Genghis Khan | Timeline

Genghis Khan or Chinggis Khaan (c. 1162 – August 18, 1227), born Temüjin, was the Great Khan and founder of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. He came to power by uniting many of the nomadic tribesof Northeast Asia. After founding the Empire and being proclaimed "Genghis Khan", he launched the Mongol invasions that conquered most of Eurasia. Campaigns initiated in his lifetime include those against the Qara Khitai, Caucasus, and Khwarazmian, Western Xia and Jin dynasties. These campaigns were often accompanied by large-scale massacres of the civilian populations – especially in the Khwarazmian and Western Xia controlled lands. By the end of his life, the Mongol Empire occupied a substantial portion of Central Asia and China. (Intro from Wikipedia)

January(?) 1(?), 1162 - Delüün Boldog, Burkhan Khaldun, N Mongolia - Temüjin is born

January(?) 1(?), 1177 - Temüjin is captured by his father's former allies, the Tayichi'ud, and enslaved
January(?) 1(?), 1178 - Along the Senggür River - 16-year-old Temüjin marries 17-year-old Börte, from a friendly tribe to the Borjigin, into which Temüjin was born

January(?) 1(?), 1180 - Temüjin and his half brother Qasar kill Behter, the third half-brother
January(?) 1(?), 1181 - Onon River | Khilok River - Börte is kidnapped by Merkit raiders and give to one of their warriors. In the same year, Temüjin attacks the Merkit alongside the Khilok River, with the help of Tooril Khan and his "brother" Jamukha, and rescues Börte
January(?) 1(?), 1182 - Khamag Mongol, Eastern Mongolia - First son, Jochi, is born (unclear if the father was Temüjin or a Merkit captor)
December 22, 1183 - Second son Chagatai is born

January(?) 1(?), 1186 - Khamag Mongol - In 1186, Temüjin is elected Khan of the Borjigin clan. Third son Ögedei (future Ögedei Khan) is born =(START)

January(?) 1(?), 1187 - Dalan Balzhut - Jamukha attacks Temüjin with an army of 30,000 troops. Temüjin gathers his followers to defend against the attack, but is decisively beaten in the Battle of Dalan Balzhut. He retreats and hides out in a valley. Jamukha has 70 of Temüjin's soldiers boiled alive (an atrocity that would work against him in the future)

January(?) 1(?), 1197 - The Jin initiate an attack against their formal vassal, the Tatars, with help from the Keraites and Mongols. Temüjin commands part of this attack, and after victory, he and Toghrul are restored by the Jin to positions of power
January(?) 1(?), 1201 - The combined forces of Temüjin and Ong Khan soundly defeat Jamukha and absorb most of his army
January(?) 1(?), 1203 - Ong Khan's son, Senggum, convinces his father to turn on Temüjin. Both of them attack Temüjin, but the latter manages to counterattack and defeat them

January(?) 1(?), 1204 - Temüjin subdues the Ongud, a Mongol tribe helping the Jin Dynasty guard its northern border

January(?) 1(?), 1206 - Representatives from every Mongol tribe assemble in a "Kuriltai" (large meeting). Temüjin is proclaimed "Genghis Khan", ruler of all the Mongols, marking the official start of the Mongol Empire

January(?) 1(?), 1207 - Wuhai, Inner Mongolia, China - Genghis Khan invades Western Xia and sacks Wuhai
January(?) 1(?), 1208 - Mongolia - Genghis Khan withraws to Mongolia

January 1(?), 1210 - Yinchuan, China - The Walls of Yinchuan are almost breached, after the mongols attempt to divert the river and its network of irrigation canals into the city

January(?) 1(?), 1211 - Along the Kherlen River - The Mongols join Western Xia and begin a 23-year-long campaign against Jin

March 1(?), 1211 - The Mongols rally 90,000 men for a campaign against the Jin Dynasty

June 1(?), 1211 - Battle of Wusha Fortress - Most of the Jin army is wiped out.

August 1(?), 1211 - NW of Wanquan District, Zhangjiakou, Hebei - Battle of Yehuling - Genghis Khan sends his general Muqali to lead the Balu Unit to launch a surprise cavalry charge on the enemy via a passage at Huan'erzui. Before the battle, Muqali promises Genghis Khan, "I will not return alive if I do not defeat the Jin army!" The Mongol army's morale surges. Because of the mountainous terrain, the Mongols are unable to deploy their superior cavalry to its full advantage, hence they dismount and fight on foot. High on morale, the Mongols defeat the Jin forces and fight their way towards Wanyan Chengyu's main camp. Eventually, the Jin army becomes disorganised, loses its morale, and starts breaking up. The Jin army's field commander, Wanyan Jiujin, is killed in action. The entire 300,000-strong Jin army is destroyed

