuers. The arrow struck the Mongul in the eye. The +agony which the wounded man felt was so great that the two others +stopped to assist him, and in the mean time Timur got out of the way. +In due time, and after meeting with some other hairbreadth escapes, he +reached the camp of the sultan, who received him very joyfully, loaded +him with praises for the indomitable spirit which he had <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span>evinced, and +immediately made him governor of another city.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The governor's family.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, some of the boats which had been abandoned by the +soldiers were got off by the men who had been left in charge of +them—one especially, which contained the family of Timur. This boat +went quietly down the river, and conveyed the family to a place of +safety.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kojend surrendered.</div> + +<p>The city of Kojend, from which Timur and his men had fled, was, of +course, now without any means of defense, and it surrendered the very +next day to the Monguls.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXI" id="Chapter_XXI"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXI.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Death of the Sultan.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1220</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Pursuit of the sultan.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">I</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">n</span> the mean time, while Jughi and the other generals were ravaging the +country with their detachments, and besieging and capturing all the +secondary towns and fortresses that came in their way, as related in +the last chapter, Genghis Khan himself, with the main body of the +army, had advanced to Samarcand in pursuit of the sultan, who had, as +he supposed, taken shelter there. Samarcand was the capital of the +country, and was then, as it has been since, a great and renowned +city.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The two ladies.<br />Character of the queen-mother.<br />Khatun.</div> + +<p>Besides the sultan himself, whom Genghis Khan was pursuing, there were +the ladies of his family whom he wished also to capture. The two +principal ladies were the sultana and the queen-mother. The +queen-mother was a lady of very great distinction. She had been +greatly renowned during the lifetime of her husband, the former +sultan, for her learning, her piety, the kindness of her heart, and +the general excellence of her character, so far as her <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span>dealings with +her subjects and friends were concerned, and her influence throughout +the realm had been unbounded. At some periods of her life she had +exercised a great deal of political power, and at one time she bore +the very grand title of <i>Protectress of the faith of the world</i>. She +exercised the power which she then possessed, in the main, in a very +wise and beneficial manner. She administered justice impartially. She +protected the weak, and restrained the oppressions of the strong. She +listened to all the cases which were brought before her with great +attention and patience, and arrived almost always at just conclusions +respecting them. With all this, however, she was very strict and +severe, and, as has almost always been the case with women raised to +the possession of irresponsible power, she was unrelenting and cruel +in the extreme whenever, as she judged, any political necessity +required her to act with decision. Her name was Khatun.<a name="FNanchor_E_5" id="FNanchor_E_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_E_5" class="fnanchor">[E]</a></p> + +<div class="sidenote">Her retirement.</div> + +<p>Khatun was not now at Samarcand. She was at Karazm, a city which was +the chief residence of the court. She had been living there in +retirement ever since the death of her husband, the present sultan's +father.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Samarcand.<br />Fortifications of the place.</div> + +<p>Samarcand itself, as has already been said, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span>was a great and splendid +city. Like most of the other cities, it was inclosed in a double wall, +though, in this case, the outer wall surrounded the whole city, while +the inner one inclosed the mosque, the palace of the sultan, and some +other public buildings. These walls were much better built and more +strongly fortified than those of Bokhara. There were twelve iron +gates, it is said, in the outer wall. These gates were a league apart +from each other. At every two leagues along the wall was a fort +capable of containing a large body of men. The walls were likewise +strengthened with battlements and towers, in which the men could fight +under shelter, and they were surrounded by a broad and deep ditch, to +prevent an enemy from approaching too near to them, in order to +undermine them or batter them down.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Water-works.</div> + +<p>The city was abundantly supplied with water by means of hydraulic +constructions as perfect and complete as could be made in those days. +The water was brought by leaden pipes from a stream which came down +from the mountains at some distance from the town. It was conveyed by +these pipes to every part of the town, and was distributed freely, so +that every great street had a little current of water running through +it, and every house a fountain <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span>in the court or garden. Besides this, +in a public square or park there was a mound where the water was made +to spout up in the centre, and then flow down in little rivulets and +cascades on every side.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Gates and towers.</div> + +<p>The gates and towers which have been described were in the outer wall, +and beyond them, in the environs, were a great many fields, gardens, +orchards, and beautifully-cultivated grounds, which produced fruits of +all sorts, that were sent by the merchants into all the neighboring +countries. At a little distance the town was almost entirely concealed +from view by these gardens and orchards, there being nothing to be +seen but minarets, and some of the loftier roofs of the houses, rising +above the tops of the trees.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Crowds of people seeking refuge.<br />Encampment.<br />Arrival of the Monguls.<br />Dissensions within the city.</div> + +<p>There were so many people who flocked into Samarcand from the +surrounding country for shelter and protection, when they learned that +Genghis Khan was coming, that the place would hardly contain them. In +addition to these, the sultan sent over one hundred thousand troops to +defend the town, with thirty generals to command them. There were +twenty large elephants, too, that were brought with the army, to be +employed in any service which might be required of them during the +siege. This army, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span>however, instead of entering the city at once, +encamped about it. They strengthened the position of the camp by a +deep ditch which they dug, throwing up the earth from the ditch on the +side toward the camp so as to form a redoubt with which to defend the +ground from the Monguls. But as soon as Genghis Khan arrived they were +speedily driven from this post, and forced to take shelter within the +walls of the city. Here they defended themselves with so much vigor +and resolution that Genghis Khan would probably have found it very +difficult to take the town had it not been for dissensions within the +walls. It seems that the rich merchants and other wealthy men of the +city, being convinced that the place would sooner or later fall into +the hands of the Monguls, thought it would be better to surrender it +at once, while they were in a condition to make some terms by which +they might hope to save their lives, and perhaps their property.</p> + +<p>But the generals would not listen to any proposition of this kind. +They had been sent by the sultan to defend the town, and they felt +bound in honor, in obedience to their orders, to fight in defense of +it to the last extremity.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">A deputation.</div> + +<p>The dissension within the city grew more and more violent every day, +until at length the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span>party of the inhabitants grew so strong and +decided that they finally took possession of one of the gates, and +sent a large deputation, consisting of priests, magistrates, and some +of the principal citizens, to Genghis Khan, bearing with them the keys +of the town, and proposing to deliver them up to him if he would spare +the garrison and the inhabitants. But he said he would make no terms +except with those who were of their party and were willing to +surrender. In respect to the generals and the soldiers of the garrison +he would make no promises.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Massacre.<br />Escape of the governor.</div> + +<p>The deputation gave up the keys and Genghis Khan entered the city. The +inhabitants were spared, but the soldiers were massacred wherever they +could be found. A great many perished in the streets. A considerable +body of them, however, with the governor at their head, retreated +within the inner wall, and there defended themselves desperately for +four days. At the end of that time, finding that their case was +hopeless, and knowing that they could expect no quarter from the +Monguls in any event, they resolved to make a sally and cut their way +through the ranks of their enemies at all hazards. The governor, +accordingly, put himself at the head of a troop of one thousand horse, +and, coming out suddenly from his retreat, he <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span>dashed through the camp +at a time when the Monguls were off their guard, and so gained the +open country and made his escape. All the soldiers that remained +behind in the city were immediately put to the sword.