How Did Temujin Want To Gain Power?

Temujin continued to cooperate with Toghril as a vassal until 1202. While he continued to serve Toghril, Temujin gradually cleared the tribes of competition. An example would be the elimination of Jurkin princes in 1197 over petty charges of fabricated disloyalty. The unknown author of the Secret History, as quoted by Paul Ratchnevsky, wrote, “When Genghis Khan broke these proud men, he destroyed the leadership of the Jurkin clan and made the Jurkin people his own servants.” (Ratchnevsky, 55) In his pursuit of power, Genghis Khan removed any threats, big or small. This was the cost of Mongol unity. In 1198, Toghril created tension with Temujin by raiding the Merkits without his participation. Additionally, the Kerait leader shared none of the raid’s spoils, which would have given Temujin a justifiable reason to attack him. Despite Temujin’s displeasure, the two remained allies, and they defeated the Naimans in 1199. A successful campaign against the Tayichi-ut in 1200 was followed by the Battle of Koyitan in 1201. The latter battle never officially occurred, as Temujin’s enemies scattered after a “summoned” thunderstorm turned against them; nevertheless, the two sides
Later in 1213, Genghis Khan returned to his troops who had been pushed past the Juyong Pass. He quickly recovered the lost ground with the help of Ja’far who knew the area around the Juyong Pass. By spring 1214m the Mongols controlled much of the Chin land. Despite the famine among the Mongols, Genghis Khan had captured the Northern capital by winter 1214. A tentative peace was reached in the middle of the fighting, but the movement of the Chin capital from the North to the South restarted hostilities. The war ended in 1215 with the month-long pillaging of the Southern capital, Zhongdu. The Mongols ruined much of the capital and killed many of its people in this bloody