The Mongols
Genghis (left) and Kublai
However, this was not nessecarily true...
The Mongols were a group of Steppe Warriors that were among the Scythians, Huns, and Seljuks. (They all shared a similar culture. )
The Mongols became the most successful and conquered perpetually for 100 years. Genghis Khan was the first Mongolian Ruler, and he was portrayed in Western Civilization as a bloodthirsty villain, though this wasn't nessecarily accurate. Born in 1165 as "Temujin", he died as Genghis Khan in 1227. His father was warrior chieftain who died when he was 8. Genghis/Temujin attracted a lot of loyal warriors--he was very charismatic. Eventually he was elected "Khan" of one warrior clan. From 1186-1206, Temujin fought in countless battles. Eventually, he was elected Great Khan in 1206, so his name changed to Genghis Khan. He organized the armies and got rid of tribal loyalties through army unit leaders who were completely loyal to him. His political accomplishments lasted well beyond his life span.
He was a Military Genius. His first conquest was in 1206 in NW china; his second conquest was in NE china in 1215. 1220 AD, he went west and attacked Samarkand and Bukhara. He went along the Silk Road, conquering the Silk Road. Turkic people were conquered in the North. Interestingly, he spared artisans and sent them back to empire. He valued education and trade, and he wanted children to have a good education (though he was illiterate).
Mongol warriors wore leather armor with silk underwear--this way, they could pull the silk and arrows would pop out.
They were a very tough people, used to deprivation and discomfort. Their army was main part of Mongolian success. They were clever--sometimes, they would fake a retreat and instead create an amubush. They learned about siege engines from the Chinese.
"Masters of Terror"
They ransacked and destroyed cities that wouldn't open their gates, killed all the people. They came to be fearfully respected.
So if they came, the people would open gates for their stuff to be taken, as opposed to being killed.
Kublai Khan was the Grandson of Genghis, known as the "Chinese Ruler". He entertained the family of Marco Polo--he was portrayed in Western civilization as kinder.
The Late Mongol Empire
1227-1294
Genghis Khan Died in 1227 AD, and Occadai (his son) was elected.
Batu (Genghis's grandson) led a campaign in Russia - 1235 to 1240 AD. Batu defeated Polish army in 1241 AD, and he even approached Hungary but was forced to retreat due to Occadai's death in 1251 AD.
Mangu Khan was a Christian allied with the crusaders and campaigned against the Muslims in 1251 AD. Hulega Khan returned home in 1259 after death of Mangu, his brother, but left a small force in SW Asia. The Mamluks attacked Hulega's force (1260) - first time Mongols had been defeated in 80 years.
Kublai Khan took the Empire in 1260. He ruled for 24 years total. In 1279 AD, he moved to China and started the Yuan Dynasty. Marco Polo met him at one point.
Kublai also decided to conquer Japan (1294), but sea a storm stopped invasion. This sea storm came to be called the kamikaze, or divine wind. (The term "kamikaze" would later be applied to Japanese suicide bombers in World War II.)
Kublai's rule was the last part of Mongol heyday, though his descendants continued to rule long after his death.
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Images courtesy of http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/Mongol_Empire_map.gif