This is the timeline of the Mongol Empire from the birth of Temüjin, later Genghis Khan, to the ascension of Kublai Khan as emperor of the Yuan dynasty in 1271, though the title of Khagan continued to be used by the Yuan rulers into the Northern Yuan dynasty, a far less powerful successor entity, until 1634.

12th century 1160s Year Date Event 1162 Temüjin is born in Delüün Boldog near Burkhan Khaldun to the Mongol chieftain Yesugei and Hoelun

1170s Year Date Event 1171 Yesugei takes Temüjin east through Tatar territory to the Khongirad homeland to arrange a future marriage between his son and Börte. Temüjin stays with the Khongirads to learn their ways, however Yesugei is poisoned by the Tatars during his return trip. Temüjin leaves Börte for his father, but arrives too late to see his father alive. His father's followers scatter and Hoelun is left to care for their children by herself. She takes them to the Khentii Mountains, where they live for several years. 1173 Temüjin becomes anda, blood brothers, with Jamukha of the Jajirad (Jadaran) clan 1177 Temüjin leaves to claim Börte. Börte's father gives him a black sable cloak as dowry, which he later gives to Toghrul of the Keraites to gain his favor. Soon after the Merkits abduct Börte and Temüjin flees. 1178 Temüjin assembles an allied force of over 20,000 with his ally Toghrul and sworn blood brother Jamukha, who attack the Merkits and rescue Börte.

1180s Year Date Event 1185 Mongols gather at Burkhan Khaldun to throw their support behind Temüjin in fear of the rising power of Jamukha 1187 Temüjin allies himself with the Khongirad to wage war on the Tatars.

1190s Year Date Event 1191 Temüjin, Jamukha, and Toghrul attack the Merkits. 1192 Jin dynasty starts constructing fortifications in the northwest to prevent depredations by the Mongols 1193 Jamukha refuses to acknowledge Temüjin's leadership and wages war on him. 1194 Jamukha and Temüjin clash at the Dalan Baljut, which ends inconclusively. However Jamukha's rash and vindictive behavior towards his allies alienates him. 1196 Jin and Mongol troops carry out a punitive expedition against the Tatars

13th century 1200s Year Date Event 1201 Mongols opposing Temüjin promote Jamukha to gür-khan 1202 Mongols exterminate the Tatars 1203 Temüjin splits with Toghrul spring The Keraites defeat Temüjin at Qalaqaljid Sands autumn Temüjin defeats Toghrul at Jeje'er Heights Temüjin creates the Kheshig, an elite military guard 1204 Temüjin defeats the Naimans, Merkits, and Jamukha; Merkit leaders and Jamukha flee to the Altai Mountains fall Temüjin pursues Jamukha and defeats him in several battles. Eventually Jamukha's allies betray him and turn him over to Temüjin, who kills him by breaking his back. The Uyghurs and Ongud submit to Temüjin 1205 spring Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Temüjin of the Mongols raids Western Xia's border settlements 1206 spring Kokochu, also known as Teb Tengri, chief shaman of the Mongols, bestows upon Temüjin the title of Genghis Khan, "Universal Ruler" of the Mongol Empire, at the kurultai of Burkhan Khaldun, sacred mountain of the Mongols 1207 Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Genghis Khan sacks Wulahai, a Western Xia garrison along the Yellow River near modern Wuyuan Jochi subjugates the 'forest peoples' - Kyrgyz, Oirat, and Buryat 1208 Toq'toa Beki of the Merkits is killed by Mongols and Uyghurs 1209 autumn Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Genghis Khan penetrates Western Xia from Wulahai and defeats a Tangut army before laying siege to Zhongxing, however the Mongols accidentally flood their own camp in the process of breaking the Yellow River dikes and are forced to retreat Qocho, Qayaligh, and Almaliq submit to Genghis Khan; Almaliq and the Issyk-Kul region given to Chagatai

