These decisive battles of 1201-2 have furnished historians with some enduring stories about Chinggis Khan the man, which—whether they be truth or fabrication—certainly reflect aspects of his character that history has shown to be accurate.
The Secret History records the surrender of some Shirkutu tribal leaders. On their way to surrender, they had captured their overlord, Tarqutai of the Tayichi’ut, but before reaching Temujin’s camp they had decided to release their former lord. They admitted this when they arrived, and Temujin responded thus:
If you had laid hands on your own Khan, Tarqutai, I would have executed you and all your brethren. No man should lay hands on his rightful lord. But you did not forsake him and your hearts were sound.19
In another incident, Temujin was interrogating some prisoners after the battle when he demanded to know the identity of the soldier who had shot and killed his “yellow war-horse with the white mouth.” A certain Jirqo’adai (Todoge) stepped forward and admitted his guilt. Temujin responded as follows:
When a foe is faced with his enemies, with those he has killed, he usually keeps his mouth shut, too frightened to speak out. Not this man. Faced with his enemies, with those he has killed, he does not deny it, but admits it openly. That is the kind of man I want on my side. His name is Jirqo’adai, but because he shot my yellow war-horse with the white mouth in the neck, he shall hence forth be known as Jebe, which means “arrowhead.” He shall be my arrow.20
Jebe was to become one of Chinggis Khan’s four great generals (noyens)— one of his “Four Hounds”—and he would achieve great renown.21
Before launching his terminal attack on the Tatars, Temujin announced a break with steppe tradition and a defining battle tactic.
If we triumph, we should not stop for booty, but press home our advantage. Once victory is secure, the booty will be ours anyway, won’t it? Then we can divide it amongst ourselves. If we are forced to retreat, let us regroup in the original spot where we began our attack. Anyone who does not come back will be executed.22
By ordering his troops to ignore the plunder and continue the battle, Temujin was breaking with an ancient nomadic custom that saw the aim of warfare solely as the acquisition of booty and that gave the chiefs the sole right for the dispersal of these spoils. Temujin knew that unquestioning discipline was essential if victory was to be achieved over a superior enemy, and he knew also that such a decree would be a trial of strength between him and his tribal leaders. In accordance with these orders, after the battle he dispatched Jebe and Qubilai to confiscate the booty acquired by three “princes” who had disregarded his orders. Though these three were later to defect, Temujin’s resounding victory had proved his point and reinforced his reputation as a strong, disciplined, and just ruler who valued such traits in others, especially courage and honesty, be they friend or foe.
World History
