Content
Like other texts from this era, The Secret History contains elements of folklore and poetry and is not as factual or consistent as historians would want. It is nevertheless entirely fundamental, both as a historical source and as one of the first recorded samples of Mongolian poetry.
The work begins with a semi-mythical genealogy of Temüjin's family. The description of Temüjin's life begins with the kidnapping of his mother, Hoelun, by his father Yesügei. It then covers Temüjin's early life; the difficult times after the murder of his father and the many conflicts against him, wars, and plots before he gains the title of Genghis Khan (Universal ruler) in 1206. The latter parts of the work deal with Genghis' and Ögedei's conquering campaigns on Eurasia, and the text ends with Ögedei's reflections on what he did well and what he did wrong. It relates how the Mongol Empire was created.
It contains 12 chapters:
- Temüjin's origin and childhood.
- Temüjin's teenage years.
- Temujin destroys the Merkit and takes the title Genghis Khan.
- Genghis Khan struggles against Jamuga and Tayichiud.
- Genghis Khan destroys the Tatar and tangles with Wang Khan
- Destruction of the Kereyid
- The fate of Wang Khan
- Escape of Kuchlug and defeat of Jamuga.
- Establishment of the empire and imperial guard.
- Conquest of the Uighur and forest peoples.
- Conquest of China, the Tanghut, the Sartuul, Baghdad and Russia
- Temüjin's death and Ögedei's reign.
Several passages of the Secret History appear in slightly different versions in the 17th century Mongolian chronicle Altan Tobchi- "The ... Golden Summary of the Principles of Statecraft as established by the Ancient Khans".
Read more about this topic: The Secret History Of The Mongols
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