1210s Year Date Event 1210 Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Emperor Xiangzong of Western Xia submits to the Mongol Empire and hands over a daughter in marriage to Genghis Khan as well as a large supply of camels, falcons, and woven textiles; a Mongol garrison is left at Wulahai Kokochu is killed by Qasar in a wrestling match 1211 Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Jochi, Ögedei, and Chagatai invade Inner Mongolia October Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Jebe takes Juyong Pass from the Jin dynasty winter Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Mongol forces retreat from Jin territory Karluks rebel against the Qara Khitai and defect to the Mongol Empire 1212 February Battle of Yehuling: Genghis Khan and Muqali crush the Jin army led by Wanyan Jiujin, Duji Sizhong, and Hushahu 1213 5 January Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Jebe takes the Eastern Capital July–August Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Genghis Khan crushes a Jin army led by Zhuhu Gaoqi autumn Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Jochi, Ögedei, and Chagatai ravage Hebei and Shanxi November Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Genghis Khan and Jebe pass through the Zijing Gap 1214 31 March Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Genghis Khan lays siege to the Central Capital 11 May Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Jin dynasty becomes a tributary and agrees to hand over a daughter of the previous emperor; the Mongols lift the siege July Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Khitan and Tatar defectors lay siege to the Central Capital December Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Muqali wipes out Jin centers in Liaoning and southern Manchuria 1215 31 May Battle of Zhongdu: Mongol Empire takes the Central Capital and places the Khitan Shimo Ming'an and Jabar Khoja in charge of the city 23 September Kublai is born to Tolui and Sorghaghtani Beki 1216 Mongol conquest of the Qara Khitai: Jebe seizes Kashgar from the Qara Khitai and Kuchlug flees Subutai raids the Kipchaks 1217 Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Genghis Khan appoints Muqali as viceroy of North China and leaves for Mongolia Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Muqali removes Jin presence in the steppes 1218 autumn Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: Muhammad II of Khwarezm's forces clash with a Mongol army led by Jochi and Subutai, the battle ending inconclusively winter Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: A Muslim merchant delegation sent by Genghis Khan arrives at Otrar and the governor Inalchuq kills them, seizing their goods for himself; a sole survivor reaches Mongolia and alerts Genghis, who sends three more envoys to demand custody of Inalchuq - they are also killed Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Mongol Empire lays siege to Zhongxing and Emperor Xiangzong of Western Xia flees west; his son and officials make peace with the Mongols Mongol conquest of the Qara Khitai: Shepherds in Badakhshan capture Kuchlug and hand him over to Jebe, who beheads him; so ends the Qara Khitai 1219 January Goryeo becomes a tributary of the Mongol Empire fall Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: Ögedei and Chagatai take Otrar and massacres its population; Genghis Khan dispatches Jochi to conquer Syr Darya and another army to conquer Fergana Western Xia refuses to send auxiliaries for the Mongol Empire's western campaigns

1220s

Year Date Event 1220 15 February Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: Genghis Khan takes Bukhara and places Yelü Ahai in control of Transoxiana 16 March Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: Genghis Khan takes Samarkand and Muhammad II of Khwarezm flees to Nishapur; Genghis Khan dispatches Jebe and Subutai to destroy the sultan May Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: Jebe and Subutai take Balkh and capture Muhammad II of Khwarezm's mother Terken Khatun and family in the Zagros Mountains winter Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: Muhammad II of Khwarezm dies 1221 March Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: Tolui destroys Merv April Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: Jochi, Chagatai, and Ögedei destroy Urgench while Tolui takes Nishapur and Herat spring Battle of Parwan: Jalal al-Din Mangburni defeats a Mongol army led by Shigi Qutuqu in the Hindu Kush Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia: Genghis Khan takes Termez Siege of Bamyan: Genghis Khan takes Bamyan; Chagatai's son Mutukan dies in the process November Battle of Indus: Genghis Khan defeats Jalal al-Din Mangburni, who swims across the Indus River and escapes 1222 Subutai and Jebe conquer the Kuban steppe and crush the Cumans September Battle of Khunan: Subutai and Jebe defeat the Kingdom of Georgia in battle and mortally injure their king George IV of Georgia on their way north of the Caucasus. 1223 Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty: Muqali dies and the Mongol Empire loses control of Henan, central Shaanxi, and southeast Shandong spring Genghis Khan returns to Mongolia 31 May Battle of the Kalka River: Subutai and Jebe defeat the forces of Mstislav Mstislavich, Mstislav III of Kiev, Daniel of Galicia, Mstislav II Svyatoslavich, and Köten before sacking Novhorod-Siverskyi and heading back to Mongolia Mongol Empire sacks Sudak 1224 Battle of Samara Bend: Bulgars ambush Subutai and Jebe near Saqsin Goryeo stops paying tribute 1226 February Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Mongol Empire seizes Khara-Khoto from Western Xia and sack cities across the Gansu Corridor November Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Mongol Empire sacks Lingzhou 4 December Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Genghis Khan crosses the Yellow River and defeats a Tangut relief column 1227 September Mongol conquest of Western Xia: Emperor Mozhu of Western Xia surrenders to the Mongol Empire and is promptly executed; so ends the Western Xia Jochi dies and is succeeded by his son Batu Khan August Genghis Khan dies near the Jing River and Tolui becomes regent 1229 13 September Ögedei Khan is elected ruler of the Mongol Empire at a kurultai near the Kherlen River Mongol invasion of Volga Bulgaria: Sunitay and Kukedey attack Bulgar outposts on the Ural River

1230s