When did the Mongol Empire rise?

The Mongol Empire began in 1206, when a leader named Temujin united the warring nomadic tribes of the Mongolian steppe and took the title Genghis Khan, meaning universal ruler. Through brilliant cavalry tactics, discipline, and ruthlessness, the Mongols conquered vast territories at astonishing speed, sweeping across China, Central Asia, Persia, and into eastern Europe. By the late 13th century, under Genghis Khan successors, the empire stretched from the Pacific coast of Asia to the edges of Europe, becoming the largest contiguous land empire ever. Despite their fearsome reputation, the Mongols promoted trade along the Silk Road, religious tolerance, and communication across their realm. The empire eventually fragmented into separate khanates and declined over the following centuries.