MILITARY PERSONNELS from Mongolia

Top 4

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Mongolian Military Personnels of all time. This list of famous Mongolian Military Personnels is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Genghis Khan (1162 - 1227)

With an HPI of 96.66, Genghis Khan is the most famous Mongolian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 159 different languages on wikipedia.

Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; c. 1162 – 25 August 1227), also Chinggis Khan, was the founder and first khan of the Mongol Empire, which he ruled from 1206 until his death in 1227; it later became the largest contiguous empire in history. After spending most of his life uniting the Mongol tribes, he launched a series of military campaigns, conquering large parts of China and Central Asia. Born between 1155 and 1167 and given the name Temüjin, he was the oldest child of Yesugei, a Mongol chieftain of the Borjigin clan, and his wife Hö'elün. When Temüjin was eight, his father died and his family was abandoned by its tribe. Reduced to near-poverty, they managed to survive, although Temüjin killed his half-brother Behter to secure his position. As he grew to manhood, he began to gain followers, and he made alliances with two prominent steppe leaders named Jamukha and Toghrul; they worked together to retrieve Temüjin's kidnapped wife Börte. As his reputation grew, his relationship with Jamukha deteriorated into open warfare. Temüjin was decisively defeated in c. 1187, possibly spending the following years as a subject of the Jin dynasty; upon reemerging in 1196, he swiftly began gaining power. Toghrul came to view Temüjin as a threat, and launched a surprise attack on him in 1203. Temüjin retreated, then regrouped and overpowered Toghrul; after defeating the Naiman tribe and executing Jamukha, he was left as the sole ruler in the Mongolian steppe. Temüjin formally adopted the title "Genghis Khan", the meaning of which is uncertain, at an assembly in 1206. Carrying out reforms designed to ensure long-term stability, he then transformed the Mongols' tribal structure into an integrated meritocracy dedicated to the service of the ruling family. After thwarting a coup attempt from a powerful shaman, Genghis began to consolidate his power. In 1209, he led a large-scale raid into the neighbouring Western Xia, who agreed to Mongol terms the following year. He then launched a campaign against the Jin dynasty, which lasted for four years and ended in 1215 with the capture of the Jin capital Zhongdu. His general Jebe annexed the Central Asian state of Qara Khitai in 1218. Genghis was provoked to invade the Khwarazmian Empire the following year following the execution of his envoys; the campaign toppled the Khwarazmian state and devastated the regions of Transoxiana and Khorasan, while Jebe and his colleague Subutai led an expedition that reached Georgia and Kievan Rus'. In 1227, Genghis died while subduing the rebellious Western Xia; following a two-year interregnum, Genghis's third son and heir Ögedei acceded to the throne in 1229. Genghis Khan remains a controversial figure. He was generous and intensely loyal to his followers, but ruthless towards his enemies. He welcomed advice from diverse sources in his quest for world domination, for which he believed the shamanic supreme deity Tengri had destined him. The Mongol army under Genghis killed millions of people, but his conquests also facilitated heightened commercial and cultural exchange over an unprecedented geographical area. He is remembered as a backwards, savage tyrant in Russia and the Muslim world, while his legacy has undergone considerable reassessment in recent Western scholarship. He was posthumously deified in Mongolia; modern Mongolians recognise him as the founding father of their nation.

2. Jochi (1181 - 1227)

With an HPI of 75.99, Jochi is the 2nd most famous Mongolian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 52 different languages.

Jochi Khan (Mongolian:ᠵᠦᠴᠢ Mongolian: Зүчи, Züchi; Chinese: 朮赤; pinyin: Zhú chì; Crimean Tatar: Cuçi, Джучи, جوچى; also spelled Juchi; Djochi, and Jöchi; c. 1182 – February 1227) was a Mongol army commander who was the eldest son of Temüjin (aka Genghis Khan), and presumably one of the four sons by his principal wife Börte, though issues concerning his paternity followed him throughout his life. An accomplished military leader, he participated in his father's conquest of Central Asia, along with his brothers and uncles.

3. Subutai (1175 - 1248)

With an HPI of 70.65, Subutai is the 3rd most famous Mongolian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 44 different languages.

Subutai (Classical Mongolian: Sübügätäi or Sübü'ätäi; Modern Mongolian: ᠰᠦᠪᠡᠭᠡᠳᠡᠢ; Сүбээдэй, Sübeedei. [sʊbeːˈdɛ]; Chinese: 速不台; c. 1175–1248) was a Mongol general and the primary military strategist of Genghis Khan and Ögedei Khan. He directed more than 20 campaigns, during which he conquered or overran more territory than any other commander in history as part of the expansion of the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous empire in human history. He often gained victory by means of sophisticated strategies and routinely coordinated movements of armies that operated hundreds of kilometers apart from each other. Subutai is well known for the geographical diversity and success of his expeditions, which took him from central Asia to the Russian steppe and into Europe. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest military commanders and strategists of the early Mongol expansion.

4. Muqali (1170 - 1223)

With an HPI of 60.82, Muqali is the 4th most famous Mongolian Military Personnel.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Muqali (Mongolian: Мухулай; 1170–1223), also spelt Mukhali and Mukhulai, was a Mongol general ("bo'ol", transl. one who is bound in service) who became a trusted and esteemed commander under Genghis Khan. The son of Gü'ün U'a, a Jalair leader who had sworn fealty to the Mongols, he became known by his epithet "Muqali", "one who dulls", earned through his committed and able service to the Great Khan and the Mongol Empire. During the invasion of Jin China, Muqali acted as Genghis Khan's second-in-command, was promoted to Viceroy of China, and was entrusted with a great degree of autonomy once Genghis Khan departed to conquer Central Asia. Unlike many Mongol leaders who were willing to massacre to gain any advantage, Muqali usually attempted to convert foes into friends by more conciliatory means. By the time of Ogedei's reign (1229–1241), he was viewed as the best of the extraordinarily talented pool of Mongol generals. Given his undefeated record despite very limited resources, he might be regarded as one of the greatest military commanders in history. He was "unquestionably one of the leading Mongol personalities and a supreme leader". His wisdom in dealing with local matters has been emphasized.