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Forlorn condition of the sultan.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, the sultan himself, finding that his affairs were +going to ruin, retreated from province to province, accompanied by as +large a force as he could keep together, and vainly seeking to find +some place of safety. He had several sons, and among them two whose +titles were Jalaloddin and Kothboddin. Jalaloddin was the oldest, and +was therefore naturally entitled to be his father's successor; but, +for some reason or other, the queen-mother, Khatun, had taken a +dislike to him, and had persuaded her son, the sultan, to execute a +sort of act or deed by which Jalaloddin was displaced, and Kothboddin, +who was a great favorite of hers, was made heir to the throne in his +place.</p> + +<p>The sultan had other sons who were governors of different provinces, +and he fled from one to another of these, seeking in vain for some +safe retreat. But he could find none. He was hunted from place to +place by detachments of the Monguls, and the number of his attendants +and followers was continually diminishing, until <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</a></span>at last he began to +be completely discouraged.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The sultan sends away his treasures.</div> + +<p>At length, at one of the cities where he made a short stay, he +delivered to an officer named Omar, who was the steward of his +household, ten coffers sealed with the royal signet, with instructions +to take them secretly to a certain distant fortress and lock them up +carefully there, without allowing any one to know that he did it.</p> + +<p>These coffers contained the royal jewels, and they were of inestimable +value.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His flight and his despondency.</div> + +<p>After this, one of his sons joined him with quite a large force, but +very soon a large body of Monguls came up, and, after a furious +battle, the sultan's troops were defeated and scattered in all +directions; and he was again obliged to fly, accompanied by a very +small body of officers, who still contrived to keep near him. With +these he succeeded, at last, in reaching a very retired town near the +Caspian Sea, where he hoped to remain concealed. His strength was now +spent, and all his courage gone. He sank down into a condition of the +greatest despondency and distress, and spent his time in going to the +mosque and offering up prayers to God to save him from total ruin. He +made confession of his sins, and promised an entire <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span>amendment of life +if the Almighty would deliver him from his enemies and restore him to +his throne.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Narrow escape.</div> + +<p>At last the Mongul detachment that was in pursuit of him in that part +of the country were informed by a peasant where he was; and one day, +while he was at his prayers in the mosque, word was brought to him +that the Monguls were coming. He rushed out of the mosque, and, guided +by some friends, ran down to the shore and got into a boat, with a +view of escaping by sea, all retreat by land being now cut off.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Rage of his pursuers.</div> + +<p>He had scarce got on board the boat when the Monguls appeared on the +shore. The men in the boat immediately pushed off. The Monguls, full +of disappointment and rage, shot at them with their arrows; but the +sultan was not struck by any of them, and was soon out of the reach of +his pursuers.</p> + +<p>The sultan lay in the boat almost helpless, being perfectly exhausted +by the terror and distress which he had endured. He soon began to +suffer, too, from an intense pain in the chest and side, which +gradually became so severe that he could scarcely breathe. The men +with him in the boat, finding that he was seriously sick, made the +best of their way to a small <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span>island named Abiskun, which is situated +near the southeastern corner of the sea. Here they pitched a tent, and +made up a bed in it, as well as they could, for the sufferer. They +also sent a messenger to the shore to bring off a physician secretly. +The physician did all that was in his power, but it was too late. The +inflammation and the pain subsided after a time, but it was evident +that the patient was sinking, and that he was about to die.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Visit from his son Jalaloddin.</div> + +<p>It happened that the sultan's son, Jalaloddin, the one who had been +set aside in favor of his brother Kothboddin, was at this time on the +main land not far from the island, and intelligence was communicated +to him of his father's situation. He immediately went to the island to +see him, taking with him two of his brothers. They were obliged to +manage the business very secretly, to prevent the Monguls from finding +out what was going on.</p> + +<p>On the arrival of Jalaloddin, the sultan expressed great satisfaction +in seeing him, and he revoked the decree by which he had been +superseded in the succession.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His dying words.</div> + +<p>"You, my son," said he, "are, after all, the one among all my children +who is best able to revenge me on the Monguls; therefore I revoke the +act which I formerly executed at the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span>request of the queen, my mother, +in favor of Kothboddin."</p> + +<p>He then solemnly appointed Jalaloddin to be his successor, and +enjoined upon the other princes to be obedient and faithful to him as +their sovereign. He also formally delivered to him his sword as the +emblem and badge of the supreme power which he thus conferred upon +him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Death and burial.</div> + +<p>Soon after this the sultan expired. The attendants buried the body +secretly on the island for fear of the Monguls. They washed it +carefully before the interment, according to custom, and then put on +again a portion of the same dress which the sultan had worn when +living, having no means of procuring or making any other shroud.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Khatun at Karazm.</div> + +<p>As for Khatun, the queen-mother, when she heard the tidings of her +son's death, and was informed, at the same time, that her favorite +Kothboddin had been set aside, and Jalaloddin, whom she hated, and +who, she presumed, hated her, had been made his successor, she was in +a great rage. She was at that time at Karazm, which was the capital, +and she attempted to persuade the officers and soldiers near her not +to submit to the sultan's decree, but to make Kothboddin their +sovereign after all.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">Her cruelty to her captives.</div> + +<p>While she was engaged in forming this conspiracy, the news reached the +city that the Monguls were coming. Khatun immediately determined to +flee to save her life. She had, it seems, in her custody at Karazm +twelve children, the sons of various princes that reigned in different +parts of the empire or in the environs of it. These children were +either held as hostages, or had been made captive in insurrections and +wars, and were retained in prison as a punishment to their fathers. +The queen-mother found that she could not take these children with +her, and so she ordered them all to be slain. She was afraid that the +Monguls, when they came, might set them free.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Dissension.</div> + +<p>As soon as she was gone the city fell into great confusion on account +of the struggles for power between the two parties of Jalaloddin and +Kothboddin. But the sultana, who had made the mischief, did not +trouble herself to know how it would end. Her only anxiety was to save +her own life. After various wanderings and adventures, she at last +found her way into a very retired district of country lying on the +southern shore of the Caspian, between the mountains and the sea, and +here she sought refuge in a castle or fortress named Ilan, where she +thought she was secure from all pursuit. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span>She brought with her to the +castle her jewels and all her most valuable treasures.</p> + +<p>But Genghis Khan had spies in every part of the country, and he was +soon informed where Khatun was concealed. So he sent a messenger to a +certain Mongul general named Hubbe Nevian, who was commanding a +detachment in that part of the country, informing him that Khatun was +in the castle of Ilan, and commanding him to go and lay siege to it, +and to take it at all hazards, and to bring Khatun to him either dead +or alive.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Khatun's escape.<br />Her obstinacy.</div> + +<p>Hubbe immediately set off for the castle. The queen-mother, however, +had notice of his approach, and the lords who were with her urged her +to fly. If she would go with them, they said, they would take her to +Jalaloddin, and he would protect her. But she would not listen to any +such proposal. She hated Jalaloddin so intensely that she would not, +even to save her life, put herself under his power. The very worst +possible treatment, she said, that she could receive from the Monguls +would be more agreeable to her than the greatest favors from the hand +of Jalaloddin.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Cause of her hatred of Jalaloddin.</div> + +<p>The ground of this extreme animosity which she felt toward Jalaloddin +was not any personal animosity to <i>him</i>; it arose simply from an +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span>ancient and long-continued dislike and hatred which she had borne +against his mother!</p> + +<p>So Khatun refused to retire from the danger, and soon afterward the +horde of Monguls arrived, and pitched their camp before the castle +walls.