Mongol Army Besieging Ch'eng-tu, 13th Century
Genghis Khan (1162?-1227), born Temujin and also known by the temple name Taizu, was the founder and Great Khan (emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. He assumed leadership of the Mongola in 1206 and turned a loose confederation of tribes into a strong feudal state. After founding the Mongol Empire and being proclaimed Genghis Khan, he started the Mongol invasions with a mission to conquer the world. By the end of his life, the Mongol Empire occupied a substantial portion of Central Asia and China. Beyond his military accomplishments, Genghis Khan also advanced the Mongol Empire in other ways. He decreed the adoption of the Uyghur script as the Mongol Empire's writing system. He also promoted religious tolerance in the Mongol Empire, and created a unified empire from the nomadic tribes of northeast Asia. Present-day Mongolians regard him as the founding father of Mongolia
