Death of Genghis Khan. Major Versions

Genghis Khan died in 1227 during a campaign against. According to the dying wish of Genghis Khan, his body was transported to his homeland and interred in the area of ​​Mount Burkan-Kaldun.
According to the official version of the "Secret Tale", on the way to the Tangut state, he fell off his horse and badly hurt himself while hunting wild kulan horses and fell ill:
“Having decided to go to the Tanguts at the end of the winter period of the same year, Genghis Khan conducted a new recount of the troops and in the autumn of the year of the Dog (1226) set out on a campaign against the Tanguts. Yesui-kha followed the sovereign from the khansh tun. On the way, during the raid on the Arbukhay wild horses-kulans, which are found there in abundance, Genghis Khan was sitting astride a brown-gray horse. During the onslaught of kulans, his brown-gray rose to the dab, and the sovereign fell and badly hurt himself. Therefore, we made a stop at the Tsoorhat tract. The night passed, and the next morning Yesui-Khatun said to the princes and noyons: “The sovereign had a strong fever at night. We need to discuss the situation."
Further in the text of the Secret History it is said that “Genghis Khan, after the final defeat of the Tanguts, returned and ascended to heaven in the Year of the Pig” (1227). From the Tangut booty, he especially generously rewarded Yesui Khatun at his very departure.
In the "Collection of Chronicles" by Rashid ad-Din, the following is said about the death of Genghis Khan:
“Genghis Khan died within the country of Tangut from an illness that happened to him. Even earlier, during the testament to his sons and sending them back, he commanded that when this event happened to him, they would hide him, not sob and cry, so that his death would not be revealed, and that the emirs and troops there would wait until the sovereign and the inhabitants of Tangut would not leave the walls of the city at the appointed time, then they would have killed everyone and prevented the rumor of his death from quickly reaching the regions until the ulus gathered together. According to his will, the death was covered up.”
In Marco Polo, Genghis Khan dies heroically in battle from a wound in the knee with an arrow, in and in chronicle « from an incurable disease caused by an unhealthy climate" or from a fever that he contracted in a Tangut city,from a lightning strike. The version of the death of Genghis Khan from a lightning strike is found only in the writings of Plano Carpini and brother C. de Bridia. In Central Asia, death by lightning was considered unfortunate to the extreme.
In the Tatar chronicleGenghis Khan was stabbed to death with sharp scissors in her sleep by a young Tangut princess during their wedding night. According to another little-spread legend, he died during the wedding night from a mortal wound inflicted by the teeth of a Tangut princess, who then threw herself into the Huang-he River. This river began to be called by the Mongols Khatun-muren, which means " queen's river».
In retellingthis legend goes like this:
“According to a widespread Mongolian legend, which the author had to hear, Genghis Khan allegedly died from a wound inflicted by the Tangut khansha, the beautiful Kurbeldishin-Khatun, who spent her only wedding night with Genghis Khan, who took her as his wife by right of conqueror after the capture of the Tangut kingdom. The Tangut king Shidurkho-Khagan, who was distinguished by cunning and cunning, left his capital and harem, as if persuaded his wife, who remained there, to inflict a mortal wound with her teeth on Genghis Khan during the wedding night, and his treachery was so great that he sent advice to Genghis Khan to preliminarily searched "to the nails" in order to avoid an attempt on the life of the khan. After the bite, Kyurbeldishin-Khatun rushed as if into the Yellow River, on the banks of which Genghis Khan stood at his headquarters. After that, the Mongols began to call this river Khatun-myuren, which means "river of the queen."
A similar version of the legend is given by N.M. Karamzin in the History of the Russian State (1811):
“Karpini writes that Genghis Khan was killed by thunder, and the Siberian Mungals say that, having taken his young wife from the Tangut Khan by force, he was stabbed to death by her at night, and that she, fearing execution, drowned herself in the river, which was named because Khatun-Gol.”
N.M. Karamzin probably borrowed this evidence from the classic work “History of Siberia”, written by the German historian academician G. Miller in 1761:
“It is known how Abulgazi tells about the death of Genghis: according to him, she followed on the way back from Tangut, after he defeated the ruler named Shidurka, who had been appointed by him, but rebelled against him. The Mongolian chronicles report completely different information about this. Gaudurga, as they write, was then a khan in Tangut, he was attacked by Genghis in order to kidnap one of his wives, about whose beauty he had heard a lot. Genghis was lucky to get the desired booty. On the way back, during a night stop on the bank of a large river, which is the border between Tangut, China and Mongolian land and which flows through China into the ocean, he was killed while sleeping by his new wife, who stabbed him with sharp scissors. The killer knew that for her deed she would receive retribution from the people. She averted the punishment that threatened her by throwing herself into the aforementioned river immediately after the murder, and there she committed suicide. In memory of her, this river, which in Chinese is called Gyuan-go, received the Mongolian name Khatun-gol, that is, the female river. The steppe near Khatun-gol, in which this great Tatar sovereign and founder of one of the largest kingdoms was buried, bears the Mongolian name Nulun-talla. But it is not known whether other Tatar or Mongol sovereigns from the Genghis clan were buried there, as Abulgazi tells about the Burkhan-Kaldin tract.
G. Miller names the Tatar manuscript chronicle of Khan Abulagazi as the source of this information and “. However, information that Genghis Khan was stabbed to death with sharp scissors is given only in the annals of Abulagazi; this detail is not in the Golden Chronicle, although the rest of the plot is the same.
In the Mongolian work "Shastra Orunga" the following is written: "Genghis Khan in the summer of the year of the ge-cow in the sixty-sixth year of his life in the city at the same time with his wife Goa Hulan, changing the body, showed eternity.
All the listed versions of the same memorable event for the Mongols are surprisingly very different from each other. The latest version conflicts with the "Secret Tale", which says that at the end of his life, Genghis Khan was sick, and next to him was his devoted Khan Yesui Khatun.
Thus, today there are five different versions of the death of Genghis Khan, each of which has an authoritative justification in historical sources.

