Raids by nomadic denizens of the Eurasian Steppe have irritated their settled neighbors throughout much of history. Every now and then, though, a charismatic Steppe leader would emerge, unify the tribes, and the irritation would suddenly escalate into massive campaigns of conquest that topple empires and terrorize all and sundry. One such leader was Temujin. Born into a minor nomadic tribe, he ended up as history’s greatest – and scariest – conqueror. Below are twenty five fascinating facts about Temujin’s life and times.
25. Temujin’s Home
Temujin (circa 1162 – 1227) was born and raised in the Eurasian Steppe, a plains region stretching from Hungary and Croatia in the west to Manchuria in the east. A harsh land of scorching summers and extreme winters, the Steppe’s saving grace is its abundant grasslands, which allow the raising of vast herds of livestock. As a result, the region was inhabited for millennia by nomadic tribes who wandered with their herds from pasturage to pasturage. They usually traded with their neighbors in the settled lands surrounding the Steppe, but if an opportunity presented itself, they were just as comfortable raiding them. As seen below, the violence and fury of Temujin was not the first nomadic eruption from the Steppe.