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The siege of the fortress.</div> + +<p>For three months Hubbe and his Monguls continued to ply the walls of +the fortress with battering-rams and other engines, in order to force +their way in, but in vain. The place was too strong for them. At +length Genghis Khan, hearing how the case stood, sent word to them to +give up the attempt to make a breach, and to invest the place closely +on all sides, so as to allow no person to go out or to come in; in +that way, he said, the garrison would soon be starved into a +surrender.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The governor's hopes.</div> + +<p>When the governor of the castle saw, by the arrangements which Hubbe +made in obedience to this order, that this was the course that was to +be pursued, he said he was not uneasy, for his magazines were full of +provisions, and as to water, the rain which fell very copiously there +among the mountains always afforded an abundant supply.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Want of rain.</div> + +<p>But the governor was mistaken in his calculations in respect to the +rain. It usually fell very frequently in that region, but after the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span>blockade of the fortress commenced, for three weeks there was not the +smallest shower. The people of the country around thought this failure +of the rain was a special judgment of heaven against the queen for the +murder of the children, and for her various other crimes. It was, +indeed, remarkable, for in ordinary times the rain was so frequent +that the people of all that region depended upon it entirely for their +supply of water, and never found it necessary to search for springs or +to dig wells.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great suffering.</div> + +<p>The sufferings of the people within the fortress for want of water +were very great. Many of them died in great misery, and at length the +provisions began to fail too, and Khatun was compelled to allow the +governor to surrender.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The queen made captive.</div> + +<p>The Monguls immediately seized the queen, and took possession of all +her treasures. They also took captive all the lords and ladies who had +attended her, and the women of her household, and two or three of her +great-grandchildren, whom she had brought with her in her flight. All +these persons were sent under a strong guard to Genghis Khan.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Cruel treatment of the queen-mother.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan retained the queen as a captive for some time, and +treated her in a very cruel and barbarous manner. He would sometimes +order her to be brought into his tent, at <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</a></span>the end of his dinner, that +he might enjoy his triumph by insulting and deriding her. On these +occasions he would throw her scraps of food from the table as if she +had been a dog.</p> + +<p>He took away the children from her too, all but one, whom he left with +her a while to comfort her, as he said; but one day an officer came +and seized this one from her very arms, while she was dressing him and +combing his hair. This last blow caused her a severer pang than any +that she had before endured, and left her utterly disconsolate and +heart-broken.</p> + +<p>Some accounts say that soon after this she was put to death, but +others state that Genghis Khan retained her several years as a +captive, and carried her to and fro in triumph in his train through +the countries over which she had formerly reigned with so much power +and splendor. She deserved her sufferings, it is true; but Genghis +Khan was none the less guilty, on that account, for treating her so +cruelly.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXII" id="Chapter_XXII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Victorious Campaigns.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1220-1221</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Continued conquests.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">A</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">fter</span> this Genghis Khan went on successfully for several years, +extending his conquests over all the western part of Central Asia, +while the generals whom he had left at home were extending his +dominions in the same manner in the eastern portion. He overran nearly +all of Persia, went entirely around the Caspian Sea, and even +approached the confines of India.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Efforts of Jalaloddin.</div> + +<p>In this expedition toward India he was in pursuit of Jalaloddin. +Immediately after the death of his father, Jalaloddin had done all in +his power to raise an army and carry on the war against Genghis Khan. +He met with a great deal of embarrassment and difficulty at first, on +account of the plots and conspiracies which his grandmother had +organized in favor of his brother Kothboddin, and the dissensions +among his people to which they gave rise. At last, in the course of a +year, he succeeded, in some measure, in healing this breach and in +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</a></span>raising an army; and, though he was not strong enough to fight the +Monguls in a general battle, he hung about them in their march and +harassed them in various ways, so as to impede their operations very +essentially. Genghis Khan from time to time sent off detachments from +his army to take him. He was often defeated in the engagements which +ensued, but he always succeeded in saving himself and in keeping +together a portion of his men, and thus he maintained himself in the +field, though he was growing weaker and weaker all the time.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jalaloddin becomes discouraged.</div> + +<p>At last he became completely discouraged, and, after signal defeat +which he met with from a detachment which had been sent against him by +Genghis Khan, he went, with the few troops that remained together, to +a strong fortress among the mountains, and told the governor that it +seemed to him useless to continue the struggle any longer, and that he +had come to shut himself up in the fortress, and abandon the contest +in despair.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The governor's advice.</div> + +<p>The governor, however, told him that it was not right for a prince, +the descendant of ancestors so illustrious as his, and the inheritor +of so resplendent a crown, to yield to discouragement and despondency +on account of the reverses of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</a></span>fortune. He advised him again to take +the field, and to raise a new army, and continue the contest to the +end.</p> + +<p>Jalaloddin determined to follow this advice, and, after a brief period +of repose at the castle, he again took the field.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Renewed exertions.<br />Stratagem.<br />Fictitious soldiers.</div> + +<p>He made great exertions, and finally succeeded in getting together +about twenty thousand men. This was a small force, it is true, +compared with the numbers of the enemy; but it was sufficient, if well +managed, to enable the prince to undertake operations of considerable +importance, and Jalaloddin began to feel somewhat encouraged again. +With his twenty thousand men he gained one or two victories too, which +encouraged him still more. In one of these cases he defeated rather a +singular stratagem which the Mongul general contrived. It seems that +the Mongul detachment which was sent out in this instance against +Jalaloddin was not strong enough, and the general, in order to make +Jalaloddin believe that his force was greater than it really was, +ordered all the felt caps and cloaks that there were in the army to be +stuffed with straw, and placed on the horses and camels of the +baggage, in order to give the appearance of a second line of reserve +in the rear of the line of real soldiers. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</a></span>This was to induce +Jalaloddin to surrender without fighting.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Quarrel about a horse.<br />Disaffection.</div> + +<p>But in some way or other Jalaloddin detected the deceit, and, instead +of surrendering, fought the Monguls with great vigor, and defeated +them. He gained a very decided victory, and perhaps this might have +been the beginning of a change of fortune for him if, unfortunately, +his generals had not quarreled about the division of the spoil. There +was a beautiful Arabian horse which two of his leading generals +desired to possess, and each claimed it. The dispute became, at last, +so violent that one of the generals struck the other in his face with +the lash of his whip. Upon this the feud became a deadly one. Both +parties appealed to Jalaloddin. He did not wish to make either general +an enemy by deciding in favor of the other, and so he tried to +compromise the matter. He did not succeed in doing this; and one of +the generals, mortally offended, went off in the night, taking with +him all that portion of the troops which was under his command.</p> + +<p>Jalaloddin did every thing in his power to bring the disaffected +general back again; but, before he could accomplish this purpose, +Genghis Khan came up with a large force between <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</a></span>the two parties, and +prevented their effecting a junction.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jalaloddin's forces divided.</div> + +<p>Jalaloddin had now no alternative but to retreat. Genghis Khan +followed him, and it was in this way that, after a time, both the +armies reached the banks of the Indus, on the borders of India.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great battle in the defile.