The truth about Genghis Khan is shrouded in myth. Not only do historians feel that the picture we have of Genghis Khan has been shaped by myth, but some believe that his life was, to some degree, altered by the changing mythology of his people.
Right from birth in 1167 AD, myth and superstition surrounded Genghis Khan. It is said that he was born clutching a blood clot in his hand, a sign that his fate was to become a hero. His birth name was Temujin (or Temuchin), born to a minor clan leader in eastern Mongolia. Because of the dramatic climatic extremes (over 104 degrees in summer, below 40 degrees in winter), these were nomadic tribes, migrating from open pastures in summer to river valleys in winter. All of this tribal movement was the source of numerous conflicts between Mongolian tribes who fought for the best parcels of land. With all of these continual struggles, there is no written history prior to the 13th century except for whatever was recorded by literate civilizations who described their encounters with Mongol invaders (most Europeans had never even heard of Mongols until confronted by them); therefore, Mongolian history is considered to begin with Genghis Khan. Even so, since Khan was the one who ordered the Mongols to adapt the ancient Uighur script to Mongolian language (even though Khan was illiterate), the first Mongolian record of Genghis Khan appears in the book Secret History of the Mongols, which was written after Khan's death. How reliable even this account is can only be speculated. Genghis Khan's youth was as turbulent as the world of nomadic Mongolian tribes. When Khan was nine, his father was murdered by Tartars (or Tatars, often confused with Mongols, but in reality the two were sworn enemies) with a slow-acting poison fed to him in a drink. After his father's death, the tribe deserted his mother and his siblings, and they survived hidden in the mountains, in constant danger. It was during these difficult years that Khan killed his half-brother in an argument over some birds they had shot. Historians feel Khan was exhibiting the basics of clan politics, eliminating his rival for leadership of the family.
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