Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; c. 1162 – 25 August 1227), also Chinggis Khan,[a] was the founder and first khan of the Mongol Empire, which he ruled from 1206 until his death in 1227; it later became the largest contiguous empire in history. After spending most of his life uniting the Mongol tribes, he launched a series of military campaigns, conquering large parts of China and Central Asia.