The Mystery of Genghis Khan by Wladimir Secinski

Author:Wladimir Secinski [Secinski, Wladimir]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7414-9305-7
Publisher: Infinity Publishing
Published: 2010-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

53 Tugh: banner.

54 Temuchin’s son Jochi was born in 1185.

55 Chaghatai was born in 1186, Ögödei was also born in 1186, and Tolui was born in 1193.

56 Tagan: kettle.

57 Ail: nomadic encampment.

58 Fifth century AD.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Khan Temuchin’s assessment of the situation was correct. By the autumn of 1197, more than two tumens of people of long liberty had gathered under his tugh. Remnants of the various small tribes and major clans that had been smashed by the tribal alliances numbered about a tumen. The Jalairs, Torguts, Changsi’uts, Baya’uts, Burulats, Menguts, Arulats, Uru’uds, Mankuts, Honhotans, and Sartagols either returned to him or joined him for the first time. Especially combat-capable were the Uru’uds and the Mankuts, who had fought against the long liberty people at Dalan-Balzhut, and who were thought by many in the steppe to share a generous measure of Merkit blood—quick-tempered and brazen. There was no need to explain anything even to the very young nokhors, because they had learned all the customs of the people of long liberty from their parents and had been brought up on heroic poems about them. They gave themselves to Khan Temuchin without the doubts characteristic of the older generation.

Yeh-liu Chu-tsai was unable to take part in the intra-steppe war that blazed over the next several years; he was charged with finding all the necessary supplies and equipment for the long-range mission of the ulus of the people of long liberty. The first priority was weaponry and munitions. He and Jochi rode with a select company of soldiers to a prearranged meeting place where a contingent from his Jung-du leadership dressed as hunters was waiting. They took receipt of horses and camels carrying carcasses of slaughtered animals within which precious cargo was concealed. Then, traveling generally westward, they left their weapons in the Valley of the Gyrfalcon and climbed into the mountains, where, according to their information, the Naimans had once been decimated.

After several more days of travel, they suddenly found themselves surrounded by armored cavalry armed with heavy composite bows, shields, spears, and flails capable in a skilled hand of shattering any armor. The forest all around was sparse and the mountain valleys were small but numerous. The hand of man could be felt everywhere—the well-tended fields, the guard shacks, the well-trodden paths, and even rock-paved roads in places. This area would have seemed to be easily accessible to any conqueror. The travelers had been followed for a long time, which was obvious because their encirclement was accomplished quickly and efficiently. But the Türküts who had surrounded them were unarmed. These mountaineers spoke only their own Turkic language, but some of the steppe dwellers who spoke Uighur understood the masters of the mountains without any particular difficulty. Yeh-liu Chu-tsai’s party was led silently upwards through ravines to meet the elders.

As Yeh-liu Chu-tsai had already done at various times, he chose sincerity as his tactic. The ulus of the people of long liberty needed high quality weapons and especially munitions. They wouldn’t haggle and they would pay up front in silver, gold, grain, silk, and any other goods.

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