Name: Genghis Khan (Temujin)

State: Mongol Empire

Field of activity: Politics, army

Greatest Achievement: United the nomadic tribes of the Mongols, created the largest empire in history in terms of territory

The Mongol warrior and ruler Genghis Khan created the Mongol Empire, the largest in the world in terms of area in the history of mankind, uniting scattered tribes in Northeast Asia.

“I am the punishment of the Lord. If you have not committed mortal sins, the Lord will not send you punishment in the face of me! Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan was born in Mongolia around 1162, at birth he was given the name Temujin. He married at the age of 16 and had many wives throughout his life. At the age of 20, he began to create a large army with the intention of conquering individual tribes in Northeast Asia and uniting them under his rule. He succeeded: the Mongol Empire became the largest in the world, much larger than the British, and existed after the death of Genghis Khan (1227).

Early years of Genghis Khan

Born in Mongolia around 1162, Genghis Khan received the name Temujin - that was the name of the Tatar leader who was captured by his father Yesugei. The young Temujin was a member of the Borjigin tribe and a descendant of Khabula Khan, who briefly united the Mongols against the Jin (Chin) dynasty in northern China in the early 1100s. According to The Secret History of the Mongols (a contemporary account of Mongolian history), Temujin was born with a blood clot in his hand, a sign in Mongolian folklore that he was destined to become the ruler of the world. His mother, Hoelun, taught him how to survive in the bleak, turbulent Mongol tribal society and inspired him to form alliances.

When Temujin was 9 years old, his father took him to live with the family of the future bride, Borte. Returning home, Yesugei encountered a Tatar tribe. He was invited to a feast, where he was poisoned for past crimes against the Tatars. Upon learning of his father's death, Temujin returned home to claim the title of head of the clan. However, the clan refused to recognize the child as ruler and expelled Temujin and his younger and half-brothers, dooming them to a beggarly existence. The family had a very hard time, and one day, in a dispute about hunting prey, Temujin quarreled with his half-brother Bekhter and killed him, thereby establishing his position as the head of the family.

At 16, Temujin married Borte, cementing the alliance between her tribe, the Conkirat, and his own. Shortly thereafter, Borte was kidnapped by the Merkit tribe and taken by their leader. Temujin recaptured her and shortly thereafter she gave birth to her first son Jochi. Although Borte's capture casts doubt on Jochi's origins, Temujin accepted him as his own. With Borte, Temujin had four sons, as well as many other children with other wives, which was common in Mongolia at that time. However, only his sons by Borte were eligible to inherit.

Genghis Khan - "Universal Ruler"

When Temujin was about 20 years old, he was captured by former allies of the family, the Taijits. One of them helped him escape, and soon Temujin, along with his brothers and several other clans, gathered his first army. So he began his slow rise to power, building a large army of more than 20,000 men. He intended to eliminate the traditional enmity between the tribes and unite the Mongols under his rule.

Excellent in military tactics, merciless and cruel, Temujin avenged the murder of his father by destroying the Tatar army. He ordered to kill every Tatar man taller than a cart wheel. Then, using their cavalry, Temujin's Mongols defeated the Taichiuts, killing all their leaders. By 1206, Temujin had also defeated the powerful Naiman tribe, thereby gaining control of central and eastern Mongolia.

The rapid success of the Mongol army owes much to the brilliant military tactics of Genghis Khan, as well as understanding the motives of his enemies. He used an extensive spy network and quickly adopted new technologies from his enemies. The well-trained Mongol army of 80,000 fighters was controlled by a complex alarm system - smoke and burning torches. Large drums sounded commands for charging, and further orders were transmitted by flag signals. Each soldier was fully equipped: he was armed with a bow, arrows, shield, dagger and lasso. He had large saddlebags for food, tools and spare clothes. The bag was waterproof and could be inflated to avoid drowning while crossing deep and fast-moving rivers. Cavalrymen carried a small sword, spears, body armor, a battle ax or mace, and a hooked spear to push enemies away from their horses. The attacks of the Mongols were very destructive. Since they could only control a galloping horse with their feet, their hands were free for archery. A well-organized supply system followed the entire army: food for soldiers and horses, military equipment, shamans for spiritual and medical assistance, and bookkeepers for accounting for trophies.

After victories over the warring Mongol tribes, their leaders agreed to peace and gave Temujin the title "Genghis Khan", which means "universal ruler". The title had not only political, but also spiritual significance. The supreme shaman declared Genghis Khan to be the representative of Monkke Koko Tengri ("Eternal Blue Sky"), the supreme god of the Mongols. The divine status gave the right to claim that his destiny was to rule the world. Although, but ignoring the Great Khan was tantamount to ignoring the will of God. That is why, without any hesitation, Genghis Khan will say to one of his enemies: “I am the punishment of the Lord. If you have not committed mortal sins, the Lord will not send you punishment in the face of me!

The main conquests of Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan wasted no time capitalizing on his newly acquired divinity. While his army was spiritually inspired, the Mongols found themselves face to face with serious difficulties. Food and resources decreased as the population grew. In 1207, Genghis Khan marched his armies against the Xi Xia kingdom and forced it to surrender two years later. In 1211, the armies of Genghis Khan conquered the Jin Dynasty in northern China, lured not by the artistic and scientific wonders of the great cities, but rather by endless rice fields and easy enrichment.

Although the campaign against the Jin Dynasty continued for nearly 20 years, Genghis Khan's armies were also active in the west against the frontier empires and the Muslim world. Initially, Genghis Khan used diplomacy to establish trade relations with the Khorezm dynasty, an empire with a head in Turkey that included Turkestan, Persia, and Afghanistan. But the Mongolian diplomatic caravan was attacked by the governor of Otrar, who, apparently, considered that this was just a cover for a spy mission. When Genghis Khan heard about this insult, he demanded that he be given a governor, and for this he seconded an ambassador. Shah Muhammad, the head of the Khorezm dynasty, not only refused the demand, but also, in protest, refused to receive the Mongol ambassador.

