A great conqueror, strategist, military commander, fierce leader.. Chinggis Khan is called by many names, however, do they fully describe who this man was and what contribution he made to history? In his speech, Dr. Michael Bechtel will reveal important aspects of Chinggis Khan's ruling strategy and politics, which are often forgotten in history textbooks. He will tell us about the social revolution carried out by Chinggis Khan and its important consequences. And special value of Michael's talk is the urge to never stop learning and discovering the history of different times. You do not have to trust anybody's judgment, you may always strive for forming your own. Dr. Michael J. Bechtel is Assistant Professor of History at Nazarbayev University. Michael specializes in the history of Central Eurasia, the evolution of states and empires, and the role of history in the formation of identity. In his teaching, he tries to impart two fundamental lessons to his students. First, that the past only matters if it helps us to understand the present. Second, how we understand our histories shapes the way we make our futures. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx