The Mongol Empire was an emergent phenomenon that started out as a group of warriors who valued excellence in the skill of war, but eventually evolved into a vast empire through the integration of forcibly conquered peoples, leading to trade and religious expansion at a great cost.
The Eurasian steppe saw several powerful nomadic confederacies throughout history, including the Scythians, Sarmatians, Avars, and Huns, among others, who were often a threat to their settled neighbors until the arrival of gunpowder. These societies valued being great warriors and were most dangerous when united under a strong leader.