The epic story of a young Genghis Khan and how events in his early life led him to become a legendary conqueror. The 9-year-old Temüjin is taken on a trip by his father to select a girl as his future wife. He meets Börte, who says she would like to be chosen, which he does. He promises to return after five years to marry her. Temüjin's father is poisoned on the trip and dies. As a boy Temüjin passes through starvation, humiliation, and even slavery, but later with Börte's help he overcomes all of his childhood hardships to become one of the greatest conquerors the world has ever known.