</div> + +<p>Jalaloddin, being closely pursued, took his position in a narrow +defile near the bank of the river, and here a great battle was fought +among the rocks and precipices. Jalaloddin, it is said, had only +thirty thousand men at his command, while Genghis Khan was at the head +of an army of three hundred thousand. The numbers in both cases are +probably greatly exaggerated, but the proportion may perhaps be true.</p> + +<p>It was only a small portion of the Mongul army that could get into the +defile where the sultan's troops had posted themselves; and so +desperately did the latter fight, that it is said they killed twenty +thousand of the Monguls before they gave in. In fact, they fought like +wild beasts, with desperate and unremitting fury, all day long. Toward +night it became evident to Jalaloddin that it was all over with him. A +large portion of his followers were killed. Some had made their escape +across the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</a></span>river, though many of those who sought to do so were +drowned in the attempt. The rest of his men were completely exhausted +and discouraged, and wholly unable to renew the contest on the +following day.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Orders to take Jalaloddin alive.</div> + +<p>Jalaloddin had exposed himself very freely in the fight, in hopes, +perhaps, that he should be killed. But Genghis Khan had given positive +orders that he should be taken alive. He had even appointed two of his +generals to watch carefully, and to see that no person should, under +any circumstances, kill him. He wished to take him alive, in order to +lead him through the country a prisoner, and exhibit him to his former +subjects as a trophy of his victory, just as he had done and was still +doing with the old queen Khatun, his grandmother.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">He takes leave of his family.</div> + +<p>But Jalaloddin was determined that his conqueror should not enjoy this +pleasure. He resolved to attempt to save himself by swimming the +river. He accordingly went first, breathless, and covered with dust +and blood from the fight, to take a hurried leave of his mother, his +wives, and his children, who, as was customary in those countries and +times, had accompanied him in his campaign. He found them in his tent, +full of anxiety and terror. He took leave of them with much sorrow and +many tears, trying <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</a></span>to comfort them with the hope that they should +meet again in happier times. Then he took off his armor and his arms, +in order that he might not be impeded in crossing the river, +reserving, however, his sword and bow, and a quiver full of arrows. He +then mounted a fresh horse and rode toward the river.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His escape across the river.</div> + +<p>When he reached the bank of the river, the horse found the current so +rapid and the agitation of the water so great that he was very +unwilling to advance; but Jalaloddin spurred him in. Indeed, there was +no time to be lost; for scarcely had he reached the shore when Genghis +Khan himself, and a party of Monguls, appeared in view, advancing to +seize him. They stopped on the bank when they saw Jalaloddin ride into +the water among the rocks and whirlpools. They did not dare to follow +him, but they remained at the water-side to see how his perilous +adventure would end.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His defiance of his pursuers.</div> + +<p>As soon as Jalaloddin found that he was out of their reach, he stopped +at a place where his horse found a foothold, and turned round toward +his pursuers with looks of hatred and defiance. He then drew his bow, +and began to shoot at them with his arrows, and he continued to shoot +until all the arrows in his quiver were exhausted. Some of the more +daring of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</a></span>the Monguls proposed to Genghis Khan that they should swim +out and try to take him. But Genghis Khan would not allow them to go. +He said the attempt would be useless.</p> + +<p>"You can do nothing at all with him," said he. "A man of such cool and +determined bravery as that will defy and defeat all your attempts. Any +father might be proud to have such a son, and any son proud to be +descended from such a father."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Struggles of the horse.</div> + +<p>When his arrows were all expended, Jalaloddin took to the river again; +and his horse, after a series of most desperate struggles among the +whirlpools and eddies, and the boiling surges which swept around the +rocks, succeeded at length in carrying his master over. The progress +of the horse was watched with great interest by Genghis Khan and his +party from the shore as long as they could see him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Night spent in a tree.</div> + +<p>As soon as Jalaloddin landed, and had recovered a little from the +fatigue and excitement of the passage, he began to look around him, +and to consider what was next to be done. He found himself entirely +alone, in a wild and solitary place, which he had reason to fear was +infested with tigers and other ferocious beasts of prey, such as haunt +the jungles in India. Night was coming on too, and there were no signs +of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</a></span>any habitations or of any shelter. So he fastened his horse at the +foot of a tree, and climbed up himself among the branches, and in this +way passed the night.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jalaloddin meets with friends.</div> + +<p>The next morning he came down and began to walk along the bank of the +river to see what he could find. He was in a state of great anxiety +and distress. Suddenly, to his great relief and joy, he came upon a +small troop of soldiers, accompanied by some officers, who had escaped +across the river from the battle as he had done. Three of these +officers were his particular friends, and he was overjoyed to see +them. They had made their way across the river in a boat which they +had found upon the bank at the beginning of the defeat of the army. +They had spent the whole night in the boat, being in great danger from +the shoals and shelving rocks, and from the impetuosity of the +current. Finally, toward morning, they had landed, not far from the +place where Jalaloddin found them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Large body of men escaped.</div> + +<p>Not long after this he came upon a troop of three hundred horsemen, +who had escaped by swimming the river at a place where the water was +more smooth, at some distance below. These men told him that about six +miles farther down the stream there was a body of about four thousand +men who had made their escape <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</a></span>in a similar manner. On assembling +these men, Jalaloddin found himself once more at the head of a +considerable force.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Pressing wants.<br />Timely aid from Jamalarrazad.</div> + +<p>The immediate wants of the men were, however, extremely pressing, for +they were all wholly destitute of food and of every other necessary, +and Jalaloddin would have been greatly embarrassed to provide for them +had it not been for the thoughtfulness and fidelity of one of the +officers of his household on the other side of the river. This +officer's name was Jamalarrazad. As soon as he found that his master +had crossed the river, knowing, too, that a great number of the troops +had attempted to cross besides, and that, in all probability, many of +them had succeeded in reaching the other bank, who would all be +greatly in want of provisions and stores the next morning, he went to +work at once, during the night, and loaded a very large boat with +provisions, arms, money, and stuff to make clothing for the soldiers. +He succeeded in getting off in this boat before his plan was +discovered by the Monguls, and in the course of the next morning he +reached the opposite bank with it, and thus furnished to Jalaloddin an +abundant provision for his immediate necessities.</p> + +<p>Jalaloddin was so much pleased with the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</a></span>conduct of Jamalarrazad in +this affair that he appointed him at once to a very high and +responsible office in his service, and gave him a new title of honor.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Fate of the sultan's family.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, Genghis Khan, on the other side of the river, took +possession the next morning of Jalaloddin's camp. Of course, the +family of the sultan fell into his hands. The emperor ordered all the +males to be killed, but he reserved the women for a different fate. +Among the persons killed was a boy about eight years old, Jalaloddin's +oldest son.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Sunken treasures.</div> + +<p>Jalaloddin had ordered his treasure to be sunk in the river, +intending, probably, to come back and recover it at some future time. +But Genghis Khan found out in some way where it was sunk, and he sent +divers down for it, and thus obtained possession of it as a part of +his booty.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Jalaloddin's end.</div> + +<p>After this, Jalaloddin remained five or six years in India, where he +joined himself and his army with some of the princes of that country, +and fought many campaigns there. At length, when a favorable +opportunity occurred, he came back to his own country, and fought some +time longer against the Monguls there, but he never succeeded in +gaining possession of any substantial power.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</a></span></p> +<div class="sidenote">Sieges.<br />Logs instead of stones for ammunition.<br />Modern bombs.