JENGHIZ KHAN (jen'giz thahn) (1162-1227), Mongol emperor, born on the banks of the river Onon. His father Yesukai was absent at the time of his birth, in a campaign against a Tatar chieftain named Temuchin. The war brought success to Yesu kai, who having slain his enemy returned to his encampment in triumph. He was met by the tidings that his wife Yulun had given birth to a son. On examining the child he observed in its clenched fist a clot of coagulated blood like a red stone. In the eyes of the superstitious Mongol this circumstance referred to his victory over the Tatar chieftain, and he therefore named the infant Temuchin. The death of Yesukai, which placed Temuchin at the age of 13 on the Mongol throne, was the signal also for the dis persal of several tribes whose allegiance the old chieftain had re tained by his iron rule. When remonstrated with by Temuchin, the rebels replied : "The deepest wells are sometimes dry, and the hardest stone is sometimes broken; why should we cling to thee?" But Yulun was by no means willing to see her son's power melt away; she led those retainers who remained faithful against the deserters, and succeeded in bringing back fully one-half to their allegiance. With this doubtful material, Temuchin succeeded in
holding his ground against the plots and open hostilities of the neighbouring tribes, more especially of the Naimans, Keraits and Merkits. With one or other of these he maintained an almost un ceasing warfare until 1206, when he felt strong enough to proclaim himself the ruler of an empire. He therefore summoned the not ables of his kingdom to an assembly on the banks of the Onon, and at their unanimous request adopted the name and title of Jenghiz Khan (Chinese, Cheng-sze, or "perfect warrior"; the correct Mongolian spelling is Chingiz, and scholars of oriental studies sometimes spell it in that manner). At this time there remained to him but one open enemy on the Mongolian steppes, Polo the Naiman khan. Against this chief he now led his troops, and in one battle so completely shattered his forces that Kushlek, the successor of Polo, who was left dead upon the field, fled with his ally Toto, the Merkit khan, to the river Irtysh.