Jochi

Jochi was born around 1182 to Börte, first wife of the Mongol leader Temüjin, but the timing shadowed everything: Börte had spent months as a captive of the Merkit tribe, raped and forcibly married. Temüjin, who would become Genghis Khan, claimed Jochi as his son and gave him command anyway. Börte's second son Chagatai and many others disagreed, and the whispers followed Jochi into every tent. After Genghis founded the empire in 1206, Jochi received nine thousand warriors and vast western territories; he led campaigns across the steppe and commanded in the invasion of Khwarazm from 1219 to 122…