ner by his
enemies, who treated him with great indignity. He soon escaped, however,
and rallied his broken forces, shrewdly baffling his foes, who sought to
recapture him by a treacherous invitation to a feast. In the end they
attacked Temujin in his own country, where, standing on the defensive,
he defeated them with great loss. This victory brought the young chief
wide renown, and so many allies gathered under his banner that he became
a power in the steppes. "Temujin alone is generous and worthy of ruling
a great people," was the decision in the tents of the wandering tribes.

The subsequent career of the Mongol chief was one of striking
vicissitudes. His power grew until the question of the dominion of the
steppes rested upon a great battle between the Mongols and the powerful
tribe of the Keraits. The latter won the victory, the Mongols were slain
in thousands, and the power which Temujin had gained by years of effort
was in a day overthrown. Nothing remained to him but a small band of
followers, whose only strength lay in their fidelity and discipline.

Yet a man of the military ability of Temujin could not long remain at so
low an ebb of fortune. In a brief time he had surprised and subdued the
Keraits, and next met in battle the powerful confederacy of the Naimans,
whom he defeated in a stubborn and long-contested battle. This victory
made him the unquestioned lord of the steppes, over all whose
inhabitants the Mongols had become supreme.

And now Temujin resolved to indicate his power by some title worthy of
the great position he had gained. All the Mongol chiefs were summoned to
the grand council or Kuriltai of the tribe, and around the national
ensign, composed of nine white yak-tails, planted in the centre of the
camp, the warriors gathered to hear the opinion of their chief. It was
proclaimed to them that Temujin was not content with the title of Gur
Khan, to which its former bearers had not given dignity, but would
assume the title of Genghis Khan (Very Mighty Khan). It may be said here
that there are almost as many spellings of this name as there are
historians of the deeds of him that bore it.

Genghis made princes of his two principal generals, rewarded all other
brave officers, and in every available way cemented to his fortunes the
Mongol chiefs. He was now about forty-five years of age, yet, instead of
being at the end, he was but little beyond the beginning of his career.
The Kins, who had conque