(electronic music)
(upbeat, whimsical music)
(determined orchestral music)
(hooves shuffling)
(fire blazing)
(coughing)
- Children, who would you say
was the greatest world conqueror ever?
(scuffling and mumbling)
- Uh?
- Alexander, who else?
It was also Alexander the Great.
- It might have been him, all right. (chuckles)
It is certainly true that he managed
to conquer a lot of territories.
Look there, hmm,
you know, but it wasn't him.
- Well, then the Romans?
It has to be them.
- [Maestro] That's a good guess, too.
And even with all (children gasps)
their conquests they weren't the greatest.
All right, children, get ready for a surprise.
- Uh-oh. - It has to be
Napoleon, that's a real easy one.
- An easy one?
No, you're wrong.
It's not Napoleon. (chuckles)
No.
Now, um,
- [Boy Inn Gray] Hey, oh, look out!
- Then who could it be?
- Yes!
- All right, I'll give you a hint.
Here, look, hmm?
(banging board) Well?
You know him?
- It's Genghis Khan.
- [Maestro] That's right, good for you.
- He was a horrible person.
- Horrible?
Yeah, well, maybe not.
Anyway, he was (scuffling)
a great conqueror.
He wanted to know new lands,
and of course, he wanted to rule them.
But he could also be a true friend.
- Yeah, yes! (slapping hands)
- Well, Genghis Khan's makes a remarkable story.
I'm gonna tell you about him.
(coyote howls)
Cruel or evil, well maybe,
but the times he lived in weren't exactly
the easiest in history.
They were harsh times,
and you wouldn't call his childhood
a very happy time, either.
It all happened over 800 years ago.
Now, let's get into our story.
(spirited music)
- Hoelun, I'll take the reins.
You go and tend to the fire.
- I will, Yesugei.
- [Yesugei] Oh.
(fire crackling)
(laughing)
- Hey, what are you doin'?
That's poison.
- I'm taking revenge.
Yesugei's father once stole some horses.
They were my uncle's.
And as for you, mind your own business.
(apprehensive music)
(slurping)
- I'm going to die soon, Temujin.
Now, son, try to be a worthy leader for our people.
(upbeat music) (sheep bleating)
- Look here, your husband was a good leader,
but his son Temujin is still too young.
Who would kneel in allegiance to a little child?
I, Toghrultai will be the new chief.
- You will not be the chief.
The chief's son always succeeds his father.
He will soon be a man and you must obey him.
(upbeat music) (wind blowing)
- You can stay here and bow down to a little child,
but I'm leaving and I'll take my tribe with me.
- Subutai, tell me, how come
you didn't go with the others, huh?
- You know I'm your friend, and I'll stay with you.
I can be useful, you'll see.
Look how strong I am.
- Our future won't be easy.
There are only a few goats left, and some sheep.
(hooves shuffling)
We still have eight horses,
and the oxen that can pull our wagon.
Life will be difficult.
- Oh, we'll be all right.
(gentle music)
- Hmm.
- Oh, umph!
(grunting)
- Yesugei, your father and ruler of the Kiyad people
was a descendant of the Great Mongol.
We all have to remain strong and united
because one day all of our territory we will regain.
My eldest son, Temujin will be a great chief,
and he will add great conquests to our realm,
and when that time comes,
you will see how beautiful the world can be.
(gentle, triumphant music)
- Temujin was just about your age
when all this happened.
But that little child was going to build
one of the world's greatest empires.
(hooves shuffling)
(horses whinnying)
- It's up there.
We'll lose our bows.
(birds chirping)
(bird cawing) (sweeping orchestral music)
- Well, let's see 'em.
Hmm.
Yeah, they'll make good hunting birds.
(birds chirping)
- [Both] Whoa!
- [Maestro] Hmm.
- Whoa.
- Now, we'll test 'em.
- Wow! - Look at that.
(cheering)
- Tomorrow you go on a real hunt,
and we're counting on you.
Good luck, and remember, we need meat.
(cheering)
- Hunt!
(gentle orchestral music)
(birds cawing)
- If you want to hunt a stag
you know it runs as fast as a horse.
You should stay as light as you can.
Remove anything that you don't need.
- That include water?
- Everything.
Take only your bows and your knives.
(clanging)
- We'll have plenty to eat
if we kill a stag.
- Look there, he's a big one!
- [Maestro] On their stocky horses
the Mongols could ride like this at full speed
over long distances and for hours and hours non-stop.
- Wow!
Huh, huh, wa!
Ugh.
(dynamic orchestral music)
- Well, well, it's our little chief, all grown up.
Now's our chance to get rid of him for good.
Then we'll grab the royal emblem, that right?
