Genghis Khan, born Temüjin, was born around 1162 in the Khentii Mountains of what is now northeastern Mongolia, near the headwaters of the Onon River. The exact location of his birth is not known with certainty, but it is generally identified with a place called the Burkhan Khaldun, a sacred mountain in the Khentii range that is associated with the early life of Genghis Khan in the Secret History of the Mongols.
The place of birth is significant for the Mongols, who regard the Khentii Mountains as the heartland of their people. The Burkhan Khaldun, in particular, is a sacred mountain in the Mongol religious tradition, and it has been the subject of devotion for centuries. The mountain is now part of the Burkhan Khaldun Mountain Protected Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was designated in 2015.
The Sources
The main source for the location of Genghis Khan’s birth is the Secret History of the Mongols, the thirteenth-century Mongolian text that is the only major historical source written by Mongols. The Secret History reports that Temüjin was born with a “blood clot in his hand,” a sign of future greatness, and that his birth was accompanied by various omens. The Secret History does not give an exact location, but it places the birth in the Khentii Mountains, near the headwaters of the Onon River.
The Chinese dynastic histories also mention the place of birth, but they are less specific. The Yuan Shi (the official history of the Yuan Dynasty, compiled 1360–1365) and the Jami’ al-Tawarikh (Compendium of Chronicles) of Rashid al-Din (c. 1300–1311) both place the birth in the Khentii Mountains, in the same general area. None gives a precise village or even a specific river valley.
The Modern Identification
The modern identification of the place of birth is based on a combination of historical and archaeological evidence. The most widely accepted identification is the Burkhan Khaldun, a sacred mountain in the Khentii range that is associated with the early life of Genghis Khan in the Secret History. The mountain is now part of the Burkhan Khaldun Mountain Protected Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was designated in 2015.
The Burkhan Khaldun is located in the Khentii Mountains, in the northeastern part of Mongolia. The mountain is about 50 kilometers from the town of Binder, in the Khentii province. The mountain is a sacred site in the Mongol religious tradition, and it has been the subject of devotion for centuries. The mountain is now a major pilgrimage site for Mongolians, and it is also a popular destination for tourists.
The identification of the Burkhan Khaldun with the place of birth of Genghis Khan is not universally accepted, and other identifications have been proposed. Some scholars have suggested that the place of birth was the town of Kharkhorin, in the Övörkhangai province, or the town of Zuunkharaa, in the Selenge province. The question is likely to remain a subject of scholarly debate, but the Burkhan Khaldun identification is the most widely accepted.
The Significance of the Place
The place of birth of Genghis Khan is significant for the Mongols, who regard it as a sacred site. The Mongols have traditionally refused to disclose the exact location of the burial site of Genghis Khan, and the place of birth is one of the few tangible links to the life of the great khan. The place of birth is also significant for the modern Mongolian state, which has promoted the site as a major tourist destination and as a symbol of the national heritage.
The place of birth is also significant for the history of the Mongol Empire. The Khentii Mountains, in which the site is located, are the heartland of the Mongol people, and the early history of the Mongols is closely tied to the region. The Onon River, which rises in the Khentii Mountains, is the place where the unification of the Mongol tribes was proclaimed in 1206, and the river is one of the most important geographical features in Mongol history.
Sources
- John Man, Genghis Khan: Life, Death and Legacy (London, 2004).
- Igor de Rachewiltz, ed., The Secret History of the Mongols (2 vols., Brill, 2004–2013).
- Paul Ratchnevsky, Genghis Khan: His Life and Legacy (Oxford, 1991).