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan continued after this for two or three years in the +Mohammedan countries of the western part of Asia, and extended his +conquests there in every direction. It is not necessary to follow his +movements in detail. It would only be a repetition of the same tale of +rapine, plunder, murder, and devastation. Sometimes a city would +surrender at once, when the conqueror approached the gates, by sending +out a deputation of the magistrates and other principal inhabitants +with the keys of the city, and with magnificent presents, in hopes to +appease him. And they usually so far succeeded in this as to put the +Mongul soldiery in good-humor, so that they would content themselves +with ransacking and plundering the place, leaving the inhabitants +alive. At other times the town would attempt to resist. The Monguls +would then build engines to batter down the walls, and to hurl great +stones over among the besieged. In many instances there was great +difficulty in obtaining a sufficient supply of stones, on account of +the alluvial character of the ground on which the city stood. In such +cases, after the stones found near were exhausted, the besiegers would +cut down great trees from the avenues leading to the town, or from the +forests near, and, sawing the trunk up into <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</a></span>short lengths, would use +the immense blocks thus formed as ammunition for the engines. These +great logs of heavy wood, when thrown over the walls, were capable of +doing almost as much execution as the stones, though, compared with a +modern bomb-shell—a monstrous ball of iron, which, after flying four +or five miles from the battery, leaving on its way a fiery train +through the air, descends into a town and bursts into a thousand +fragments, which fly like iron hail in every direction around—they +were very harmless missiles.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Bringing stones.<br />Occupation of slaves.<br />Shields.</div> + +<p>In sawing up the trunks of the trees into logs, and in bringing stones +for the engines, the Monguls employed the prisoners whom they had +taken in war and made slaves of. The amount of work of this kind which +was to be done at some of the sieges was very great. It is said that +at the siege of Nishabur—a town whose inhabitants greatly offended +Genghis Khan by secretly sending arms, provisions, and money to +Jalaloddin, after they had once surrendered to the Monguls and +pretended to be friendly to them—the army of the Monguls employed +twelve hundred of these engines, all of which were made at a town at +some distance from the place besieged, and were then transported, in +parts, by the slaves, and put together by them <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</a></span>under the walls. While +the slaves were employed in works of this kind, they were sometimes +protected by wooden shields covered with raw hides, which were carried +before them by other slaves, to keep off and extinguish the fiery +darts and arrows which were shot at them from the wall.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Protection against fire.</div> + +<p>Sometimes, too, the places where the engines were set up were +protected by wooden bulwarks, which, together with the frame-work +itself of the engines, were covered with raw hides, to prevent their +being set on fire by the enemy. The number of raw hides required for +this purpose was immense, and to obtain them the Monguls slaughtered +vast herds of horses and cattle which they plundered from the enemy.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Precautions.</div> + +<p>In order to embarrass the enemy in respect to ammunition for their +engines, the people of a town, when they heard that the Monguls were +coming, used to turn out sometimes in mass, several days before, and +gather up all the stones they could find, and throw them into the +river, or otherwise put them out of the way.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Attempts at resistance.</div> + +<p>In some cases, the towns that were threatened, as has already been +said, did not attempt to resist, but submitted at once, and cast +themselves on the mercy of the conqueror. In such <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</a></span>cases the Mongul +generals usually spared the lives of the inhabitants, though they +plundered their property. It sometimes happened, too, that after +attempting to defend themselves for some time, the garrison would +become discouraged, and then would attempt to make some terms or +conditions with the conqueror before they surrendered. In these cases, +however, the terms which the Monguls insisted upon were often so hard +that, rather than yield to them, the garrison would go on fighting to +the end.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Account of Kubru.<br />His noble spirit.</div> + +<p>In one instance there lived in a town that was to be assailed a +certain sheikh, or prince, named Kubru, who was a man of very exalted +character, as well as of high distinction. The Mongul general whom +Genghis Khan had commissioned to take the town was his third son, +Oktay. Oktay had heard of the fame of the sheikh, and had conceived a +very high respect for him. So he sent a herald to the wall with a +passport for the sheikh, and for ten other persons such as he should +choose, giving him free permission to leave the town and go wherever +he pleased. But the sheikh declined the offer. Then Oktay sent in +another passport, with permission to the sheikh to take a thousand men +with him. But he still refused. He could not <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</a></span>accept Oktay's bounty, +he said, unless it were extended to all the Mohammedans in the town. +He was obliged to take his lot with the rest, for he was bound to his +people by ties too strong to be easily sundered.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Kubru slain.</div> + +<p>So the siege went on, and at the end of it, when the town was carried, +the sheikh was slain with the rest in the streets, where he stood his +ground to the last, fighting like a lion.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Pusillanimity.</div> + +<p>All the Mohammedan chieftains, however, did not possess so noble a +spirit as this. One chieftain, when he found that the Monguls were +coming, caused himself to be let down with ropes from the wall in the +night, and so made his escape, leaving the town and the garrison to +their fate.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Sorties by the garrisons.</div> + +<p>The garrisons of the towns, knowing that they had little mercy to +expect from their terrible enemies, fought often very desperately to +the last, as they would have done against beasts of prey. They would +suddenly open the gates and rush out in large bands, provided with +combustibles of all kinds and torches, with which they would set fire +to the engines of the besiegers, and then get back again within the +walls before the Monguls could recover sufficiently from the alarm and +confusion to intercept them. In this manner they destroyed <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</a></span>a great +many of the engines, and killed vast numbers of men.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Desperation of the people.</div> + +<p>Still the Monguls would persevere, and, sooner or later, the place was +sure to fall. Then, when the inhabitants found that all hope was over, +they had become so desperate in their hatred of their foes that they +would sometimes set the town on fire with their own hands, and throw +themselves and their wives and children into the flames, rather than +fall into the hands of their infuriated enemies.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Mode of disposing of prisoners.</div> + +<p>The cruelties which the Monguls perpetrated upon their unhappy victims +when, after a long resistance, they finally gained possession of a +town, were indeed dreadful. They usually ordered all the people to +come out to an open space on the plain, and there, after taking out +all the young and able-bodied men, who could be made useful in +bringing stones and setting up engines, and other such labors, and +also all the young and beautiful women, to be divided among the army +or sold as slaves, they would put the rest together in a mass, and +kill them all by shooting at them with arrows, just as if they had +been beasts surrounded in a chase, excepting that the excitement and +pleasure of shooting into such a mass of human victims, and of hearing +the shrieks and cries of their <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</a></span>terror, was probably infinitely +greater to their brutal murderers than if it had been a herd of lions, +tigers, and wolves that they were destroying.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Prodigious slaughter.</div> + +<p>It is said by the historians that in one case the number of people +ordered out upon the plain was so great that it took four days for +them to pass out and assemble at the appointed place, and that, after +those who were to be spared had been separated from the rest, the +number that were left to be slain was over one hundred thousand, as +recorded by the secretaries who made an enumeration of them.</p> + +<p>In another case the slaughter was so great that it took twelve days to +count the number of the dead.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Atrocities.</div> + +<p>Some of the atrocities which were perpetrated upon the prisoners were +almost too horrible to be described. In one case a woman, quite +advanced in years, begged the Monguls to spare her life, and promised +that, if they would do so, she would give them a pearl of great value.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The pearl.</div> + +<p>They asked her where the pearl was, and she said she had swallowed it. +The Monguls then immediately cut her down, and ripped her body open +with their swords to find the pearl. They found it, and then, +encouraged by this success, and thinking it probable that other women +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</a></span>might have attempted to hide their jewels in the same way, they +proceeded to kill and cut open a great number of women to search for +pearls in their bodies, but they found no more.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan's grandson killed.