The name Genghis Khan brings to mind thundering hordes of Mongol horsemen, slashing and burning their way through civilized nations. Most of us know little about the Mongol ruler. In 1956, Howard Hughes made a movie about Genghis Khan called “The Conqueror” with John Wayne in the title role which was less than historical and is best forgotten. In Genghis Khan andthe Making of the Modern World, author Jack Weatherford illuminates the rather obscure origins of this 12 th and 13 th century leader. According to Weatherford, “Whether measured by the total number of people defeated, the sum of the countries annexed, or by the total area occupied, Genghis Khan was the most successful conqueror in world history, and he redrew the boundaries of the world.” Genghis Khan or Temujin, his original name, does have a bloody back story. He murdered his own brother to allow himself to become leader of the family clan and did not hesitate to dispatch by...
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