Topic
13 facts from 2 episodes, in date order. These are what speakers said on the shows, each linked to the moment it was said. They aren't independently verified.
1162
Weatherford says Genghis Khan's father Yesuke named his son Temujin after a Tatar he had just killed, whose name meant 'person of iron'.
“He killed two Tatars. One of them was named Temujin Uge, which is sort of person of iron is what it means from the Turkic.”
1206
Weatherford says Temujin received the new title Chinggis Khan at Black Heart Mountain by the Blue Lake, a title nobody is known to have held before.
“They give him that at, uh, um, Black Heart Mountain by the Blue Lake.”
1215
Kublai Khan was born in 1215, about three months after Genghis Khan captured Beijing, and was not an obvious heir.
“But Kublai Khan was born that year in 1215, about three months after the the capture of Beijing, and he was nobody.”
2003
Lex Fridman cites a 2003 paper, 'The Genetic Legacy of the Mongols', estimating that 0.5% of the world's men descend from Genghis Khan.
“So, that paper has a finding that estimates that 0.5% of the world's male population is descendant direct descendants of Genghis Khan.”
Undated
Weatherford says Yesuke was supposedly poisoned by Tatars he met at a drinking party and died within days of riding home.
“He got on his horse and was able to ride back home, but within a few days he died.”
Undated
Temujin and Jamukha, as boys, swore a lifelong bond of anda, or sworn brotherhood, and exchanged knuckle bones.
“they swore that they would be there forever to protect each other, to help each other in every moment, and they exchanged knuckle bones.”
Undated
Weatherford says Temujin and his brother Hasar killed their older half-brother Bekter, an episode known only from the Secret History.
“for whatever reason, he and his next brother, Hasser, decided to kill him, and they did.”
Undated
Weatherford says Jamukha asked to be executed without bloodshed and buried on high ground, and that Genghis Khan ordered his death.
“He said, Kill me without shedding my blood, let me die. And if you do, take my remains up to a high place and bury me”
Undated
Weatherford says Genghis Khan ordered a Mongolian alphabet to be created, adapted from the Uyghur script.
“Genghis Khan ordered the invention of the alphabet for the Mongol people, and it was adapted from the Uyghur people.”
Undated
Weatherford says Genghis Khan's army never exceeded about 100,000 to 110,000 men.
“Genghis Khan's army was extremely good in warfare, but small. He never got probably above 100,000, at the most 110,000.”
Undated
Weatherford says Genghis Khan punished his son-in-law Tokotar for looting a city that had surrendered by sending him first into the next battle as a common soldier, where he was killed.
“Genghis Khan called him in, and he stripped him of his rank, and he said, The next city, you go first as a common soldier.”
Undated
Weatherford says Genghis Khan had four wives and children with two of them, and doubts that the genetic finding can be tied to him specifically.
“He had 4 wives all the time. He had children with 2 of them. Just not a lot of descendants.”
Undated
Rogan characterized Genghis Khan's approach as indifference to subjects' religion, requiring only that they join the empire and pay taxes.
“Genghis Khan said, I don't give a fuck what your religion is, come on board.”
Episodes