Why did Genghis Khan, who conquered half the world, return from the border of India?

 Why did Genghis Khan, who conquered half the world, return from the border of India?

 

About 800 years ago, a Mongol nomad founded a vast empire stretching from the Black Sea to the Pacific Ocean. His name was Temujin, who later became known throughout the world as Genghis Khan.

The Secret History of the Mongols states that when he was born, he had a clot of blood in his palm. According to the locals, this was a sign that the child would become a great conqueror.

But Genghis Khan’s early life was not easy. His father was poisoned to death by enemies, leaving him destitute at a very young age.

Many people believe that he is a Muslim because of the name Khan, while Khan is actually a title. He was a Mongol and believed in shamanism, which included the worship of the sky.

Genghis Khan spent his early life in poverty, but the series of conquests he began at the age of 50 made him one of the world’s great conquerors.

Under his leadership, the Mongols ruled over all of China, Central Asia, Iran, Eastern Europe, and a large part of Russia. Genghis' armies reached Austria, Finland, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Vietnam, Burma, Japan, and even Indonesia.

F.E. Cruz writes in his book 'Epoch of Mongols' that 'Genghis's empire was spread over 12 million square miles, an area equal to the African continent and larger than the North American continent. In comparison, the Roman Empire was very small.'

If we look at the achievements of other world conquerors, Alexander the Great had an army that his father Philip had built. Similarly, Julius Caesar had a 300-year history of Roman military superiority.

When Genghis Khan withdrew from the border of India

Genghis Khan spent five years from 1211 to 1216 pursuing his goal of conquering China, far beyond Mongolia.

At one point, Genghis Khan reached the border of India while pursuing Jalaluddin. The final battle between Genghis Khan and Jalaluddin's forces took place on the banks of the Indus River.

Genghis Khan surrounded Jalal's army on three sides. The Indus River flowed behind them.

Wilhelm Barthold writes in his book 'Turkistan Down to the Mungol Invasion' that 'Jalal destroyed all his boats so that his soldiers could not escape from the battlefield.'

'Genghis Khan had more soldiers than he had. Jalal repulsed Genghis Khan's first attack.'

Describing this battle, Muhammad Nisavi writes that when the Mongol pressure began to increase, Jalaluddin jumped into the 180-foot deep Indus River with his horse and crossed the long width to reach the other bank of the river.

Seeing Jalaluddin's courage, Genghis ordered that he not be targeted, but most of Jalaluddin's soldiers were killed and all of Jalal's sons and male relatives were also sentenced to death.

When Jalaluddin jumped into the Indus River with his horse, image source

Jalaluddin went from there to Delhi, but Sultan Iltutmish refused to grant him official asylum, fearing a Mongol attack. Jalal did not reach Delhi but remained in India until Genghis gave up the idea of ​​pursuing him.

When Jalal was convinced that Genghis Khan had returned to Mongolia, he reached Iran by sea.

Given Genghis Khan's past history, it was surprising that he abandoned the idea of ​​pursuing Jalaluddin and did not send his army into India.

Frank Maclean writes that Genghis Khan sent two forces to India, which crossed the Indus River and attacked Lahore and Multan. 'But they failed to capture Multan. The reason for their failure to advance was the heat there, to which they were completely unaccustomed.'

John MacLeod writes in his book 'History of India' that Iltutmish also did not anger Genghis Khan by flatly refusing to give Jalaluddin shelter and did not answer Genghis Khan's request to enter India and pursue Jalaluddin with a yes or no answer.

Genghis understood that Iltutmish did not want to fight him on this issue.

Dr. Wink writes in his book 'Slave Kings and the Islamic Conquest' that 'The heat of India was unbearable for Genghis Khan. That's why Genghis Khan's generals decided to return.

Lack of horses and fodder

Another problem for Genghis Khan was horses. Ibn Battuta mentions that the Mongol army of ten thousand horses required a large amount of fodder and water. Water was available in Sindh and Multan, but there was no fodder.

Secondly, there was a shortage of high-breed horses in the region, so additional horses could not be arranged. Furthermore, Genghis Khan had conquered so much land that he did not have enough soldiers to control it. Then there was the problem of the health of the soldiers.

Frank Maclean writes that ‘many of Genghis Khan’s soldiers fell victim to fever and diseases of the region. Genghis Khan lacked accurate information about the forests and mountains of India. Genghis Khan was also a superstitious man. His soldiers saw a rhinoceros, which was considered a bad omen.’

Genghis’s last message

By July 1227, Genghis’s health was deteriorating. One day he called all his sons and trusted generals to him.

The Mongols were told that Genghis Khan had a fever, but those standing near his bed knew that he would not live long.

R.D. Theakston writes in his book ‘The History of the Mongols’ that on his deathbed, Genghis Khan said to his sons, ‘Life is too short, I cannot conquer the whole world, you must complete this task, I am leaving you the greatest empire in the world, it can only be protected by one thing: you remain united.’

Some time later, Genghis said goodbye to this world.