Genghis Khan: A History of China

Genghis Khan: A History of China, PART ONE, invites you into the windswept Mongolian steppe, where a boy named Temüjin faced trials that would break most men. After his father Yesugei was poisoned by the Tatars, Temüjin grew up in hunger and fear, abandoned by allies, betrayed by relatives, and hunted by enemies. His mother Hoelun struggled to keep the family alive, while Temüjin carried the weight of survival on his young shoulders. These pages bring to life his early struggles and narrow escapes—from being captured and nearly executed by the Tayichi'ud, to losing his beloved half-brother Bekter in a desperate clash. You'll see him rescued by loyal companions like Bo'orchu and Jelme, who stood by him when the world turned against him. Every chapter shows how each hardship hardened the boy who would rise again and again, refusing to break. The story follows Temüjin's bond and rivalry with Jamukha, his sworn brother turned deadly enemy. Their relationship, once sealed in loyalty, erupts into betrayal, civil war, and battles that shake the steppe. Alongside this, Temüjin's alliance with his sworn father Wang Khan (Toghrul) brings both support and bitter treachery, reminding him that in politics and war, trust is as fragile as a blade of grass in the wind. You'll also encounter Temüjin's devotion to Börte, his wife who endured capture and return, shaping his burning vow for vengeance. His campaigns against the Tatars and the Merkits reveal not only his military genius but also his relentless drive to settle blood feuds and prove his destiny. New allies emerge, like the bold archer Jebe, who once shot Temüjin's horse but later became one of his most trusted generals. By the end of this first volume, Temüjin has survived betrayals, built loyal brotherhoods, claimed his seat as khan, and struck his hereditary enemies with thunderous force. Yet the path to uniting the steppe has only begun.