Genghis Khan: The brutal warlord’s lessons for today

In episode seven of History's Greatest Leaders, historian and author Nicholas Morton and Mike Soutar discuss Genghis Khan, and why this figure of fear is more complicated than we might expect

Published: September 1, 2026 at 12:34 PM

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The trail of devastation that Genghis Khan left in his wake means that his name is now synonymous with brutality and bloodshed. But there’s another side to the medieval Mongol leader that we should also consider – his ability to manage a complex organisation.

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So how did he combine destruction with administration to become so terrifyingly successful? And why might this success have lessons for us in the 21st century? To explore these questions and more, Mike Soutar is joined by historian and author Nicholas Morton, who offers new insights into why this figure of fear is more complicated than we might expect.

Watch below or listen to the full interview, ad-free:

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For more on the life of Genghis Khan, don’t miss our curated collection of articles, podcasts and videos

Authors

Mike SoutarEntrepreneur and author

Mike Soutar is an entrepreneur and author of Next Gen CEO, and advisor on BBC One’s The Apprentice

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