October 1(?), 1211 - Huihe River (NW of Zhengzhou)(?) - Battle of Huihe Fortress - The entire Jin army is destroyed

January(?) 1(?), 1212(?) - Between grass and the Gobi Desert - Relaxation in the borderlands between grass and the Gobi Desert

March(?) 1(?), 1212 - Genghis Khan is wounded by an arrow in his knee

January(?) 1(?), 1213 - Zhongdu (Beijing, China) - The Mongol army besieges Zhongdu (Beijing)

November 1(?), 1213 - Juyong Pass | Zijing Gap (NNW of Beijing) - The mongol army breaks through Juyong Pass and Zijing Gap

January(?) 1(?), 1214 - Zhongdu (Beijing, China) - Genghis Khan surronds the court of the Golden Khan

May 31, 1215 - Zhongdu (Beijing, China) - Zhongdu (Beijing) falls to the Mongols

January(?) 1(?), 1219 - Karakorum - Genghis Khan launches his campaign against the Khwarazmian Dynasty in Central Asia

February 15, 1220 - Bukhara, Uzbekistan - Genghis and Tolui, at the head of an army of roughly 50,000 men, skirt the natural defense barrier of the Syr Darya and its fortified cities, and go westwards to lay siege to the city of Bukhara first. To do this, they traverse 300 miles of the seemingly impassable Kyzyl Kum desert by hopping through the various oases, guided most of the way by captured nomads. The Mongols arrive at the gates of Bukhara virtually unnoticed. Genghis Khan besieges Bukhara for 15 days. Bukhara was not heavily fortified, with a moat and a single wall, and the citadel typical of Khwarezmi cities. The Bukharan garrison is made up of Turkic soldiers and led by Turkic generals, who attempt to break out on the third day of the siege. A break-out force is annihilated in open battle. The city leaders open the gates to the Mongols, though a unit of Turkish defenders hold the city's citadel for another twelve days. Survivors from the citadel are executed, artisans and craftsmen are sent back to Mongolia, young men who had not fought are drafted into the Mongolian army and the rest of the population is sent into slavery. As the Mongol soldiers loot the city, a fire brakes out, razing most of the city to the ground. Genghis Khan has the people assemble in the main mosque of the town, where he declares that he is the flail of God, sent to punish them for their sins

March 16, 1220 - Samarkand, Uzbekistan - The Mongols conquer Samarkand
April(?) 1(?), 1221 - Termez (southern tip of Uzbekistan) - Genghis Khan takes Termez

May 1(?), 1221 - Bamyan, Afghanistan - Siege of Bamyan - During the siege Mutukan, the son of Chagatai Khan and favourite grandson of Genghis Khan, is killed in battle by an arrow from the besieged walls. This death, compounded by the heavy casualties sustained by his forces during the siege and the realization of his own mortality, angers Genghis to the extent that once he captures Bamiyan city he completely destroys the city and kills its entire and surrounding regions population. The destruction is so complete that even the Mongols referred to Bamiyan as "the city of sorrows"(ie. city of woe), while another title was "city of noise (or screams)" - in reference to the cries of its murdered victims

November 1(?), 1221 - near the Indus River, Pakistan - Battle of Indus - Mongol victory against Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu, sultan of the Khwarezmid Empire

January(?) 1(?), 1225 - Western Xia (North-Central China - capital city: Yinchuan) - Genghis Khan attacks Western Xia with a force of 180,000

January(?) 1(?), 1226 - Khara-Khoto, near Juyan Lake Basin, Inner Mongolia, China - Genghis Khan takes Khara-Koto (Marco Polo's Etzina)

August 1(?), 1226 - Qilian Mountains - Genghis Khan escapes the heat by residing in the Qilian Mountains while his troops approach Wuwei

October(?) 1(?), 1226 - Wuwei - Genghis Khan rejoins his troops in the Autumn and takes Liangzhou (Wuwei district)
November 1(?), 1226 - Lingwu (S. of Yinchuan) - Genghis Khan lays siege to Lingwu - Battle of Yellow River - The mongols destroy the Western Xia army on the banks of the frozen river and canal systems. 300,000 dead Western Xia soldiers are counted.
January(?) 1(?), 1227 - Yinchuan, China - Genghis Khan lays siege to Yinchuan
April 1(?), 1227 - Liupan Mountains - Continues military operations around the Liupan mountains near Guyuan

August 18, 1227 - Yinchuan, China - Genghis Khan dies, aged 65, probably after falling from his horse while hunting =(END)

Bibliography
BANKSTON, John - "Genghis Khan"