This event could have provoked a wave of resistance that would have swept through central Asia and eastern Europe. In 1219, Genghis Khan personally took over the planning and execution of a three-stage attack by 200,000 Mongol soldiers against the Khorezm dynasty. The Mongols passed through all the fortified cities without hindrance. Those who survived the assault were put up as a human shield in front of the Mongol army when the Mongols took the next city. No one was left alive, including small domestic animals and livestock. The skulls of men, women and children were stacked in high pyramids. Cities were conquered one by one, and finally Shah Muhammad and then his son were captured and killed, as a result of which in 1221 the dynasty of Khorezm ceased to exist.

Scholars call the period after the Khorezm campaign Mongol. Over time, the conquests of Genghis Khan connected the major trading centers of China and Europe. The empire was governed by a legal code known as the Yasa. This code was developed by Genghis Khan, was based on common Mongolian law, but contained decrees prohibiting blood feud, adultery, theft and perjury. The Yasa also contained laws that reflected Mongol respect for the environment: a ban on swimming in rivers and streams, an order for any soldier following another to pick up everything that the first soldier had dropped. Violation of any of these laws was usually punishable by death. Promotion through the military and government ranks was based not on traditional lines of heredity or ethnicity, but on merit. There were tax incentives for high-ranking priests and some craftsmen, and religious tolerance was enshrined, which reflected the long Mongol tradition of viewing religion as a personal belief, not subject to condemnation or interference. This tradition had a practical application, since there were so many different religious groups in the empire that it would be quite cumbersome to impose one religion on them.

With the destruction of the Khorezm dynasty, Genghis Khan again turned his attention to the east - to China. The Xi Xia Tanguts disobeyed his orders to send troops to the Khorezm campaign and openly protested. Capturing the Tangut cities, Genghis Khan eventually took the capital of Ning Khia. Soon the Tangut dignitaries surrendered one by one, and the resistance ended. However, Genghis Khan has not yet fully avenged the betrayal - he ordered the execution of the imperial family, thereby destroying the Tangut state.

Genghis Khan died in 1227, shortly after the conquest of Xi Xia. The exact cause of his death is unknown. Some historians claim that he fell off his horse while hunting and died from fatigue and injuries. Others claim he died of a respiratory illness. Genghis Khan was buried in a secret place in accordance with the customs of his tribe, somewhere in his homeland, near the Onon River and the Khentii Mountains in northern Mongolia. According to legend, the funeral escort killed everyone they encountered to hide the location of the burial, and a river was laid over Genghis Khan's tomb, completely blocking access to it.

Before his death, Genghis Khan handed supreme leadership to his son Ögedei, who controlled most of East Asia, including China. The rest of the empire was divided among his other sons: he took central Asia and northern Iran; Tolui, being the youngest, received a small territory from the Mongol homeland; and Jochi (who was killed before the death of Genghis Khan) and his son Batu took control of modern Russia and. The expansion of the empire continued and reached its peak under the leadership of Ögedei. Mongol armies eventually invaded Persia, the Song Dynasty in southern China, and the Balkans. When the Mongol troops reached the gates of Vienna (Austria), the supreme commander Batu received the news of the death of the great Khan Ogedei and returned to Mongolia. Subsequently, the campaign faded, marking the furthest Mongol invasion of Europe.

Among the many descendants of Genghis Khan is Kubilai Khan, the son of the son of Tolui, the youngest son of Genghis Khan. At a young age, Kubilai showed great interest in Chinese civilization and did much throughout his life to incorporate Chinese customs and culture into Mongol rule. Kubilai rose to prominence in 1251 when his elder brother Monkke became Khan of the Mongol Empire and appointed him governor of the southern territories. Kubilai is remembered for the growth of agricultural production and the expansion of Mongolian territory. After Monkke's death, Kubilai and his other brother, Arik Boke, fought for control of the empire. After three years of tribal warfare, Kubilai won and became the Great Khan and Emperor of the Chinese Yuan Dynasty.

Since, according to the Great Yasa of Genghis Khan, all the conquered lands and peoples were considered the property of the khan's family, Genghis Khan divided the territories conquered under him into destinies between his sons.

The eldest son - Jochi got Desht-i-Kypchak (Polovtsian steppe) and Khorezm. All the lands in the west that still had to be conquered were to be included in his inheritance. The second son - Chagatai received Maverannahr, Semirechye and the southern part of East Turkestan. The lot of the third son - Ugedei became the northern part of East Turkestan. According to the Mongolian custom, the youngest son Tului passed on to the native yurt of his father - Central Mongolia, as well as Northern China. The head of the entire empire - the great khan (kaan), Genghis Khan outlined Ogedei, who was distinguished by endurance, gentleness and tact. Ogedei pursued a policy of revival of agriculture and cities and rapprochement with the settled nobility of the conquered peoples.

Genghis Khan died in 1227, at the age of seventy-two.

During the reign of Ogedei-kaan (1229-1241), conquests continued. In 1231-1234. the conquest of the Jinye Empire (Northern China) was completed and a long struggle began, which lasted until 1279, with the southern Chinese empire of the Songs. In 1241, Korea was subjugated. The largest military activities under Ogedei was the campaign against Russia and Europe (1236-1242) led by Batu, the son of Jochi, and Subutai.

In 1246, at the kurultai of the Mongol nobility, the son of Ogedei, Guyuk-kaan (1246-1248), was elevated to the throne of the great khan.

Despite the enormous destruction caused by the Mongol conquest in the countries of Asia and Europe, trade relations between these countries did not stop. For military-strategic purposes, the conquerors took care of the construction of convenient roads with a whole network of postal stations (pits). Caravans also traveled along these roads, in particular from Iran to China. In their interests, the Mongol great khans patronized a large wholesale caravan trade, which was in the hands of powerful Muslim (Central Asian and Iranian) trading companies, whose members were called urtaks (Old Turks: "comrade in share", "companion"). The great khans, especially Ogedei-kaan, willingly invested in the companies of urtaks and patronized them. It was a wholesale international trade in expensive fabrics and luxury goods, serving mainly the nobility.

