Genghis Khan roughly translates to 'Universal Ruler', a fitting name for the most famous nomadic conqueror to have ever lived. He was born as Temüjin, outcast by his tribe as a young child and left to fend for his family in the wild. But the determined young man would go on to unite the Mongolian clans and through warfare, trade and diplomacy, carve out the largest contiguous land empire to have ever existed. So what did the world that he was born into look like? How did he unite the rival clans, and go on to dominate the 13th century world?

In the second episode of this two-part series on nomadic conquerors, Professor Kenneth W. Harl of Tulane University takes us through this remarkable story, and compares Genghis' life with that of Attila.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more.

Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.

If you want to get in touch with the podcast, you can email us at ds.hh@historyhit.com, we'd love to hear from you!