Temujin emerges as local strongman. Temujin has become a “player” in the rough-and-tumble world of the steppe; indeed, the Mongols and several neighboring tribes have hailed him as their khan, or leader. His daring and charisma draw followers from throughout the region, and he masters rival tribe after rival tribe—and all but exterminates the Tatars, who killed his father. Shamans in Temujin’s camp spread the word of a heavenly mandate for his power. Temujin himself reportedly declares, “My strength was fortified by Heaven and Earth.”   © 1997 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.