Genghis Khan/Temujin

Temujin was born in 1162 to Yesugui, leader of the Borjigin tribe, and Hoelun, from the Olkhunut tribe, in what is modern day Mongolia near Burkhan Khaldun. The Secret History of the Mongols reports that he was born with a blood clot in his fist. He had three brothers, Khasar, Khajiun and Temuge, and lived a nomadic early life. His marriage to Borte was arranged at an early age and would be consummated at age twelve. When Yesugui was poisoned, his tribe refused to accept Temujin as their leader and abandoned Hoelun's family to die. For the next several years, Hoelun's family struggled to survive, which Weatherford believes made Temujin independently-minded, uninterested in class distinctions and determined not to be controlled or dishonored by others.

As Temujin grew up, a series of conflicts led him to grow stronger and wiser with respect to personal conflicts. His natural...