Genghis Khan's father died when he was in his early teens. He was to be the successor after his father but as he was young, the tribe did not obey him. Temujin's family was left stranded in the steppes.By 1206, Temujin became the leader of a Mongol confederation and was given the title of 'Genghis Khan,' which means 'oceanic' ruler or 'universal' ruler.

In a span of just 25 years, his horsemen conquered a larger area and greater population than the Romans did in four centuries. To the millions of people conquered by his hordes, Genghis Khan was evil incarnate; in Mongolia and Central Asia, however, he was widely revered.

His armies created the largest land empire the world has ever seen—the Mongol Empire. When he was not busy subjugating the nations across Asia, he spent his time with women. He had six wives and around five hundred concubines. Geneticists estimate that sixteen million males (0.5% of the Earth’s male population) are genetically linked to Genghis Khan. This means he fathered hundreds of children during his lifetime.

He died on August 18, 1227, at the age of 65. But there are a plethora of mysteries surrounding the death of Genghis Khan. One story suggests that he died from injuries sustained after falling from his horse. Another story suggests he succumbed to blood loss after being castrated by a Tangut princess. The most widespread one is that he died while putting down a revolt in the Chinese kingdom of Xi Xia empire. As per the request of Genghis Khan, he was buried in an unmarked grave. As Khan wanted his death to be a secret, all those who set their eyes on the funeral processions were slaughtered by his heirs. His final resting place remains unknown.