Genghis Khan was one of the most consequential people ever to live. He cut short the flowering of Islam, founded the largest land empire in history, paved the way for globalization, and killed so many men that he single-handedly reversed global warming.

Above all, he is the model of the self-made man. Born on the Mongolian steppe in the 12th century, he rose from orphanhood, and by the sheer force of his courage and leadership, came to rule over a vast territory. In this entry in the Great Men series, Imperium Press presents Harold Lamb’s celebrated biography of the khan.