Genghis Khan controlled a significant territory.
Genghis Khan ( [ ˈdʒɛŋɡɪs_ˈkɑːn ] , usually pronounced [ ˈɡɛŋɡɪs_ˈkɑːn ] Чингис хаан , Çingis hán [ t͡ʃʰiŋɡɪs xaːŋ ] , c. 1162 August 18 , 1227 ) , born Temüjin , was the Great Khan and founder of the Mongol Empire , which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death . Although known for the brutality of his campaigns and considered by many to have been a genocidal ruler , Genghis Khan is also credited with bringing the Silk Road under one cohesive political environment . The Mongol Empire ( Mongolian : Mongolyn Ezent Güren ; Mongolian Cyrillic : Монголын эзэнт гүрэн ; [ mɔŋɡ ɮˈiːŋ ɛt͡sˈɛnt ˈɡurəŋ ] also Орда ( `` Horde '' ) in Russian chronicles ) existed during the 13th and 14th centuries and was the largest contiguous land empire in history . The Silk Road or Silk Route was an ancient network of trade routes that were for centuries central to cultural interaction originally through regions of Eurasia connecting the East and West and stretching from the Korean peninsula and Japan to the Mediterranean Sea .