Genghis Khan is known for leading the largest empire in the world as well as the many atrocities of his rule. Being such a powerful man, it is probably to be expected that he had several wives and concubines at the same time. Many of these women were captured after the Mongols conquered a certain territory. Among them were probably several queens and princesses of the land before the Mongol armies took over. 

At present, it is believed that around 16 million men in Central Asia today have the same Y chromosome as Genghis Khan. This makes them direct descendants of the ruler, so logic follows that he had probably slept with a lot of women during his lifetime. 

Looking at the wives, concubines, and children of Genghis is an important part of studying and understanding his regime. Many historians write about him as being a prolific lover, fathering several hundred offspring and definitely having more than 500 concubines. The statistics about Genghis Khan also mention him having 6 wives.

The wives of Genghis Khan were a different matter, with just one woman being considered by him as Grand Empress. This was his first wife, named Börte, who bore him 9 children. She also had a major part in his imperial duties as well as his personal life. Of their children, the four sons were counted as being the only successors to the warlord. 

It’s probably impossible to go into detail about every woman in Genghis Khan’s life. The following infographic gives us an idea of these women and their status:

Find Out More…