<br />His mother's revenge.</div> + +<p>At the siege of a certain city, called Bamiyan, a young grandson of +Genghis Khan, wishing to please his grandfather by his daring, +approached so near the wall that he was reached by an arrow shot by +one of the archers, and killed. Genghis Khan was deeply affected by +this event, and he showed by the bitterness of his grief that, though +he was so utterly heartless and cruel in inflicting these woes upon +others, he could feel for himself very acutely when it came to his +turn to suffer. As for the mother of the child, she was rendered +perfectly furious by his death. She thought of nothing but revenge, +and she only waited for the town to be taken in order that she might +enjoy it. When, at last, a practicable breach was made, and the +soldiers began to pour into the city, she went in with the rest, and +insisted that every man, woman, and child should be put to death. Her +special rage was directed against the children, whom she seemed to +take special pleasure in destroying, in vengeance for the death of her +own child. The hatred and rage which she manifested against children +extended <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</a></span>even to babes unborn, and these feelings she evinced by +atrocities too shocking to be described.</p> + +<p>The opinions which Genghis Khan entertained on religious subjects +appear from a conversation which he held at one time during the course +of his campaigns in Western Asia with some learned Mohammedan doctors +at Bokhara, which was the great seat at that time of science and +philosophy. He asked the doctors what were the principles of their +religion. They replied that these principles consisted of five +fundamental points:</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Principles of the Mohammedan faith.</div> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>1. In believing in one God, the creator of all things, and +the supreme ruler and governor of the universe.</p> + +<p>2. In giving one fortieth part of their yearly income or +gains to the poor.</p> + +<p>3. In praying to God five times every day.</p> + +<p>4. In setting apart one month in each year for fasting.</p> + +<p>5. In making a pilgrimage to the temple in Mecca, there to +worship God.</p></div> + +<div class="sidenote">Genghis Khan's opinion.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan told them that he believed himself in the first of these +articles, and he approved of the three succeeding ones. It was very +well, he said, to give one fortieth of one's income to the poor, and +to pray to God five <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</a></span>times a day, and to set apart a month in the year +for a fast. But as to the last article, he could not but dissent from +it entirely, for the whole world was God's house, and it was +ridiculous, he said, to imagine that one place could really be any +more fitting than another as a place for worshiping him.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The spirit of religious bigotry.</div> + +<p>The learned doctors were much dissatisfied with this answer. They +were, in fact, more displeased with the dissent which the emperor +expressed from this last article, the only one that was purely and +wholly ritual in its character, than they were gratified with the +concurrence which he expressed in all the other four. This is not at +all surprising, for, from the times of the Pharisees down to the +present day, the spirit of sectarianism and bigotry in religion always +plants itself most strongly on the platform of externals. It is always +contending strenuously for rites, while it places comparatively in the +background all that bears directly on the vital and spiritual +interests of the soul.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXIII" id="Chapter_XXIII"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXIII.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Grand Celebrations.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1221-1224</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The great hunting party.</div> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">W</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">hen</span> Genghis Khan found that his conquests in Western Asia were in +some good degree established and confirmed, he illustrated his victory +and the consequent extension of his empire by two very imposing +celebrations. The first was a grand hunt. The second was a solemn +convocation of all the estates of his immense realm in a sort of diet +or deliberative assembly.</p> + +<p>The accounts given by the historians of both these celebrations are +doubtless greatly exaggerated. Their description of the hunt is as +follows:</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Object of the hunt.</div> + +<p>It was after the close of the campaign in 1221 that it took place, +while the army were in winter quarters. The object of the hunt was to +keep the soldiers occupied, so as to avoid the relaxation of +discipline, and the vices and disorder which generally creep into a +camp where there are no active occupations to engage the minds of the +men. The hunt took place in a <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</a></span>vast region of uninhabited country, +which was infested with wild beasts of every kind. The soldiers were +marched out on this expedition in order of war, as if it were a +country occupied by armed men that they were going to attack. The +different detachments were conducted to the different points in the +outskirts of the country, from which they severally extended +themselves to the right and left, so as completely to inclose the +ground. And the space was so large, it is said, which was thus +inclosed, that it took them several weeks to march in to the centre.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The general plan.</div> + +<p>It is true that in such a case the men would advance very slowly, +perhaps only a few miles each day, in order that they might examine +the ground thoroughly, and leave no ravine, or thicket, or other +lurking-place, where beasts might conceal themselves, unexplored. +Still, the circle was doubtless immensely large.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The time arrives.</div> + +<p>When the appointed morning at length arrived, the men at the several +stations were arrayed, and they commenced their advance toward the +centre, moving to the sound of trumpets, drums, timbrels, and other +such instruments of martial music as were in use in those days.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Orders.</div> + +<p>The men were strictly forbidden to kill any <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</a></span>animal. They were only to +start them out from their lurking-places and lairs, and drive them in +toward the centre of the field.</p> + +<p>Great numbers of the men were provided with picks, spades, and other +similar tools, with which they were to dig out the burrows and holes +of such animals as should seek refuge under ground.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Progress of the operations.</div> + +<p>They went on in this way for some weeks. The animals ran before them, +thinking, when they were disturbed by the men, that it was only a +momentary danger, which they could easily escape from, as usual, by +running forward into the next thicket; but soon the advancing line of +the soldiers reached them there, and drove them out again, and if they +attempted to turn to the right or the left they soon found themselves +intercepted. Thus, as the circle grew narrower, and the space inclosed +diminished, the animals began to find themselves mixing with one +another in great numbers, and being now irritated and angry, they +attacked one another in many instances, the strong falling upon and +killing the weak. Thus a great many were killed, though not by the +hands of the soldiers.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Terror of the animals.</div> + +<p>At last the numbers became so great, and the excitement and terror of +the animals so intense, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</a></span>that the soldiers had great difficulty in +driving them forward. The poor beasts ran this way and that, half +distracted, while the soldiers pressed steadily on behind them, and +cut them off from every chance of escape by raising terrific shouts +and outcries, and by brandishing weapons before them wherever they +attempted to turn.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The inner circle.</div> + +<p>At length the animals were all driven in to the inner circle, a +comparatively small space, which had been previously marked out. +Around this space double and triple lines of troops were drawn up, +armed with pikes and spears, which they pointed in toward the centre, +thus forming a sort of wall by which the beasts were closely shut in. +The plan was now for the officers and khans, and all the great +personages of the court and the army, to go into the circle, and show +their courage and their prowess by attacking the beasts and slaying +them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Condition of the beasts.</div> + +<p>But the courage required for such an exploit was not so great as it +might seem, for it was always found on these occasions that the +beasts, though they had been very wild and ferocious when first +aroused from their lairs, and had appeared excessively irritated when +they found the circle beginning to narrow around them, ended at last +in losing all their spirit, and in becoming <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</a></span>discouraged, dejected, +and tame. This was owing partly, perhaps, to their having become, in +some degree, familiar with the sight of men, but more probably to the +exhaustion produced by long-continued fatigue and excitement, and to +their having been for so many days deprived in a great degree of their +accustomed food and rest.</p> + +<p>Thus in this, as in a great many other similar instances, the poor +soldiers and common people incurred the danger and the toil, and then +the great men came in at the end to reap the glory.