Chungeez Khan, whose name was originally Timoochin, was a chieftain of the Kyaun, or as it is sometimes written, Kyaut, tribe of Moghools, and the son of Yusookai Bahadoor, also the chief of that tribe.
Chungeez Khan was born at or near Karakorum, a town or station on the borders of China, and the capital of the Moghools, in the year of the Hejri 540; some say 549, in the Turkish year called the Swine, of the Christian era, about 1154.
On the death of his father, from the enmity of his neighbours and the defection of his tribe, he was so much distressed and reduced, that the author of this work calls him the child of adversity, and it appears he was compelled by his misfortunes to accept service with Oong* or Oonuk Khan, the chief of the Kirayut tribe.
After remaining some time in his service, however, Oong Khan and his son becoming jealous of his military talents, and fearful he might use them to their disadvantage, treacherously attacked him. Timoochin, although very inferior in force to his late friend and patron, defeated him with great slaughter, and after a short campaign Oong Khan was again defeated and slain, and his tribe subdued by Chungeez Khan; this occurred when he was about forty-nine years of age.
From this time, to his death, the increase of his power was wonderfully rapid; within a short period his victorious legions were employed in Russia, in Hindostan, and in China, and, as I have said before, Moghools, or Tatars of his tribe and family actually reign at Constantinople, Dehli, and Pekin; in fact, I believe no greater king ever existed, whether we refer to the number and importance of his victories, the extent of his conquests and dominions, or the time they have remained under the government of his race.
Chungeez Khan appears to have been a very good soldier; and if craft, and the rejection of every principle of justice and humanity, could make a good statesman, he certainly was one; this much, however, may be alleged in his favour, that, barbarian as he was, his contemporaries were not a degree higher in the scale of humanity than himself, and that the same measure he dealt to them, would in all probability have been dealt to him in reversed circumstances. Still he was a cruel, faithless tyrant, as I believe Tatar conquerors ever have been. As he himself says, there can be little doubt but that he was sent to the countries he devastated and depopulated, as a punishment for the wickedness of their inhabitants.
It is rather extraordinary, considering the man, the period, and the people he had to deal with, that after all his enormities he died a natural death, and with all his children and relations surrounding him; and, what is still more extraordinary, that he should have left the greater part of his conquests to them as an inheritance for many generations.