When Genghis Khan arose to leadership over all of the united Mongol, Tatar, Kereyid and Naiman tribes, he was faced with an enormous task that could not be accomplished by sword: of turning this motley mass of people into a single, united populace. For amongst his tribes were different religions, were political practices that gave arise to strife, and it was only through visionary thinking that Genghis Khan was able to implement measures that would allow his Mongol nation to rule the known world.

By the time Genghis Khan was ruler his people had been converted to a variety of different religions, from Christianity to Buddhism to Islam. In order to prevent strife amongst these different groups he proclaimed the first law of its kind in that he stated that all individuals were free to worship whatever God in whatever manner they chose. This blanket statement of religious toleration prevented the diverse beliefs of his followers from clashing, and did wonders for the cohesion of his empire. He further cemented this tolerance by declaring all priests free from taxation, a benefit that he extended to all professions such as teaching, undertakers, doctors, and lawyers in an attempt to encourage the development of those professions.

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