The Mongol conquests led to the expansion of diplomatic relations between the countries of Asia and Europe. The Roman popes especially tried to establish ties with the Mongol khans. They sought to gather information

Therefore, in 1246, the monk John de Plano Carpini was sent by the pope to the headquarters of the kaan in Karakorum in Mongolia. In 1253 the monk Wilhelm Rubruck was sent there. The travel notes of these authors are a valuable source on the history of the Mongols.

The Mongol shamanist khans, who attributed supernatural power to the clergy of all religions, treated the papal envoys kindly. On leaving Karakorum, Plano Carpini was presented with a response letter for Pope Innocent IV, in which Guyuk-kaan demanded that the pope and the kings of Europe recognize themselves as vassals of the Mongol great khan. This letter was written in Persian and sealed with a Mongolian seal, which was made for Guyuk by the Russian captive master Kuzma.

After the death of Guyuk, a sharp struggle began among the Mongol nobility for a candidate for the throne of the great khan. Only in 1251, with the help of the Golden Horde ulus khan Batu, Tului's son Munke-kaan (1251-1259) was elevated to the throne!

Chinese chroniclers give a high assessment to the reign of Möngke-kaan. He tried to revive agriculture and handicrafts, and patronized large-scale wholesale trade. For these purposes, Möngke-kaan issued a decree, which meant to streamline the taxation system and somewhat alleviate the situation of peasants and townspeople. In Iran, however, this decree remained a dead letter. Conquest campaigns in China and the West continued under him.

The Mongol conglomerate empire, created by conquests, united under its rule many tribes and nationalities, countries and states with completely different economies and cultures. As a whole, it could not exist for a long time. After the death of Möngke-kaan (1259), it finally disintegrated into several Mongol states (uluses), headed by ulus khans, descendants of Genghis Khan. -These states were: the Golden Horde, which included the North Caucasus, Crimea, the South Russian steppes, the Lower Volga region and was ruled by the descendants of Jochi; The Chagatai state, which engulfed Central Asia and Semirechye and received its name from the son of Genghis Khan - Chagatai; the state of the Hulaguids, created in Iran by the brother of Munke-kaan Hulagu-khan; the state in Mongolia and China (the lot of the Great Khan), in which Möngke's brother, Kublai Kaan, ruled, this state received the Chinese official name of the Yuan Empire. The development of these states went in different ways.

Genghis Khan was the founder and great khan of the Mongol Empire. He united disparate tribes, organized aggressive campaigns in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and China. The proper name of the ruler is Temujin. After his death, the sons of Genghis Khan became heirs. They significantly expanded the territory of the ulus. An even greater contribution to the territorial structure was made by the emperor's grandson - Batu - the owner of the Golden Horde.

The personality of the ruler

All sources by which Genghis Khan can be characterized were created after his death. Of particular importance among them is the Secret History. In these sources there is a description of the appearance of the ruler. He was tall, with a strong build, a broad forehead and a long beard. In addition, the features of his character are also described. Genghis Khan came from a people that probably did not have a written language and state institutions. Therefore, the Mongol ruler did not have any education. However, this did not prevent him from becoming a talented commander. Organizational abilities were combined in him with self-control and unbending will. Genghis Khan was affable and generous to the extent that was necessary to maintain the affection of his companions. He did not deny himself the pleasures, but at the same time he did not recognize excesses that could not be combined with his activities as a commander and ruler. According to sources, Genghis Khan lived to old age, retaining his mental abilities to the fullest.

heirs

During the last years of his life, the ruler was very worried about the fate of his empire. Only some sons of Genghis Khan were eligible to take his place. The ruler had many children, all of them were considered legitimate. But only four sons from Borte's wife could become heirs. These children were very different from each other both in character traits and inclinations. The eldest son of Genghis Khan was born shortly after the return of Borte from the Merkit captivity. His shadow always haunted the boy. Evil tongues and even the second son of Genghis Khan, whose name would later firmly go down in history, openly called him a "Merkit geek." The mother has always protected the child. At the same time, Genghis Khan himself always recognized him as his son. Nevertheless, the boy was always reproached for being illegitimate. Once Chagatai (the son of Genghis Khan, the second heir) openly called his brother in the presence of his father. The conflict almost escalated into a real fight.

Jochi

The son of Genghis Khan, who was born after the Merkit captivity, was distinguished by some features. They, in particular, manifested themselves in his behavior. The stable stereotypes that were observed in him greatly distinguished him from his father. For example, Genghis Khan did not recognize such a thing as mercy for enemies. He could only leave small children alive, who were subsequently adopted by Hoelun (his mother), as well as valiant bagaturs who accepted Mongol citizenship. Jochi, on the contrary, was distinguished by kindness and humanity. For example, during the siege of Gurganj, the Khorezmians, who were absolutely exhausted by the war, asked to accept their surrender, spare them, leave them alive. Jochi spoke out in support of them, but Genghis Khan categorically rejected such a proposal. As a result, the garrison of the besieged city was partially cut out, and it was flooded by the waters of the Amu Darya.

tragic death

The misunderstanding that was established between the son and father was constantly fueled by slander and intrigues of relatives. Over time, the conflict deepened and led to the emergence of a stable distrust of the ruler towards his first heir. Genghis Khan began to suspect that Jochi wanted to become popular with the conquered tribes in order to subsequently secede from Mongolia. Historians doubt that the heir really aspired to this. Nevertheless, in early 1227, Jochi, with a broken spine, was found dead in the steppe, where he hunted. Of course, his father was not the only person who benefited from the death of the heir and who had the opportunity to end his life.

Second son of Genghis Khan

The name of this heir was known in circles close to the Mongol throne. Unlike the deceased brother, he was characterized by strictness, diligence and even a certain cruelty. These features contributed to the fact that Chagatai was appointed as the "guardian of Yasa". This position is analogous to that of a chief judge or attorney general. Chagatai always strictly followed the law, he was merciless to violators.

