Genghis Khan was an astute politician. He realized that the strength of the Mongol people lay in their nomadic way of life. It made them tough and mobile, providing them with the prerequisites for success on the battlefield. Though he dreamed of conquest, he never conceived that they would ever leave the steppe. He coveted the luxuries of the civilizations he hoped to conquer, but not their soft and settled way of life.

He also knew that however fractious and chaotic tribal life had become, he would never replace it with any other form of social organization. He was proud of his own tribal heritage and realized how ties of kinship increased the Mongols' sense of security and identity. But he was aware that without strong central leadership, the Mongols would be condemned to squander their resources on internal conflict.

Genghis felt that he was destined...