- [Bald Man] (chuckles) Yeah.
(men laugh)
(gentle, bouncy orchestral music)
(Temujin grunts and groans)
(cheering)
(men laughing)
(apprehensive music)
(snoring)
(smacking) (man grunts)
- Shh.
- [Temujin] One day he's going to pay for this.
(dramatic music) (men yelling)
- Oh!
- Oh.
- Mmm, mmm, mmm.
- Plunderers, the Tayichiud.
I thought they were our allies.
- Your brother is coming back from the hunt
on our last horse.
- I will get our horses.
(determined music)
I am Temujin, son of Yesugei, King of the Khiyad.
Have you seen a group of Tayichiud come by here
with stolen horses?
- Yes, they went by when the sun was quite high.
Stole your horses?
Oh, my name is Bo'orchu, Temujin.
I can see that you're very tired,
and your horse is exhausted.
We Arulats have always been loyal friends.
If you don't rescue a horse, he's liable to die,
and you two need rest.
Why not sleep now, and tomorrow at dawn
I will go along with you.
- If you are a friend, then let's go now.
There's no time to waste.
To horse!
(lively music)
(dog barking)
(horse whinnying)
(man snoring)
(man grunting)
(determined music)
(men yelling)
- [Maestro] Temujin is repeating
what Horatius did in Antiquity.
He was a Roman soldier who centuries earlier
pretended to flee in the face of three enemies
when he separated them,
and then was able to defeat them one at a time.
It was a good trick, and it worked again.
(cheering)
- You've proved that you're faithful and brave, Bo'orchu.
You'll always be my special friend and companion.
(dramatic, adventurous music)
(grunting and smacking)
- Toghrultai, you are a traitor, and now you must die.
- [Toghrul] Huh?
- The rest of you, I will pardon you if you join us.
(swords clanging) (grunting)
(crunching)
- Oh.
- [Maestro] So you see, we Mongols remain weak, and why?
Because we are not united,
and our peoples are constantly at war with one another.
It's always the same,
but together we'd be unbeatable.
We'd be able to take the pastors and dominate them.
No Mongol has ever seen such things.
There would be no limit to the territories
we could conquer.
- Old man of wisdom,
tell me, how can we unite all of them,
when all they want to do is fight one another
in never-ending wars?
How?
- I suppose you begin using good-old superior force on 'em.
Choose the time and place for each battle.
Make sure that you'll always have the advantage,
and also, you must apply your intelligence,
learn to manipulate your enemy.
He would rather be a little king at home
than a great vassal bowing to someone else.
You must also be forever loyal
to those who serve you faithfully.
All men respect loyalty.
And plain cunning, if everything else should fail.
(intense music)
- Temujin, my son, you are 16 now.
You are a man.
It is time for you to marry.
You know that Dei-Sechen has promised
that his daughter Borte will be your bride.
He is a powerful chief.
It would make a good alliance.
- Yes, Mother.
Tomorrow I will set off.
(upbeat music)
- Temujin, son of Yesugai who adopted me
and became my father, who has passed away and,
Timujen, son of Yesugai who was, um, hmm,
yes, as I was saying, Temujin, uh.
- Were you saying something, Dei Sechen?
- Yes, I was, but
you weren't listening.
- Your daughter Borte's very beautiful.
- So I've been told.
I promised your father Borte as your bride.
Now, what can you give her?
- I can give her the world!
- Well, that'll do.
And me, what do I get?
(lively music)
- Mmm.
(chanting and yelling)
- Dei Sechen.
- It's my pleasure to give you
this coat of 100 ermine,
after my daughter my most prized possession.
- Hmm.
(Borte giggles)
(dramatic music)
- [Soldier] Get him!
(men yelling)
- Help!
I'm being abducted!
- [Hoelun] Oh, my son.
They have taken Borte.
It was Maghun, chief of the Merkit, oh!
- They will pay me dearly.
- But there are thousands of Merkits.
And we're a couple of hundred.
- We will go to see Chief Toghrul.
We will ask him to help.
He and Father were the best of friends.
Yes, let's go and ask him.
(determined music)
No, no, he's a Christian.
He was just greeting us, it's the custom.
- For a minute I thought he'd chop off our heads.
(Temujin chuckles)
- But they smell awful. (cats meowing)
No worse, they really stink.
Oh, what an odor, oh! (groans)
Ah, my dear Temujin, how surprising you're still alive.
- Toghrul, you and my father were friends.
I need your warriors.
Miguan stole my wife Borte.
- Miguan's powerful with all his warriors.
You'll need many, many men.
What will you give in return?
- This.
- Superb, yes, you will have them, hmm.
(dramatic music)
- Attack!