Third heir

Few know the name of the son of Genghis Khan, who was the next contender for the throne. It was Ogedei. The first and third sons of Genghis Khan were similar in character. Ogedei was also known for his tolerance and kindness towards people. However, his peculiarity was a passion for hunting in the steppe and drinking with friends. One day, going on a joint trip, Chagatai and Ogedei saw a Muslim who was washing in the water. According to religious custom, every true believer should perform namaz several times during the day, as well as ritual ablution. But these actions were forbidden by Mongol custom. The tradition did not allow ablutions anywhere during the whole summer. The Mongols believed that washing in a lake or river causes a thunderstorm, which is very dangerous for travelers in the steppe. Therefore, such actions were considered as a threat to their lives. The warriors (nukhuras) of the ruthless and law-abiding Chagatai seized the Muslim. Ogedei, assuming that the intruder would lose his head, sent his man to him. The messenger had to tell the Muslim that he supposedly dropped the gold into the water and was looking for it there (to stay alive). The violator answered Chagatai in this way. This was followed by an order to the Nuhurs to find the coin in the water. Ogedei's combatant threw a gold piece into the water. The coin was found and returned to the Muslim as its "legitimate" owner. Ogedei, saying goodbye to the rescued man, took out a handful of gold coins from his pocket and handed them to the man. At the same time, he warned the Muslim that the next time he drops a coin into the water, he would not look for it, and would not break the law.

Fourth successor

The youngest son of Genghis Khan, according to Chinese sources, was born in 1193. At that time, his father was in Jurchen captivity. He stayed there until 1197. This time Borte's betrayal was obvious. However, Genghis Khan recognized Tului's son as his own. At the same time, outwardly, the child had a completely Mongolian appearance. All the sons of Genghis Khan had their own characteristics. But Tului was rewarded by nature with the greatest talents. He was distinguished by the highest moral dignity, possessed extraordinary abilities as an organizer and commander. Tului is known as a loving husband and noble man. He married the daughter of the deceased Van Khan (the head of the Keraits). She, in turn, was a Christian. Tului could not accept his wife's religion. Being a Genghisid, he must profess the faith of his ancestors - bon. Tului not only allowed his wife to perform all the proper Christian rites in a "church" yurt, but also to receive monks and have priests with her. The death of the fourth heir of Genghis Khan can be called heroic without any exaggeration. To save the sick Ogedei, Tului voluntarily took a strong shaman's potion. So, taking the disease away from his brother, he sought to attract it to himself.

Board of heirs

All the sons of Genghis Khan had the right to rule the empire. After the elimination of the elder brother, there were three successors left. After the death of his father, until the election of a new khan, Tului ruled the ulus. In 1229, a kurultai took place. Here, according to the will of the emperor, a new ruler was chosen. They became tolerant and gentle Ogedei. This heir, as mentioned above, was distinguished by kindness. However, this quality is not always in favor of the ruler. During the years of his khanate, the leadership of the ulus was very weakened. Administration was carried out mainly due to the severity of Chagatai and thanks to the diplomatic abilities of Tului. Ogedei himself, instead of state affairs, preferred to roam in Western Mongolia, hunting and feasting.

grandchildren

They received various territories of the ulus or significant positions. The eldest son of Jochi - Horde-Ichen, got the White Horde. This area was located between the Tarbagatai ridge and the Irtysh (the Semipalatinsk region today). Batu was next. The son of Genghis Khan left him a legacy of the Golden Horde. Sheibani (the third successor) relied on the Blue Horde. The rulers of the uluses were also allocated 1-2 thousand soldiers each. At the same time, the number then reached 130 thousand people.

Batu

According to Russian sources, he is known as the Son of Genghis Khan, who died in 1227, three years before that he received the Kipchak steppe, part of the Caucasus, Russia and Crimea, as well as Khorezm. The ruler's heir died, owning only Khorezm and the Asian part of the steppe. In the years 1236-1243. a general Mongol campaign to the West took place. It was led by Batu. The son of Genghis Khan passed on some character traits to his heir. The sources mention the nickname Sain Khan. According to one version, it means "good-natured". This nickname was possessed by Tsar Batu. The son of Genghis Khan died, as mentioned above, owning only a small part of his inheritance. As a result of the campaign, committed in 1236-1243, the western part went to Mongolia to the North Caucasian and Volga peoples, as well as the Volga Bulgaria. Several times, under the leadership of Batu, troops attacked Russia. In their campaigns, the Mongol army reached Central Europe. Frederick II, who was then emperor of Rome, tried to organize resistance. When Batu began to demand obedience, he replied that he could be a falconer with the khan. Collisions, however, between the troops did not occur. Some time later, Batu settled in Sarai-Batu, on the banks of the Volga. He did not make any more trips to the West.

Strengthening the ulus

In 1243, Batu learned about the death of Ogedei. His army retreated to the Lower Volga. A new center of the Jochi ulus was founded here. Guyuk (one of the heirs of Ogedei) was elected kagan at the kurultai of 1246. He was an old enemy of Batu. In 1248, Guyuk died, and in 1251, a loyal Munch, a participant in the European campaign from 1246 to 1243, was elected the fourth ruler. To support the new khan, Batu sent Berke (his brother) with an army.

Relations with the princes of Russia

In 1243-1246. all Russian rulers accepted dependence on the Mongol Empire and the Golden Horde. (Prince of Vladimir) was recognized as the oldest in Russia. He received Kyiv ravaged in 1240 by the Mongols. In 1246, Batu sent Yaroslav to the kurultai in Karakorum as a plenipotentiary representative. There, the Russian prince was poisoned by Guyuk's supporters. Mikhail Chernigov died in the Golden Horde because he refused to enter the Khan's yurt between two fires. The Mongols regarded this as having malicious intent. Alexander Nevsky and Andrei - the sons of Yaroslav - also went to the Horde. Arriving from there to Karakorum, the first received Novgorod and Kyiv, and the second - Vladimir reign. Andrew, seeking to resist the Mongols, entered into an alliance with the strongest prince in Southern Russia at that time - Galician. This was the reason for the punitive campaign of the Mongols in 1252. The Horde army, led by Nevryuy, defeated Yaroslav and Andrey. Batu gave the label to Vladimir Alexander. built his relationship with Batu in a slightly different way. He expelled the Horde Baskaks from their cities. In 1254 he defeated the army led by Kuremsa.