Harald Hardrada | Timeline

Harald Sigurdsson (Old Norse: Haraldr Sigurðarson; c. 1015 – 25 September 1066), given the epithet Hardråde (Old Norse: harðráði, roughly translated as "stern counsel" or "hard ruler") in the sagas, was King of Norway (as Harald III) from 1046 to 1066. In addition, he unsuccessfully claimed the Danish throne until 1064 and the English throne in 1066. Before becoming king, Harald had spent around fifteen years in exile as a mercenary and military commander in Kievan Rus' and of the Varangian Guard in the Byzantine Empire. (Intro from Wikipedia)

January(?) 1(?), 1015 - Ringerike, Norway - Haraldr Sigurðarson is born
January(?) 1(?), 1030 - Járnberaland District (Dalarna), Sweden - Olaf Haraldsson (Harald's brother), who had been deposed in 1028, returns from his exile in Novgorod with the intention of regaining his former lands. While staying with his ally, King Onund, he gathers soldiers for the invasion, among them, is his 15-year old brother Harald =(START)

July 29, 1030 - Stiklestad, Norway - Battle of Stiklestad - Harald is badly wounded in the battle, his first, although he was remarked to have shown considerable military talent
July(?) 30(?), 1030 - Not far from Stiklestad Battle site - Harald is rescued by Rognvald Brusason and taken to a peasant's house to heal
September(?) 1(?), 1030 - Jamtland, center-north Sweden - After recovering from his wounds, Harald travels east over the Klojen Mountains, with the peasant's son as guide, and reaches Jamtland
October(? 1(?), 1930 - Uppsala, Sweden(?) - Harald reaches King Onund Jakob's court in Sweden, travelling secretly

January(?) 1(?), 1031 - Aldeigjuborg (Staraya Ladoga-Russia) - Harald arrives in Aldeigjuborg
July(?) 1(?), 1031 - Novgorod, Russia - 16-year old Harald arrives in Nogvorod

September(?) 1(?), 1034 - Constantinople (Miklagard) - 19-year old Harald and his force of 500 men move on South via Dnieper River to Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. Harald presents himself to Empress Zoe and immediatly joins her army as a mercenary
October(?) 1(?), 1034 - Aegean Sea - On the same Autumn of his arrival, Harald joins one of the galleys patrolling the Aegean Sea against pirates
January(?) 1(?), 1038 - Sicily - Harald joins the byzantines in their expedition to saracen-held Sicily
January(?) 1(?), 1039(?) - Constantinople (Miklagard) - After the Sicilian campaign, Harald is awarded the rank of "Manglabites" (member of the Imperial bodyguard) for his valor
January(?) 1(?), 1041 - Southern Italy - A Lombard-Norman revolt erupts in southern Italy. Harald leads the varangian guard
March 17, 1041 - Olivento River, Apulia - Battle of Olivento, between the Byzantine Empire and the Normans and their Lombard allies. The Byzantines (including Harald) are defeated
May 4, 1041 - Ofanto River, near Cannae, Italy - Battle of Montemaggiore, between the Byzantine Empire and the Normans and their lombard allies. The Byzantines (including Harald) are defeated
June(?) 1(?), 1041 - Constantinople (Miklagard) - Harald and the Varangian Guard are called back to Constantonople
December(?) 1(?), 1041 - Bulgaria - Harald and the Varangians are sent to Bulgaria. There, they fight in the army of Michael IV against the bulgarian uprising led by Peter Delyan
December(?) 20(?), 1041 - near Lake Ostrovo, Greece - Battle of Ostrovo. The byzantines crush the bulgarian uprising with the help of Harald and the varangians
January(?) 1(?), 1042 - Constantinople (Miklagard) - After the campaign in Bulgaria, Harald is made "Spatharokandidatos", the third highest officer of the Varangian Guard. He gains the nickname of "Bulgar-burner"
March(?) 1(?), 1042 - Constantinople (Miklagard) - Harald requests to be allowed to return to Norway
April 20, 1042 - Constantinople (Miklagard) - Harald escapes from prison in Constantinople with two ships (one of them sinks while trying to pass a great iron chain across the "Golden Horn", used for defence of the harbour)
June(?) 1(?), 1042 - Kievan Rus - Harald returns to Kievan Rus
January(?) 1(?), 1043 - Novgorod, Russia - Back at Jaroslav's court at Novgorod, to where he had transfered the vast riches he had won (or stolen) over the course of his eight years in the varangian guard

January(?) 1(?), 1045 - Holmgard (Novgorod-Russia) - Harald begins his journey westwards

