Ghengis Khan

[Wishazu]

BBC1 tonite at 9pm, an hour long documentary about the famous warlord :)

[Craterus]

Thanks for the "heads-up", I'll be watching that, if I can, football is on tonight and my brother's an Aresenal supporter..

[Craterus]

It's on now!! everyone!!

[Chimpyang]

Show's a gud un.....

[Wishazu]

well that program was pretty damn good if you ask me. I was hoping for a bit more about the battles in eastern europe but nevermind. Also i personally disagree with their statement at the end that Ghengis was the most successfull military commander of all time, the mongols certainly conquered the largest landlocked empire the world has ever seen, but Ghengis wasnt undefeated in battle.

btw, ello chimp :)

[jimmy]

would have been nice if done as a mini series[say 4 hour long programes] mind you anyone remember storm from the east. that was excellent as well.was wondering if it,s avaliable for purchase[storm from the east CD.] anyway i taped it

[Wishazu]

unfortunatley my video machine is buggered so i couldnt tape it :( hopefully it`ll become available on BBC DVD. btw, did anyone else cringe at the Spine tingling bit where Jemuka had his back broken "SNAP" Urghh

[Orda Khan]

The show was ok, but to cram this story into only one hour [ half of which was over before he had united Mongolia ] left far too many unanswered questions. Anyone who has studied the subject of the Mongol Empire in depth would have liked perhaps a small series to properly tell this amazing story.

........Orda

[Wishazu]

after thinking about it i realise they werent trying to tell the story of his conquests, more that they were trying to get across more of his character and who he was as a person rather than what he was. We all know the mongols swept across asia and eastern europe, maybe thats why they focused more on his formative years.

[RabidGibbon]

I enjoyed the show but agree that it did seem a little rushed. The conquest of persia for example which was just shown as a red line on a map, and a few cut scenes of people being murdered.

There must have been more to it than that.

Another criticism (Im criticising an awful lot for something I enjoyed) is that it mentioned the main source for the program was the secret history of the mongols: Genghis Khans story as told to his heirs by himself.....

Perhaps not the most unbiased source around.

The back snapping scene was a bit of a gross out wasn't it.

Last of all I suspect the battles in eastern europe were fought after Genghis Khan died, so probably weren't in the shows remit.

[marcusbrutus]

Did anyone tape it? I tried to and failed miserably, posted about this is the tavern frontroom.

[TonkaToys]

Quite a good show, even the missus stayed awake for it...!
Could have done a bit more about tactics etc (guess who is just facing the mongol horde in MTW).
Had to laugh at the very Chinese looking Persians!
Back breaking... yikes... boiling alive... ouch.

[King Edward]

I agree that it did seem rushed,but it was well presented. The boiling alive was nasty!!

[Craterus]

i thought it was good! Had to squirm at the back-breaking bit, ouchee! (soccer am)

[tibilicus]

Ahhhhhhh the back breaking. Temujin killed his brother with a satasfing crack.

[Orda Khan]

I enjoyed the show but agree that it did seem a little rushed. The conquest of persia for example which was just shown as a red line on a map, and a few cut scenes of people being murdered.

There must have been more to it than that.

Another criticism (Im criticising an awful lot for something I enjoyed) is that it mentioned the main source for the program was the secret history of the mongols: Genghis Khans story as told to his heirs by himself.....

Perhaps not the most unbiased source around.

The reasons behind the Khwarazmian campaign were only briefly touched upon, like so much throughout the programme.
As Chingis Khan went about the unification of Mongolia he subjugated the many tribes and gained revenge for the kidnap of his wife, as we saw and the death of his father also by the way he utterly destroyed the Tatars, killing all males taller than the axle of a cart. Events transpired that led to the growth of his Empire. Quchlug, an opportunist Naiman had married the daughter of the ruler of Qara Qitai and had managed to depose him through a plot between himself and the Khwarazm Shah. This is the one time that a Buddhist nation entered into persecution of another religion ( though this could be questioned since Quchlug had only converted to Buddhism to achieve his new position ) and during this time a Muslim Khan, Arslan had been murdered. As his over lord, Chingis sent an army under Jebe to deal with the situation, the result being that Qara Qitai became part of the Mongol Empire.
As the programme detailed, Chingis set up trade with Khwarazm. It was a powerful empire and he was currently at war in Northern China. The Governor of Otrar was responsible for confiscating silver and furs from a Mongol Wagontrain, he also executed the merchants and their ambassador companion as 'spies'. Chingis sent another ambassador to demand his punishment for such unprovoked violence. The Khwarazm Shah took exception to the wording of the demand and sent back his head in contempt.
Otrar was the first city to fall and the Governor had molten silver poured into his ears and eyes. The rest of Khwarazm was conquered in what is probably the greatest strategic campaign in history. The Shah fled and was hunted by Jebe and Subedei. This small army is the one that destroyed the Russian army at Kalka River. The cruelty metered out in Persia was a decision made by Chingis and Subedei. Jalal al Din, the Shah's son had escaped and still had the capability to raise an army capable of threatening the over stretched Mongol army. And so followed the series of massacres conducted by Chingis Khan and his youngest son Tolui. It should be pointed out that Jochi, Chingis Khan's eldest son found this action abhorrent and returned North to his lands near the Aral sea and there followed a series of events whereby he somewhat disobediently distanced himself from his father.

As for the 'Secret History', it was certainly not a story told to his heirs by himself. The author and compiler are unknown as is the date of its composition but it covers the time up to and including, the latter part of Ogedei's reign

.........Orda

[RobN]

Yes. A good programme but too short. Also of unknown historical accuracy.

[cunobelinus]

i thought it ended rather sharply i really enjoyed it he was a bit of a man slag though but i loved the programme on it !!!

[Craterus]

I didn't see much of it, but I assume he had eunuchs rather than being a man-slag..