Karokorum affairs

After the election of Guyuk as the Great Khan in 1246, a split occurred between the descendants of Chagatai and Ogedei and the heirs of the other two sons of Genghis Khan. Guyuk went on a campaign against Batu. However, in 1248, while his army was stationed in Maverannahr, he suddenly died. According to one version, he was poisoned by supporters of Munch and Batu. The first became subsequently the new ruler of the Mongolian ulus. In 1251, Batu sent an army under the leadership of Burundai near Ortar to help Munk.

Descendants

Batu's successors were: Sartak, Tukan, Ulagchi and Abukan. The first was an adherent of the Christian religion. Sartak's daughter married Gleb Vasilkovich, and the daughter of Batu's grandson became the wife of St. Fyodor Cherny. In these two marriages, Belozersky and Yaroslavl princes were born (respectively).

13-06-2011, 11:40

Eldest son of Genghis Khan

ENG ENG KZ

After reading on the Internet an article by Iskander Undasynov "Jochi", where he claims that "we know depressingly little about him, so much so that even his birth and death are still a mystery to us," I rushed to look for sources. And it is true - we know very little about Jochi. But he was the eldest son of the great Genghis Khan, stood at the origins of the creation of a powerful state on the part of the territory of modern Kazakhstan, which we know as the Golden Horde. And it was his direct descendants who later created the Kazakh Khanate.

Mystery of birth

Many people remember the story that Jochi's mother, the influential and respected Borte, was captured by the Merkits in 1181. A year later, in 1182, Jochi was born. This fact allowed many in the past and allows some now to doubt the paternity of Genghis Khan.

Rashid ad-Din, author of the "Collection of Chronicles": "... Burte-fujin became pregnant with Jochi Khan. At that time, the Merkits tribe ... robbed the house of Genghis Khan and took away his pregnant wife ... they (the Merkits) sent Burte-fujin to Ong-khan (Wankhan )... Having learned about this, Genghis Khan sent Burte-fujin, an emir named Saba, to Ong Khan to claim and return. Ong Khan, having shown her honor and attention, sent along with Saba. On the way, she had a son, who for this reason they gave the name Jochi" (Jochi is translated here as "unexpected guest").

But serious scholars argue that Rashid ad-Din is simply lying, falsifying history, as many ideologists did from history before and much later. In fact, Borte was liberated by Genghis Khan himself (then still Temuchin) with the help of the already mentioned Vankhan (Togrul Khan) and his Anda Jamukha.

Here is what the nameless car wrote in The Secret Tales of the Mongols: “... The Merkit ulus in a panic rushed to run down the Selenga River, and ours ... drove, killed and captured the fugitives. Temujin, running out to meet the fugitives, all the time loudly called out: "Borte, Borte!". And Borte just happened to be among these fugitives. Listening, she recognized Temujin's voice, jumped off the wagon and ran up ... he looked at Borte-ujina - and found out. They hugged each other ... This is how the meeting of Temujin happened with Borte-ujin and her liberation from the Merkit captivity".

But as for the paternity of Genghis Khan, doubts remain here. Even the relatives of the brothers, no, no, yes, Jochi hinted at the Merkit origin. History has preserved the case of a fight between the sons of Genghis Khan for the right of succession to the throne. But more on that later.

Childhood and youth

This is where scientists around the world are at an impasse. There is practically no data on how Jochi's childhood and formation passed. In medieval narratives, he appears as a mature young man at the age of 25. Let's try together with you, as the classic said, to think logically, bit by bit collecting material from different sources.

Despite all the rumors, Genghis Khan sincerely loved his eldest son. And, of course, gave him an excellent education. The Conqueror of the Universe himself was simply obsessed with a thirst for new knowledge. No wonder there were always great scientists of his time in his entourage. Moreover, education, I think, was not only Mongolian. As we know, any Mongol, any nomad learned to drive a horse before he could walk. Archery, fighting with swords, sabers, maces (shokpars), virtuoso possession of a pike, a heavy spear - not only my father generously shared his experience here, but also, I'm sure, his closest associates - Subedey, Dzhebe, Mukhagali ... And Jochi was probably a good student. He may not have become the best fighter, but he was an excellent strategist, as the Greeks called military leaders. No wonder his father entrusted him with the most responsible tasks.

When planning his campaign against China, Genghis Khan had to secure his rear. And therefore, guarantees from the northern peoples became the key to the success of the campaign to the south.

"In 1207, the war resumed. The eldest son of Genghis, Jochi, in one campaign, without encountering serious resistance, conquered the "forest peoples" of Southern Siberia, which provided the rear for the Mongol ulus."

How did he do it? The ferocity and ruthlessness characteristic of the Genghisides were innate in Jochi. It was only over time that rumors made the eldest son of Genghis Khan the most humane descendant of the Conqueror among all. For now…

"Secret tales of the Mongols" (author unknown): "In the year of the Hare (1207- approx. ed.) Chochi (Jochi) was sent with the army of the Right Hand to the forest peoples ... First of all, the Oirat Khudukha-beki appeared with an expression of humility, with his Tumen-Oirats. Having arrived, he became an escort to Chjochia... Having subjugated the Oirats, Buryats, Barkhuns, Ursuts, Khabkhanas, Khankhases and Tubas, Chochi approached the Tumen-Kyrgyz. Then the Kirghiz noyons Yedi, Inal, Aldier and Olebekdigin came to Chochi. They expressed their obedience and beat the emperor with their foreheads with white gyrfalcons, white geldings and white sables. Chochi took all the forest peoples under the Mongol rule... He took with him the Kyrgyz noyons-temniks and thousanders, as well as the noyons of the forest peoples, and, introducing Genghis Khan, ordered to beat the sovereign with his forehead... Graciously turning to Chochi, Genghis Khan deigned to say: "You are the eldest of my sons I didn’t even have time to leave the house, when I returned safely in good health, conquering the forest peoples without loss of people and horses.