April(?) 1(?), 1045 - Aldeigjuborg (Staraya Ladoga-Russia) - Harald obtains a ship and departs to Scandinavia through Lake Ladoga, down the Neva River, and then into the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea

December(?) 30(?), 1045 - Sigtuna, Sweden - After a difficult crossing of the Baltic, "through storm and gale", Harald arrives in Sigtuna with his ship unbalanced by its heavy load of gold
April(?) 1(?), 1046 - Sigtuna, Sweden - Harald and Svein Ulfsson (contender for the throne of Denmark) sail west with a flotilla of viking longships and a "large force" that probably included a good percentage of swedes
May(?) 1(?), 1046(?) - Sjælland (Zealand), Denmark - The fleet arrives to Sjælland Island, where they plunder and burn extensively
June(?) 1(?), 1046(?) - Fyn Island, Denmark - Harald and Svein land on Fyn Island and raid it
January(?) 1(?), 1047 - Nidaros (Trondheim, Norway) - Harald becomes the sole ruler of Norway after the death of King Magnus
January(?) 1(?), 1048 - Nidaros (Trondheim, Norway) - Harald takes another wife, Tora Torbergsdatter, for politics and alliance building
April(?) 1(?), 1048 - Nidaros (Trondheim, Norway) - Harald sets sail to Denmark with "half of his full army in men and ships"

June(?) 1(?), 1048 - Jutland, Denmark - Harald Hardrada plunders Jutland

January(?) 1(?), 1049 - Hedeby (near Schleswig, Germany) - Harald Hardrada pillages and burns Hedeby
December(?) 1(?), 1061 - Nidaros (Trondheim, Norway) - Harald Hardrada starts preparing for another invasion of Denmark. He supervises the building of a warship that "was much broader than normal warships; it was of the same size and proportions as King Olaf Tryggvason's "Long Serpent"

August 9, 1062 - Nissan River, Halland, Sweden - Battle of Niså - Hardrada's victory agains Sweyn II of Denmark
January(?) 1(?), 1064 - ? - Harald Hardrada and King Svein conclude a peace treaty, after fifteen years of war, that preserves the traditional borders of Denmark and Norway
October(?) 1(?), 1064 - Lake Vanern, Sweden - Harald takes preemptive action against Hakon, who was raising an army of swedes against him. Harald takes his fleet upriver to Lake Vanern in the frosty Autumn, his forces form up on high ground and wait for Hakon's forces to march up to them. In the ensuing battle, Hakon is utterly defeated
December(?) 1(?), 1064(?) - Romerike, NE of Oslo - Harald goes to Romerike with a large army and brings charges against the farmers for withholding their dues and taxes, and supporting his enemies against him. Harald seizes the farmers and orders some of them to be killed or maimed, and most of them deprived of their possessions. Those who can, flee. Harald lays waste to their lands
January(?) 1(?), 1065(?) - Hedmark, Norway - Harald goes up to Hedmark and causes no less destruction than he did in Romerike
February(?) 1(?), 1065(?) - Hadeland | Ringerike - Harald then goes to Hadeland and out to Ringerike, his birthplace, which he also burns. After this, the farmers submit to him completely
January 5, 1066 - (While in Oslo) - King Edward the Confessor of England of the House of Wessex dies and is succeeded by Harold Godwinson
February(?) 1(?), 1066 - Oslo - Harald is visited by Tostig Godwinson, a contender for the english throne, asking for an alliance to invade England
August 1(?), 1066 - Solund, Sognefjord - After gathering his fleet, Harald departs from Norway
August(?) 10(?), 1066 - Shetland Islands - Landing in Shetland to take important lords, chieftains and soldiers in the fleet
August(?) 20(?), 1066 - Orkney Islands - Landing in Orkney to take important lords, chieftains and soldiers in the fleet
September(?) 1(?), Dunfermline, Scotland - In Dunfermline, Harald meets with Tostig Godwinson's ally Malcolm III of Scotland. 2,000 scottish soldiers join him

September 8, 1066 - Tynemouth, NE England - Harald and Tostig Godwinson meet at Tynemouth. Harald had 240-300 longships with 10 to 15,000 men, and Tostig with just 12 ships with soldiers
September(?) 12(?), 1066 - Cleveland | Scarborough, NE England - Harald's forces disembark at Cleveland where they go ashore and plunder. Then, he burns Scarborough

September 20, 1066 - Fulford, near York - Battle of Fulford - Hardrada and Tostig win the battle and take Fulford

September 25, 1066 - Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire, England - Harald Hardrada is struck in the throat by an arrow and killed in the beginning of the battle of Stamford Bridge =(END)

Bibliography

McKENNA, Camden - "King Harald Sigurdsson of Norway in History and Legend", Academia.com