In addition, a cult surrounding the personage of Chinggis Khan emerged. His tremendous success in establishing the empire gave him the status of demi-god. This in itself was not unusual, as the steppe nomads venerated ancestral spirits. Yet Chinggis Khan's prestige impacted the Mongols in another fashion as descent from him became the primary component in establishing legitimacy as a ruler throughout much of Central Eurasia. The Chinggisid lineage was the basis of many dynasties. Russian princes in Muscovy, as well as Central Asian rulers, often forged their genealogies to trace their lineage back to Chinggis Khan. In