Unfortunately, nothing is known about where and how Jochi ruled the forest peoples. There is no information about whether he received in 1209-1210. participation in the conquest of the Tangut state Xi-Xia. Little information has come down to us about Jochi's participation in the war with the Chinese Jin empire. It is only known that in 1211 he, together with the brothers Chagatai and Ogedei, captured part of Shanxi province, located north of the Great Wall of China.

Let's return to the education of Jochi. Chinese, Uighur, Tangut teachers gave him such a level of education that he seems to me to have outgrown his time. He took from his father the wisdom that war is not only a battle, but also diplomacy. In this he differed favorably from his brothers. He was the only one of them who understood the true art of war and government (in our understanding of government).

Lev Gumilyov, "The Search for a Fictional Kingdom": "The Merkits, who retreated in 1208 behind the mountain passes of Altai and Tarbagatai, received help from the Kipchaks ... Thanks to her, by 1216 they gathered their strength and tried to hit the Mongols in the rear. Only two tumens, hastily transferred from Central Mongolia, under the command of the senior prince Jochi stopped and pushed back the enemy ... ".

In this war, Jochi showed himself not only as a mature military leader, but also as a true ferocious Chingizid. Having caught up with the Merkits at the Irgiz River, the Mongols defeated the army of their primordial enemies, and then destroyed this indomitable tribe down to the last man. So the Merkits ceased to exist on the planet.

Central Asian campaign

In 1219, preparations began for the Central Asian campaign. This was preceded by an important event both in the history of the Mongol Empire and in the life of Jochi. We are talking about a family council, which discussed the issue of the heir of Genghis Khan.

In the Secret Tales of the Mongols, the author says that at this council, Khansha Yesui turned to Genghis Khan with the question to whom he bequeathed his kingdom. To which he replied: "This is Jochi. What do you say? Answer!" Before Chochi had time to open his mouth, Chaadai warned him (Chagatai - approx. ed.). "You order the first to speak to Chochiu. Do you want to say by this that you are naming Chochia? How can we obey this heir to the Merkit captivity?" At these words, Chochi jumped up and, taking Chaadai by the scruff of the neck, said: "The parent-sovereign has not yet named you. Why are you judging me? What merit do you differ in? Is it only with ferocity that you surpass everyone!"

Genghis Khan was forced to intervene and calm down his sons. "How dare you," he addressed them, "speak like that about Chochi?! Isn't Chochi the eldest of my princes? Do not utter such words again!"

According to Mongolian traditions, the eldest son was to inherit the supreme power. Yes, and in terms of the level of education, in terms of personal qualities, Genghis Khan, apparently, singled out Jochi. He had high hopes for him. But it didn't work out. The family this time insisted on their own. The Merkit ghost made itself felt many years later. Ogedei became the successor.

But this advice gave a new direction to the succession to the throne. From now on, not only the eldest son had the right to the throne. The rights of Genghisides were thus equalized.

A. Domanin, "The Mongol Empire of Genghis Khan": "... A curious hereditary system was actually approved for centuries: all the descendants of Genghis Khan in the male line (from four sons from Borte: from Jochi, Chagatai, Ogedei and Tului - an explanation by Iskander Undasynov) had an absolutely equal right to claim the throne, and at the same time no one, except for direct descendants, could become a khan. Subsequently, this led to amazing collisions ... ".

T. Sultanov, "Genghis Khan and Genghisides. Fate and power": "This state of affairs led to the fact that after the death of each sovereign, a struggle for the throne unfolded between separate parties of princes and emirs."

I. Undasynov, "Jochi Khan": "Sometimes it (the struggle) took on an extremely cruel character; it came to patricide and infanticide. Naturally, it was not the most worthy who won, but the strongest, which, however, did not exclude the fact that sometimes he was the most worthy!".

But let's get back to Jochi's Central Asian campaign. In the autumn of 1219, he was instructed to take cities on the Syr Darya. After a seven-day continuous siege, Sygnak was the first to be taken. The entire population of the city was killed. Then there were Uzgend and Barchynlygkent. With Gent it was different. Here Jochi appears in a new capacity. He pardoned the inhabitants of the city, who offered no resistance. For seven days, while his soldiers plundered the city, Jochi drove all the inhabitants out of the walls.

Jochi remained in Djent throughout 1220. Then he went to connect with the tumens of Chagatai and Ogedei to the Khorezm oasis. For five months, the Mongols besieged the capital of the Khorezm state, the city of Gurgenj. Well, as usual, the city was destroyed, and the inhabitants were either killed or taken prisoner.

Father and son

In 1221, Genghis Khan gathered his sons for a meeting in the city of Talkan (Afghanistan). The three younger ones stayed with their father, and Jochi went to the Irtysh.

Iskander Undasynov believes that it was in Talkan that the Conqueror of the Universe gave the ulus to his eldest son. A similar opinion was shared by the author of the work "Lists of the organizer of the world" ("Nusakh-i-Jekhanara") Ghaffari Qazvini (1565). He stated the following: "During the campaign against the Tajiks, Genghis Khan gave him (Jochi) Desht-i-Kipchak and Khorezm to the extreme north."

Moreover, Genghis Khan did not divide his empire at once. The territory of modern Kazakhstan, which later became the basis of the Golden Horde (and then the Kazakh Khanate), he entrusted to his eldest son. Genghis Khan distributed the rest of the territories among the other sons of Borte later.

M. Safargaliev, "The collapse of the Golden Horde": "... by the time of his death, the northern part of Semirechie and the Khorezm steppe belonged to the ulus of Jochi, this is undoubtedly, however, the outskirts of Saksin and Bulgar, during the life of Jochi, apparently, were not included in his ulus. The movement of the Mongols to the west occurred already under Batu, when at the kurultai of 1229, he was entrusted with the conquest of lands located in the west ... Only then did the Mongol army reach Yaik.

