Aju (or Achu;
Khalkha Mongolian: ; ) (1227–1287) was a general and
chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
of the
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...
and the
Yuan dynasty. He was from the Jarchud clan of the
Mongol Uriankhai
Uriankhai ( traditional Mongolian: , Mongolian Cyrillic: урианхай; sah, урааҥхай; zh, t=烏梁海, s=乌梁海, p=Wūliánghǎi), Uriankhan (, урианхан) or Uriankhat (, урианхад), is a term of address applie ...
. His father was Yuan dynasty general
Uriyangkhadai
Uriyangkhadai ( Modern Mongolian: Mongolian Cyrillic: Урианхадай, , , – ) was an Uriankhai general in the Mongol Empire who led several campaigns during the 13th century Mongol conquest of the Song dynasty, including the first Mongo ...
and his grandfather was
Subutai
Subutai (Classical Mongolian: ''Sübügätäi'' or ''Sübü'ätäi''; Modern Mongolian: Сүбээдэй, ''Sübeedei''. ; ; c. 1175–1248) was a Mongol general and the primary military strategist of Genghis Khan and Ögedei Khan. He directed m ...
, the honored general and
Noyan of
Genghis Khan
''Chinggis Khaan'' ͡ʃʰiŋɡɪs xaːŋbr />Mongol script: ''Chinggis Qa(gh)an/ Chinggis Khagan''
, birth_name = Temüjin
, successor = Tolui (as regent)Ögedei Khan
, spouse =
, issue =
, house = Borjigin
, ...
.
Biography
In 1253 he followed his father and conquered the
Kingdom of Dali. Uriyangkhadai and Aju led 3,000 Mongols and more than 10,000 troops from Dali tribes to invade northern
Vietnam 1258. Although capturing Vietnamese capital of Thang Long (now Hanoi), his forces withdrew after his defeat in open battle against the Vietnamese
Trần
Trần (陳) or Tran is a common Vietnamese surname. More than 10% of all Vietnamese people share this surname. It is derived from the common Chinese surname Chen.
History
The Tran ruled the Trần dynasty, a golden era in Vietnam, and succe ...
army. This arrangement lasted until the reign of
Kublai Khan
Kublai ; Mongolian script: ; (23 September 1215 – 18 February 1294), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizu of Yuan and his regnal name Setsen Khan, was the founder of the Yuan dynasty of China and the fifth khagan-emperor of th ...
.
[; ]
He and his father supported the forces of
Möngke Khan and Kublai Khan in 1258. Aju commanded a
tumen of 10,000 men. They conquered 13 cities within 2 years and destroyed 40,000 troops of the
Song dynasty while his father was ill. After the occupation of Chingzhoua and Yovajiyu, Uryankhadai met prince Kublai at Echjou.
When Kublai succeeded the throne in 1260, Aju stayed in his palace. The following year, he was ordered to lead Yuan troops in Lianshui (涟水). He crushed Song armies and navies from 1261 to 1275. He captured
Fancheng
Fancheng is a district of the city of Xiangyang, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
History
Fancheng, or Fan City, was an ancient city in Hubei, situated on the northern side of the Han River, opposite Xiangyang on the southern side of the r ...
(樊城) by using
Khotan artillery during the
Battle of Xiangyang
The Battle of Xiangyang () was a protracted series of battles between the Yuan dynasty and the Southern Song dynasty from 1267 to 1273. The battle was a significant victory for the Yuan dynasty and ended a 30-year defensive campaign waged by th ...
and its governor committed suicide. In 1276, Aju was appointed to defend
Beshbalik
Beshbalik () is an ancient archaeological site, now located in Jimsar County, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, China. The ancient city was initially called Beiting () or Ting Prefecture (), and was the headquarters of the Beiting Protec ...
from
Kaidu, a grandson of
Ögedei. He died after the defeat of Prince Sarban, who revolted against his master Kublai, in 1287. But some sources mention he died en route in 1286.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aju
Generals of the Mongol Empire
1227 births
1287 deaths
Yuan dynasty generals