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The princes enter the ring.</div> + +<p>Genghis Khan himself was the first to enter the circle for the purpose +of attacking the beasts. He was followed by the princes of his family, +and by other great chieftains and khans. As they went in, the whole +army surrounded the inclosure, and completely filled the air with the +sound of drums, timbrels, trumpets, and other such instruments, and +with the noise of the most terrific shouts and outcries which they +could make, in order to terrify and overawe the beasts as much as +possible, and to destroy in them all thought and hope of resistance.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Intimidation of the wild beasts.</div> + +<p>And, indeed, so much effect was produced by these means of +intimidation, that the beasts, it is said, became completely +stupefied. "They <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</a></span>were so affrighted that they lost all their +fierceness. The lions and tigers became as tame as lambs, and the +bears and wild boars, like the most timorous creatures, became +dejected and amazed."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">They recover their ferocity when attacked.<br />The slaughter.</div> + +<p>Still, the going in of Genghis Khan and the princes to attack them was +not wholly without danger; for, of course, it was a point of honor +with them to select the most ferocious and fierce of the animals, and +some of these, when they found themselves actually assailed, were +aroused again, and, recovering in some degree their native ferocity, +seemed impelled to make a last desperate effort to defend themselves. +After killing a few of the lions, tigers, and bears, Genghis Khan and +his immediate suite retired to a place at one side of the inclosure, +where a throne had been set up for the emperor on an eminence which +afforded a good view of the field. Here Genghis Khan took his seat in +order to enjoy the spectacle of the slaughter, and then an immense +number of men were allowed to go in and amuse themselves with killing +and destroying the poor beasts till they were perfectly satiated with +the sight of blood and of suffering.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Petition of the young men.<br />End of the hunt.</div> + +<p>At last some of the khan's grandsons, attended by several other young +princes, approached <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</a></span>the throne where the emperor was seated, and +petitioned him to order the carnage to cease, and to allow the rest of +the animals to go free. This petition the emperor granted. The lines +were broken up, the animals that had escaped being massacred made +their way back into the wilds again, and the hunt was over.</p> + +<p>The several detachments of the army then set out on their march back +to the camp again. But so great was the scale on which this grand +hunting expedition was conducted, that four months elapsed between the +time of their setting out upon it till the time of their return.</p> + +<hr class="medium" /> + +<div class="sidenote">The assembly at Toukat.</div> + +<p>The grand diet or general assembly of the states of Genghis Khan's +empire took place two or three years later, when the conquest of +Western Asia was complete, and the sons of the emperor and all the +great generals could be called together at the emperor's head-quarters +without much danger. The place chosen for this assembly was a vast +plain in the vicinity of the city of Toukat, which has already been +mentioned as one of the great cities conquered by Genghis Khan. Toukat +lay in a central and convenient position for the purpose of this +assembly. It was, moreover, a rich and beautiful city, and could +furnish all that would be necessary for <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</a></span>the wants of the assembly. +The meeting, however, was not to be held in the city itself, but upon +a great plain in the environs of it, where there was space for all the +khans, with their numerous retinues, to pitch their tents.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Return of Genghis Khan's sons.<br />Present of horses.</div> + +<p>When the khans and chieftains began to assemble, there came first the +sons of the king, returning from the various expeditions on which +their father had sent them, and bringing with them magnificent +presents. These presents, of course, consisted of the treasures and +other valuables which they had taken in plunder from the various +cities which had fallen into their hands. The presents which Jughi +brought exceeded in value those of all the others. Among the rest, +there was a herd of horses one hundred thousand in number. These +horses had, of course, been seized in the pastures of the conquered +countries, and were now brought to the emperor to be used by him in +mounting his troops. They were arrayed in bands according to the +color, white, dappled gray, bay, black, and spotted, of each kind an +equal number.</p> + +<p>The emperor received and welcomed his sons with great joy, and readily +accepted their presents. In return, he made presents to them from his +own treasuries.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">The khans arrive.<br />Grand entertainment.</div> + +<p>After this, as other princes and khans came in, and encamped with +their troops and followers on the plain, the emperor entertained them +all with a series of grand banquets and public diversions of all +sorts. Among other things a grand hunting party was organized, +somewhat similar in the general plan to the one already described, +only on a much smaller scale, of course, in respect to the number of +persons engaged and the time occupied, while yet it greatly surpassed +that one in magnificence and splendor. Several thousand beasts were +slain, it is said, and a great number and variety of birds, which were +taken by the falcons.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Drinks.</div> + +<p>At the end of the hunt a great banquet was given, which surpassed all +the other feasts in munificence. They had on the tables of this +banquet a great variety of drinks—not only rich wines from the +southern countries, but beer, and metheglin, and also sherbet, which +the army had learned to make in Persia.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Great extent of the encampment.</div> + +<p>In the mean time, the great space on the plain, which had been set +apart for the encampment, had been gradually becoming filled up by the +arrival of the khans, until at length, in every direction, as far as +the eye could reach, the whole plain was covered with groups of tents +and long lines of movable houses, brought <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</a></span>on wheels. The ground which +the encampment covered was said by the historians to have been seven +leagues in extent. If the space occupied was any thing at all +approaching this magnitude, it could only be that the outer portions +of it were occupied by the herdsmen and other servants of the khans, +who had to take care of the cattle and horses of the troops, and to +provide them with suitable pasture. Indeed, the great number of +animals which these wandering tribes always took with them on their +journeys rendered it necessary to appropriate a much larger space to +their encampments than would have been otherwise required.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Laying out the encampment.</div> + +<p>It is surprising to us, who are accustomed to look upon living in +tents as so exclusively an irregular and temporary expedient, to learn +how completely this mode of life was reduced to a system in those +days, and how perfect and complete all the arrangements relating to it +were made. In this case, in the centre of the encampment, a space of +two leagues in length was regularly laid out in streets, squares, and +market-places, like a town. Here were the emperor's quarters, with +magnificent tents for himself and his immediate household, and +multitudes of others of a plainer character for his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</a></span>servants and +retainers. The tents of the other grand khans were near. They were +made of rich materials, and ornamented in a sumptuous manner, and +silken streamers of various colors floated in the wind from the +summits of them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">The state tent.<br />The throne.</div> + +<p>Besides these there was an immense tent, built for the assembly itself +to hold its sessions in. This tent was so large, it is said, that it +would contain two thousand persons. It was covered with white, which +made it very conspicuous. There were two entrance-gates leading to the +interior. One of them was called the imperial gate, and was for the +use of Genghis Khan alone. The other was the public gate, and was used +in general for the members of the assembly and for spectators.</p> + +<p>Within the tent was erected a magnificent throne, intended for the use +of the emperor during the sessions of the assembly.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Business transacted.</div> + +<p>A great amount of important business was transacted by the assembly +while it continued in session, and many important edicts were made by +the emperor. The constitution and laws of the empire were promulgated +anew, and all necessary arrangements made for the government of the +various provinces both near and remote.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Leave-taking.<br />The assembly is dismissed.</div> + +<p>At length, when these various objects had <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</a></span>been accomplished, and the +business was concluded, the emperor gave audience individually to all +the princes, khans, generals, governors of provinces, and other grand +dignitaries who were present on the occasion, in order that they might +take their leave preparatory to returning to their several countries. +When this ceremony was concluded the encampment was broken up, and the +various khans set off, each at the head of his own caravan, on the +road leading to his own home.