History of Mongolia

'Under The Power of The Eternal Sky!' This speech is found in the ancient manuscript "Mongoliin Nuuts Tovchoo", written in Chinese script in 1240, which in Mongolian means 'The Secret Chronicles of Mongolia', or, more commonly, ‘The Secret History of The Mongols'. The man who gave this famous address was definitely Chinggis Khaan, who conquered and ruled half of the world.

The difficult process of establishing the Mongolian State was acutely described in the famous manuscript by one of Chinggis Khaan's close supporters. In 1206, at the Great Khurildai (convention) of Mongol princes and noblemen on the bank of the Onon River, the feudal nobility proclaimed Temujin as a supreme ruler of the unified Mongol State and conferred on him the title of Chinggis Khaan.

In the autumn of 1209, Chinggis Khaan set out against the Tangud, emerging victorious after having conquered them. In 1211, Chinggis Khan, accompanied by his sons Zuchi, Tsagaadai, Ugudey, Tului and brother Khasar, launched a campaign against the Chin dynasty and, in 1215, conquered its capital Beijing.

In 1216, the Khar (Black) Kidans were subdued and thus, the Mongol Empire occupied several states of Central Asia and Eastern Turks, its outlying areas reaching the borders of the Khorezm State.

In 1218, as a sign of good-neighbourliness, Chinggis Khaan dispatched a caravan with ambassadors on a diplomatic and commercial mission to the capital city of the Khorezm State, Urgench, but at the frontier town of Otrar the caravan was pillaged and the ambassadors murdered. Furthermore, three Mongolian emissaries sent to Khorezm to investigate the incident were subjected to unprecedented humiliations.

Accordingly, when invading Khorezm in 1221 after capturing Bukhara and Samarkand, the Mongol troops took Urgench. Chinggis Khaan's youngest son Tului led the Mongol troops into Afghanistan and northwestern India.

The troops, under the command of Zev and Subeedei, invaded Georgia and Azerbaijan in 1221 and battled with Russian forces for the first time on the bank of the Kalka River. The Russians were defeated. After only six years of warfare, the Great Mongolian Empire expanded as far west as the Black Sea.

In the autumn of 1225, after six years of campaigning in the West, the Great Khaan returned to his homeland. Chinggis Khaan then received the news that the rulers of the Tangud State of Si-Sya had entered into a secret alliance with the Chinese Chin Dynasty and were undertaking hostile policies towards the Mongols.

So, in 1226, another major campaign was launched against the Tangud and in 1227, its capital city Irgai was captured. In the same year Chinggis Khaan was wounded while out hunting and on 25 August 1227, he - the founder of the Great Mongolian Empire, expander of its borders throughout Central Asia and Middle Asia - passed away.

There are many rumours about Chinggis Khaan's graveyard among researchers. Some say his body was burried in 'Oglogchiin Kherem' in Khentii Province, Mongolia, where ancient noble people were buried, and where many archaeological findings have been dug up, whereas others argue that he was buried in Inner Mongolia.

Along the procession journey for Chinggis Khaan's grave from the South, every human that might become a witness was killed. 50 soldiers who dug his grave were killed by another 50 soldiers, and they were also killed. There is still a place named 'Zuun Tsergiin Bulsh' ('Graveyard of 100 Soldiers') in Khentii Province, Mongolia and there are many other interesting places connected to this great man's life and historical events in the province.

According to historical recordings, such as The Secret History of Mongols (written in 1240 AC) and other sources, his remains were brought to his birthplace in Mongolia and re-buried. His saddle, stirrups and a sock were shrined in the Land of Ordos, Inner Mongolia. Under the order of his functioneries, a Mongolian tribe was arranged to start guarding the shrine from generation to generation in Inner Mongolia.

A few years ago, the Chinese Government built a multi-million dollar tourist exhibition compound in the region. The items have still been kept in the main, restored shrine dome.

For the last few years, the Government of Mongolia has been investing in the tourism industry. Multi-million dollar projects were supported by the Government, such as the compound at Sukhbaatar Square in the capital city, where travellers can witness artistic works including massive bronze statues for Chinggis Khaan and his successors.