(men yelling and growling)
(Borte gasps)
Ah, at last, my darling.
(men yelling)
(Miguan shrieks)
Now you will pay.
- [Subutai] What do we do with the others?
- [Temujin] I need men.
Why should we kill those who can be useful to us?
- Mmm-hmm.
- All of you, join me.
I will give you pasture land.
Fight with me!
I will give you victory over your enemies.
(men yelling)
(dramatic music)
- Temujin has fought the Merkits and defeated them.
Their chief has been killed, (cats meowing)
and the men have agreed to join him.
Now their tribes are rallying to him as well.
- Temujin is something of a nuisance.
I do wish he would stop, what?
(gentle, upbeat music)
(Temujin laughs)
- Well?
Ho, ha ha, hey, good one!
That's it!
(child wails)
- How's that, Dad?
- Mm-hmm. (Borte claps)
- Good.
- They'll be great warriors someday.
(hooves shuffling)
- Temujin, I propose a grand alliance.
- It would be an honor for me, Toghrul.
An alliance against whom?
- The Naiman.
They attack all caravans.
It's impossible to carry on trade.
They must be stopped. - Yes, right.
Yes, I agree with you.
But we will travel a long and difficult road to victory.
(adventurous music)
- [Maestro] So in the middle of winter,
Temujin and his troops crossed the Altais tall peaks.
Toghrul traveled with them,
in comfort befitting his high rank.
(Toghrul chuckles)
- In a short time now, we will start the battle.
We're ready.
Ogedei, my son, you will bring your archers into the center.
When you're in range of the enemy,
you turn about and flee as if retreating.
Do you understand?
- No problem.
(dramatic music)
- Now, turn about, run!
- Look, they're running away!
They're scared, the cowards.
After them!
(men yelling)
- Now's the time, forward men!
Attack!
(men yelling)
If you and your men agree to serve me
I will spare your lives.
- We won't.
- Chop off all the heads that are higher than a cart wheel.
- Oh.
- The children will turn into good Mongol warriors.
We have fought and won.
It is a total victory.
- You've proven a great warrior and a loyal servant.
- What?
I am no one's servant.
(dramatic music)
- Now things have gone too far.
Go on, do it.
Rid me of that nuisance.
- No, yes.
- No.
- You're going to die, traitor!
I think Toghrul has lost his head.
Temujin, you united us all into one Mongol people.
You've courageously led us into battle,
and given us many glorious victories.
It is thanks to you,
we have pasture land, we have prairies
as well as forests, filled with game.
(cheering)
We proclaim you the Emperor of the World!
- [Crowd] Genghis Khan, Genghis Khan!
(frenzied piano music)
- The one and only master of us all is Tengri,
the eternal blue sky!
- [Maestro] Genghis Khan could then create
and command the greatest army that the world had ever seen.
- The arrow is just under your chin.
You sight the point right toward the target.
- [Trainee] Easy for you to say.
- Fire them!
(tall man groans)
(creaking)
Release them!
(banging) (man wailing)
Put your feet at the edge of each rung.
Otherwise they break.
Go on!
(men whimpering)
(man yells)
(laughing)
Our first rule is discipline.
If a sentry falls asleep, the punishment is death.
Any man who gets drunk more than three times a month,
death!
An incompetent officer, you know what?
- 100,000 horsemen, 10 corps,
an army for each of you to command.
Now, we're ready to conquer the world.
- And you will remember, at about the same time
the French won a famous battle with only
1,000 horsemen. (scuffling)
Genghis Khan had a hundred thousand.
The world might indeed tremble,
and that's just what it did.
1207, all Mongolia, then Southern Siberia, conquered.
1209, the conquest of Northern Tibet.
The years 1211 to 1215, the turn of China,
including Peking.
1218, Kazakhstan is taken.
1220 and the war against Quanzhen,
lying near the Caspian Sea,
Genghis Khan assembles 200,000 horsemen warriors.
His enemies had even more in the battles.
(upbeat music)
1222, the Caucasus, to the Black Sea,
the Dnieper River.
Temujin, the poor, humble nomad
had made himself the great Genghis Khan,
master of the world.
His empire spanned an entire continent,
all the way from China to the Caspian Sea.
(adventurous music)
(grunting)
No man had ever dominated (hog grunting)
such a vast territory or held so much power.
Then one day.
- My son, Ogedei and my children, faithful friends,
I endow you all with my empire.
May you rule with wisdom and justice always.
Kublai, come.
A wise man has predicted a great future in store for you.
I hope he was right.
- [Maestro] And that child was to become
the magnificent Kublai Khan.
Many years later Marco Polo would write an account
of the marvels of his court.
(dynamic music)