</p> + +<hr class="large" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="Chapter_XXIV" id="Chapter_XXIV"></a><span class="smcap">Chapter XXIV.</span></h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Conclusion.</span></h2> + +<p class="center">1227</p> + +<p class="n"><span style="float:left;font-size:50px;line-height:32px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:1px;">A</span><span style="margin-left:0%;">fter</span> the grand convocation described in the last chapter, Genghis +Khan lived only three years. During this time he went on extending his +conquests with the same triumphant success that had attended his +previous operations. Having at length established his dominion in +Western Asia on a permanent basis, he returned to the original seat of +his empire in the East, after seven years' absence, where he was +received with great honor by the Mongul nation. He began again to +extend his conquests in China. He was very successful. Indeed, with +the exception of one great calamity which befell him, his career was +one of continued and unexampled prosperity.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Death of the khan's oldest son.</div> + +<p>This calamity was the death of his son Jughi, his oldest, most +distinguished, and best-beloved son. The news of this event threw the +khan into a deep melancholy, so that for a time he lost all his +interest in public affairs, and even the news of victories obtained in +distant countries <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</a></span>by his armies ceased to awaken any joyful emotions +in his mind.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Effects of this calamity.</div> + +<p>The khan was now, too, becoming quite advanced in life, being about +sixty-four years old, which is an age at which the mind is slow to +recover its lost elasticity. He did, however, slowly recover from the +effects of his grief, and he then went on with his warlike +preparations. He had conquered all the northern portion of China, and +was now making arrangements for a grand invasion of the southern part, +when at length, in the spring of the year 1227, he fell sick. He +struggled against the disease during the summer, but at length, in +August, he found himself growing worse, and felt that his end was +drawing nigh.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Plan for the invasion of China.</div> + +<p>His mind was occupied mainly, during all this interval, by arranging +the details of the coming campaign, and making known to the officers +around him all the particulars of his plans, in order that they might +carry them out successfully after his decease. He was chiefly +concerned, as well he might be, lest the generals should quarrel among +each other after he should be gone, and he continually exhorted them +to be united, and on no account to allow discord or dissensions to +creep in and divide them.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</a></span></p><div class="sidenote">The khan's sons.</div> + +<p>His oldest son, next to Jughi, was Jagatay, but he was of a mild and +amiable temper, and not so well qualified to govern so widely-extended +an empire as the next son, whose name was Oktay. The next son to +Oktay, whose name was Toley, was with his father at the time when his +sickness at last assumed an immediately alarming character.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His sickness.<br />Change for the worse.</div> + +<p>This change for the worse, which convinced the emperor that his death +was drawing nigh, took place one day when he was traveling with a +portion of his army, being borne on a litter on account of his infirm +and feeble condition. A halt was ordered, a camp was formed, and the +great conqueror was borne to a tent which was pitched for him on the +spot near the borders of the forest. The physicians and the +astrologers came around him, and tried to comfort him with encouraging +predictions, but he knew by the pains that he felt, and by other +inward sensations, that his hour had come.</p> + +<p>He accordingly ordered that all of his sons who were in the camp, and +all the princes of his family, should be called in to his bedside. +When they had all assembled, he caused himself to be raised up in his +bed, and then made a short but very solemn address to them.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Farewell address.</div> + +<p>"I leave you," said he, "the greatest empire <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</a></span>in the world, but your +preserving it depends upon your remaining always united. If discord +steals in among you all will most assuredly be lost."</p> + +<div class="sidenote">He claims the right to name his successor.</div> + +<p>Then, turning to the great chieftains and khans who were standing +by—the great nobles of his court—he appealed to them, as well as to +the princes of his family, whether it was not just and reasonable that +he, who had established the empire, and built it up wholly from the +very foundations, should have the right to name a successor to inherit +it after he was gone.</p> + +<p>They all expressed a full assent to this proposition. His sons and the +other princes of his family fell on their knees and said, "You are our +father and our emperor, and we are your slaves. It is for us to bow in +submission to all the commands with which you honor us, and to render +the most implicit obedience to them."</p> + +<p>The khan then proceeded to announce to the assembly that he had made +choice of his son Oktay as his successor, and he declared him the khan +of khans, which was the imperial title, according to the constitution.</p> + +<p>The whole assembly then kneeled again, and solemnly declared that they +accepted the choice which the emperor had made, and promised +allegiance <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</a></span>and fidelity to the new sovereign so soon as he should be +invested with power.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Other arrangements.</div> + +<p>The aged emperor then gave to his second son, Jagatay, a large country +for his kingdom, which, however, he was, of course, to hold under the +general sovereignty of his brother. He also appointed his son Toley, +who was then present, to act as regent until Oktay should return.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Death of the emperor.</div> + +<p>The assembly was then dismissed, and very soon afterward the great +conqueror died.</p> + +<p>Toley, of course, immediately entered upon his office as regent, and +under his direction the body of his father was interred, with great +magnificence, under a venerable tree, where the khan had rested +himself with great satisfaction a few days before he was taken sick.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">His grave and monument.</div> + +<p>The spot was a very beautiful one, and in due time a magnificent +monument was erected over the grave. Trees were afterward planted +around the spot, and other improvements were made in the grounds, by +which it became, at length, it was said, one of the finest sepulchres +in the world.</p> + +<div class="sidenote">Visits of condolence to the new emperor.</div> + +<p>As soon as Oktay, whom the emperor had designated as his successor, +returned home, he was at once proclaimed emperor, and established +himself at his father's court. The news of <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</a></span>the old emperor's death +rapidly spread throughout Asia, and a succession of embassadors were +sent from all the provinces, principalities, and kingdoms throughout +the empire, and also from such contiguous states as desired to +maintain friendly relations with the new monarch, to bring addresses +and messages of condolence from their respective rulers. And so great +was the extent of country from which these embassadors came that a +period of six months was consumed before these melancholy ceremonies +were ended.</p> + +<hr class="medium" /> + +<div class="sidenote">Fate of the empire.</div> + +<p>The fate of the grand empire which Genghis Khan established was the +same with that of all others that have arisen in the world, from time +to time, by the extension of the power of great military commanders +over widely-separated and heterogeneous nations. The sons and +successors to whom the vast possessions descended soon quarreled among +themselves, and the immense fabric fell to pieces in less time than it +had taken to construct it.</p> + +<h3><span class="smcap">The End.</span></h3> + +<hr class="large" /> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Footnotes</span></h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> Spelled variously Kathay, Katay, Kitay, and in other +ways.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_B_2" id="Footnote_B_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B_2"><span class="label">[B]</span></a> The name is intended to be pronounced <i>Tim-oo-zhin</i>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_C_3" id="Footnote_C_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_C_3"><span class="label">[C]</span></a> See <a href="#Frontispiece">Frontispiece</a>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_D_4" id="Footnote_D_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_D_4"><span class="label">[D]</span></a> The signification of these words, in the language of the +Monguls, was <i>great khan of khans</i>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_E_5" id="Footnote_E_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_E_5"><span class="label">[E]</span></a> Pronounced <i>Cah-toon</i>.</p></div> + +<hr class="large" /> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Transcriber's Notes:</span></h3> + +<p>1. Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters' errors, and to ensure consistent spelling and punctuation in this e-text; otherwise, +every effort has been made to remain true to the original book.</p> + +<p>2. 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