The world's largest empire covered the territory between the Danube River in Europe and China in the 13th century. Which person ruled this empire?

The vast 13th-century dominion stretching from Eastern Europe to the Sea of Japan was the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous land empire in world history. The architect of this massive state was a man originally named Temüjin. After uniting the feuding nomadic tribes of the Mongolian plateau, he was proclaimed "Genghis Khan" in 1206, a title meaning "universal ruler." He then launched a series of brilliant and brutal military campaigns that laid the foundation (Review) for an empire that would control a quarter of the world's land.

Under his leadership, the Mongol army, renowned for its skilled horse archers and disciplined tactics, became an unstoppable (Review) force. While the conquests were often characterized by immense destruction, their success also ushered in a period of stability known as the Pax Mongolica, or "Mongol Peace." This era secured the Silk Road, allowing for an unprecedented exchange of trade, technology, and ideas between East and West. Although the empire reached its absolute largest territorial extent under his successors, Genghis Khan was the visionary founder who set it all in motion.