So there was no hostility or quarrel between father and son at that time. Everything started later. And the initiative did not come from Jochi, but from Genghis Khan. Here I agree with Iskander Undasynov.

In fact, most likely, the history of the gap took place. And precisely because of Jochi's obstinacy and disobedience. But it began much later than mediaeval sources say. And the fact that Jochi was not present at the Kurultai on the Syr Darya in 1223 had another reason. Genghis Khan ordered his eldest son to drive herds of kulans to a grandiose battue hunt. What he did, in addition, gave his father 20 thousand white horses. After the hunt, Genghis Khan and his sons went to the Irtysh, and then completely returned to Mongolia. Jochi remained in Desht-i-Kipchak in order to manage his huge ulus.

Iskander Undasynov, "Jochi Khan": "... it was in 1224 on the Irtysh that he (Jochi) received a task from his father, but not the one that many write about with the light hand of Rashid ad-Din, but much more modest: to conquer the Eastern Desht-i-Kipchak up to the Volga inclusive and thus prepare a springboard for the Western campaign.This is the task of Genghis Khan Jochi did not complete, but not at all because he deliberately decided to ignore it, but because Jochi Khan simply did not have the strength even for limited conquests in the west - his father singled out he has only four thousand soldiers. And Genghis Khan understood this very well. From this it follows logically that Jochi had to act not alone, but together with the tumens attached to him from the main composition of the Mongol army. "

Let me remind you that Rashid ad-Din claimed that Genghis Khan ordered his eldest son to organize a grand campaign to the West. But Jochi did not obey his father's order. From here, they say, the break between the father and the eldest son went.

In fact, Genghis Khan set two tasks for Jochi: first, to subdue the Kypchak tribes that lived to the west of Balkhash; secondly, to create a management system on the territory of Kazakhstan, already included in the Mongol Empire.

The confusion with events and dates does not allow us to accurately determine the time of the beginning of the alienation of Jochi from Genghis Khan. It can only be confidently asserted that by 1226 Jochi Khan had already become so distant from his father that, referring to illness, he repeatedly rejected Genghis Khan's demands to come to his headquarters. And this, apparently, was the only real manifestation of Jochi's alienation from his father. But he could not do more (Iskander Undasynov).

Jochi Khan

With the help of Iskander Undasynov, I want to give a full description of the provocation that Chagatai most likely arranged in relation to Jochi. After all, until 1225, Genghis Khan retained the favor and complete confidence in his eldest son. This greatly annoyed Jochi's enemies. And especially Chagatai...

Here is what Rashid-ad-Din wrote about this: "An illness happened to Jochi, and when his father, returning from the regions of the Tajiks, arrived in his hordes (mid-1225), he (Jochi), as a result, could not come to father and sent (to him as a gift) several harvars of hunting prey and asked for forgiveness (for non-arrival). After that, Genghis Khan ordered several times to call him to him, but he (Jochi) did not appear due to illness and apologized. Then some person from of the Mangkut tribe was heading (to Genghis Khan) from the boundaries of the Jochi yurts. Jochi, moving from yurt to yurt, arrived so sick at the mountain, which was the place of his hunting. Since he felt weak in himself, he sent hunting emirs to hunt. Seeing such a gathering of people engaged in hunting, that man (mangkut) imagined that it was (himself) Jochi.When he came to Genghis Khan and (the latter) asked him about Jochi's illness, he replied: "I have no information about the illness. But he was engaged in hunting on such and such a mountain.

For this reason, the flame of anger of Genghis Khan flared up, who imagined that he (Jochi) was indignant and therefore did not pay attention to the words of his father. He said: "Jochi has gone mad that he is doing such things" and ordered that the army march in his direction and that Chagatai and Ugetai go in the vanguard, and he himself was going to march after (them). At this time, news came of the death of Jochi ... Genghis Khan was very saddened by this circumstance, saddened and conducted an investigation. The words of that man turned out to be a lie, and it turned out with certainty that Jochi was ill at that time and did not go hunting. They began to look for that man, from the Mangkuts, to execute him, but they did not find him."

But, of course, there was no hike. Otherwise, this would have been known. No historian, even one as untrustworthy as Rashid al-Din, would miss describing him. Yes, there was anger, a desire to punish the stro-bird. But, apparently, having figured it out, Genghis Khan acted like a father. Even after the death of Jochi, none of his close associates was punished. And this is not at all in the style of the Conqueror of the Universe.

Most likely, Genghis Khan understood that Jochi was simply engaged in the formation of the statehood of his huge ulus, independently and on his own initiative. He actively created state administration bodies, was engaged in diplomacy, gathered an army from the Kipchaks, leaving his 4,000-strong Mongol corps as the core. And, accordingly, he was preparing a springboard for a grandiose and large-scale campaign to the West, thereby fulfilling the will of his father.

The people's memory has preserved to our time three more versions of Jochi Khan's death. Here they are. According to the first, Jochi was killed on the orders of Genghis Khan while hunting kulans; the assassins sent by the latter allegedly broke his back. The second claims that during the hunt for kulans, Jochi fell from his horse and fell to his death. According to the third version, Jochi Khan, during a hunt, pulled a kulan from his horse, which tore it to pieces, tearing off his right hand.

The latest version was confirmed during the examination of the Jochi Khan mausoleum by a special commission of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh USSR headed by A. Margulan. During the opening of the burial, the corpse of a man was found, who was missing his right hand. "This confirms the legend, which has been preserved among the people, that Jochi was killed by a kulan, which tore off his hand," says the Kazakh Soviet Encyclopedia.

The death of Jochi shortly before the death of Genghis Khan himself had a great impact on the alignment of political forces in the Great Horde, both in connection with the issue of succession to the throne, and in relation to the division of territories and the possibility of using the all-Mongolian military forces to conduct Western conquests. This event was just as significant for the sharp increase in the separatism of the uluses of other Chingizids.