Genghis Khan Untold

The Mongol tribes are lined up in battle formation against their old enemies the Tartars. YESUGEI is a senior Chief and leads this rag-tag army of tribes against the much larger force. During this barbaric battle, Yesugei is forced to retreat with his long time friend TOGRUL. It is Yesugei’s dream to unite the tribes and to be free of tyranny and foreign influence. It is the year 1162 and on this night, surrounded by mystical omens, five stars in the sky are in alignment and a child is born gripping a blood clot in his small hand – the sign of a great warrior for sure. This child is called TEMUJIN and he will go on to become the greatest warrior that has ever lived. At the age of 9 years, Temujin is taken by his father and betrothed to a young girl BORTEI, from another tribe, he stays on to serve the Chief until he is of age to marry. A few years later, his father is poisoned by the Tartars and Temujin returns home only for his family to be banished by his tribe and left to fend for themselves on the harsh Mongolian steppe. Whilst in exile, Temujin vows to unite the tribes for his beloved father. He learns from his mother, HOELUN, the rules of Mongolian politics and the importance of alliances. During this harsh time, he Kills his half brother BEHKTER for stealing food. Constantly robbed and bullied, Temujin can take it no more and chases the Tartar thieves. While stalking the thieves he meets another young Mongol called BORUCHI and they decide to fight the Tartars together. After a day of training together with Boruchi and his friend JELME, Temujin is kidnapped by another tribe, beaten and bruised, Temujin escapes, killing his guard and running like the wind. Boruchi and Jelme realize that something is wrong and come to his aid and defeat their pursuers. Sick and tired of the injustice and under his mother’s advice, Temujin along with his friends pay a visit to his old tribe to challenge the leader for the position of Chief. Once claimed, Temujin sets off to marry his bride and forge an alliance with her tribe. He also forges an alliance with his father’s blood brother Togrul who has since been appointed Ong Khan. Now well manned, Temujin attacks the tribe who kidnapped him, slaughtering all who won’t comply. Although, Togrul and Jamuga, Temujins childhood friend and blood brother find this to their distaste, they go along with it. Whilst away fighting, Temujins new bride is kidnapped and raped by another tribe, months later Temujin attacks this tribe also and kills everyone. This slaughter is too much for Jamuga who leaves to join another tribe. The story of Temujins exploits have travelled well and thousands of Mongols now come from all over the land to join this young Mongol leader. He is 21 years old. The divide in the tribes is deepened still when Togruls son SENGUM, who is intensely jealous of Temujin tries to assassinate him. This fails and Sengum is killed. Once allies, now Jamuga and Togrul are Temujins sworn enemies. The following years Temujin spends uniting the tribes of the steppe until there is only one left to fight. The battle with Togrul and Jamuga is a significant one in which many are slaughtered and Temujins forces win convincingly through superior tactics. Although Jamuga escapes, he is handed over by his Generals the next day. Jamuga refuses to join Temujin and asks only for a noble death, which is given. Temujin has finally united all of the tribes and is declared Genghis Khan (Supreme Conqueror). Temujin sets about the task of creating a country, where once there were just tribes, he implements “The Great Law” (Using Chinese scribes as Mongolians were illiterate) and defines and patrols their borders. He accepts all peoples and religions, allowing anyone who would, to join his armies and giving holy lands the freedom of not paying taxes. Everyone shared in the wealth, the food, the security and the society, no-one was left out. On one occasion he even refused the offer of a larger Yurt and instead gave it to a Chinese siege engineer who had a large family. But one of his patrols is attacked by the Chinese Jin Dynasty. Temujin declares war on the Jin and destroys all Jin in the northern part of China with clever battle and advanced siege tactics, at one city, he even diverts a river around the city to starve them of water. He sends trade convoys and diplomats EAST to procure trade. These are also attacked by the Kwazarm Empire. So he leaves China to declare war on the Kwazarm Empire, a bloody campaign that only takes a few months and leaves the emperor slain and all signs that he ever existed destroyed. He is again betrayed by the Chinese Tanguts and again he returns to war with the Chinese. He even meets European knights on his long journeys. His battle tactics are some of the best seen even to this day. Two of his best Generals continue east on what is now regarded as the greatest and longest Cavalry campaign in history. His sons are now grown men and not only join him but lead their own armies into battle. His eldest son is killed in an ambush, which devastates Temujin. Often bloody and brutal, this combined effort on all fronts creates the largest continuous empire ever to exist. The film concludes with the untimely and mysterious death of the great leader while horse riding. His burial is as mysterious as his birth and to this day, no-one knows the final resting place of the greatest warrior that has ever lived. To conclude this screenplay exposes the errors of history and offers a very different view of Genghis Khan, a man who promoted from the ranks, encouraged women soldiers and advisers, accepted all faiths and actively international pursued trade, a mindless barbarian? I’ll let you decide.