Great Khans of the Mongol Empire (1206-1294)
1206-1227 Chingis / Genghis Khan
1229-1241 Ogedei Khan (Khakhan) - Son of Chingis
1246-1248 Guyuk Khan (Khakhan) - Son of Ogedei
1251-1259 Mongke / Mengku Khan (Khakhan) - Cousin of Ogedei
After the death of Mongke, in 1260, two Khakhans were elected by rivaling Khuriltais (assemblies): Ariq-Boke (brother of Kubiliai), who ruled from Karakorum, and Kubilai, who ruled from China. Kubilai defeated Ariq-Boke in 1264 to secure sole leadership.
1264-1294 Kubilai Khan (Khakhan) - Brother of Kubilai
No ruler was elected after Kubilai
Khakhan ("Khan of Khans"): Title used by Khans of the greatest steppe Empires, including the Mongol Empire. This title was officially used by all Khans of the Mongol Empire except for Chingis Khan.
Regents (Temporary rulers) during the election interludes
1227-1229 Tolui - Son of Chingis, Father of Kubilai and Mongke
1241-1246 Toregene Khatun - Wife of Ogedei, mother of Guyuk
1248-1251 Oghul Ghaymish
Emperors of the Yuan Dynasty (1272-1368)
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Mongols
Historical Perspective
Temujin
Genghis Khan The rise of the Mongol Empire is possibly the most extraordinary feats of history. However it may not be all that surprising, since so-called barbarian hordes have been the bane of the "civilized" world for much of history. Especially by those who sprung from the bleak but awe-inspiring landscapes of the Central Asian steppes, examples abound from the Huns to the Mongols themselves. In a world when the fastest mode of transportation was on horseback, these nomadic tribes who were practically born and bred on horses could indeed conceivably rule the world. The greatest of them all was Temujin, for he came from humble beginnings to become "Genghis Khan", or chief of all who dwell in tents. Solely raised by his mother when his father died while he was at a young age, he not only survived the harsh surrounding, but also grew up to united all of the nomadic tribes, setting the stage for world conquest. He and his descendents would continue his conquests, and within a space of 80 years carve out the largest continuous land Empire that the world would know to this day. They developed a reputation for ruthlessness and brutality. Indeed whenever
Temujin
Genghis Khan The rise of the Mongol Empire is possibly the most extraordinary feats of history. However it may not be all that surprising, since so-called barbarian hordes have been the bane of the "civilized" world for much of history. Especially by those who sprung from the bleak but awe-inspiring landscapes of the Central Asian steppes, examples abound from the Huns to the Mongols themselves. In a world when the fastest mode of transportation was on horseback, these nomadic tribes who were practically born and bred on horses could indeed conceivably rule the world. The greatest of them all was Temujin, for he came from humble beginnings to become "Genghis Khan", or chief of all who dwell in tents. Solely raised by his mother when his father died while he was at a young age, he not only survived the harsh surrounding, but also grew up to united all of the nomadic tribes, setting the stage for world conquest. He and his descendents would continue his conquests, and within a space of 80 years carve out the largest continuous land Empire that the world would know to this day. They developed a reputation for ruthlessness and brutality. Indeed whenever
Mythical Elements in "The Secret History of the Mongols"
Once again Mr. Aaron Cohen deputized for our President, whose return was delayed while he recovered from a minor operation performed while he was in England. With his usual style, Mr. Cohen had found in one of his books a reference to the Mongols with which to introduce our speaker.The "Secret History", said Dr. Finch, might be better called "The Life of Chinggis Khan". Dating from 1240, it begins by tracing his genealogy back to his mythical ancestors Borte Cino (Gray Wolf) and Qo'ai Maral (Fallow Doe; "q" is an alternative graphy for "kh"), who are said to have crossed the sea and settled by the Onan River, establishing the Borjigin clan, to which Chinggis Khan belonged. A later chronicle, the "Altan Tobci", dated between 1621 and 1628, takes the genealogy eight generations further back to an Indian prince who manifested signs of divine origin, having turquoise blue hair, flat palms and soles, and eyelids that closed from the bottom upward. As a boy he had been set adrift in a copper box, was then found and finally became the first king of Tibet, Kujugun Sandali-tu Qagan. Borte Cino was one of three sons of the seventh of these kings, and, as a result of quarrelling with his elder brothers, crossed a lake and came to the land of the Mongols and married
Secret History of the MongolsAnonymous
Secret History of the MongolsAnonymous, Yuan Dynasty (1260-1368)Partial imprint of 1368-1398 (Ming Dynasty) 18.2 x 24.5 cm
The original title of this Mongolian text translates as "Classified Record of the Mongols". An historical text documenting the reigns of Chinggis Khan and his son and successor Ogotai before the establishment of the Yuan dynasty, it is unofficial (and hence "secret", as commonly referred to in English). The earliest surviving edition is a Chinese translation of the Mongol phonetic text from the period of 1368 to 1398 (representing the first reign of the following native Ming dynasty).
The text was completed in 1240 and translated into Chinese in 1369, upon which it was reprinted and circulated. This is a partial imprint from that period. This text relating the conquests of Chinggis Khan and Ogotai is important on three accounts. First, it provides first-hand information about these two early Mongol rulers. Second, it provides important information written by a ruling ethnic group itself (rather than by Chinese historians), making it a more reliable source of information about them. Finally, its simple and unadorned manner of writing makes it an important literary work of the period. The section shown here describes the founding of the Mongolian Homeland state and the establishment of Chinggis as the leading Mongol khan.
The original title of this Mongolian text translates as "Classified Record of the Mongols". An historical text documenting the reigns of Chinggis Khan and his son and successor Ogotai before the establishment of the Yuan dynasty, it is unofficial (and hence "secret", as commonly referred to in English). The earliest surviving edition is a Chinese translation of the Mongol phonetic text from the period of 1368 to 1398 (representing the first reign of the following native Ming dynasty).
The text was completed in 1240 and translated into Chinese in 1369, upon which it was reprinted and circulated. This is a partial imprint from that period. This text relating the conquests of Chinggis Khan and Ogotai is important on three accounts. First, it provides first-hand information about these two early Mongol rulers. Second, it provides important information written by a ruling ethnic group itself (rather than by Chinese historians), making it a more reliable source of information about them. Finally, its simple and unadorned manner of writing makes it an important literary work of the period. The section shown here describes the founding of the Mongolian Homeland state and the establishment of Chinggis as the leading Mongol khan.
Origins of the Mongols
Archaeological evidence places early Stone Age human habitation in the southern Gobi between 100,000 and 200,000 years ago. By the first millennium B.C., bronze-working peoples lived in Mongolia. With the appearance of iron weapons by the third century B.C., the inhabitants of Mongolia had begun to form tribal alliances and to threaten China. The origins of more modern inhabitants are found among the forest hunters and nomadic tribes of Inner Asia. They inhabited a great arc of land extending generally from the Korean Peninsula in the east, across the northern tier of China to the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic and to the Pamir Mountains and Lake Balkash in the west. During most of recorded history, this has been an area of constant ferment from which emerged numerous migrations and invasions to the southeast (into China), to the southwest (into Transoxiana--modern Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, Iran, and India), and to the west (across Scythia toward Europe). By the eighth century B.C., the inhabitants of much of this region evidently were nomadic Indo-European speakers, either Scythians or their kin. Also scattered throughout the area were many other tribes that were primarily Mongol in their ethnologic characteristics.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)