Arghun Agha, also Arghun Aqa or Arghun the Elder (; ; - 1275) was a
Mongol
The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...
noble of the
Oirat clan in the 13th century. He was a governor in the Mongol-controlled area of
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
from 1243 to 1255, before the
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate ( fa, ایل خانان, ''Ilxānān''), known to the Mongols as ''Hülegü Ulus'' (, ''Qulug-un Ulus''), was a khanate established from the southwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanid realm, ...
was created by
Hulagu
Hulagu Khan, also known as Hülegü or Hulegu ( mn, Хүлэгү/ , lit=Surplus, translit=Hu’legu’/Qülegü; chg, ; Arabic: fa, هولاکو خان, ''Holâku Khân;'' ; 8 February 1265), was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of West ...
. Arghun Agha was in control of the four districts of eastern and central Persia, as decreed by the great khan
Möngke Khan
Möngke ( mn, ' / Мөнх '; ; 11 January 1209 – 11 August 1259) was the fourth khagan-emperor of the Mongol Empire, ruling from 1 July 1251, to 11 August 1259. He was the first Khagan from the Toluid line, and made significant reforms ...
.
Early life
According to
Rashid al-Din, when he was young, his father sold his son Arghun to Qadan of the
Jalayir
Jalair ( mn, Жалайр; ; ), also Djalair, Yyalair, Jalayir, is one of the Darliqin Mongol tribes according to Rashid-al-Din Hamadani's ''Jami' al-tawarikh''. They lived along the Shilka River in modern Zabaykalsky Krai of Russia.History of Mo ...
, tutor of
Ögedei who passed him to his son Ilüge, while according to
Juvayni his father was a
mingghan Mingghan was a social-military unit of 1,000 households created by Genghis Khan. From this group could be recruited a Mongol regiment of 1,000 men. It is part of the ancient method of organization developed by the nomads of Central Asia based on the ...
commander. During his years with the
Ogedeyid family, he gained reputation among the members of the ruling blood because he was well educated and versed in
Old Uyghur language
Old Uyghur () was a Turkic language which was spoken in Qocho from the 9th–14th centuries and in Gansu.
History
The Old Uyghur language evolved from Old Turkic after the Uyghur Khaganate broke up and remnants of it migrated to Turfan, Qomu ...
. Arghun started his career as ''bitikchi'' (secretary) in during the reign of Ögedei. Later on, the latter's consort,
Toregene Khatun, appointed him as then governor of Transoxiana -
Korguz Korguz (died 1242) was a Uyghur governor of Khurasan during the reign of the Mongol ruler
Ögedei Khan. He began his career teaching Mongol children and thereafter assumed governorship of Khorasan. Originally a Buddhist, he converted to Islam la ...
's ''
basqaq
''Darughachi'' (Mongol form) or ''Basqaq'' (Turkic form) were originally designated officials in the Mongol Empire that were in charge of taxes and administration in a certain province. The plural form of the Mongolian word is ''darugha''. They ...
'' and ultimately overall civil governor after
Korguz Korguz (died 1242) was a Uyghur governor of Khurasan during the reign of the Mongol ruler
Ögedei Khan. He began his career teaching Mongol children and thereafter assumed governorship of Khorasan. Originally a Buddhist, he converted to Islam la ...
's execution in .
Career
He was appointed to oversee vast lands from
Oxus
The Amu Darya, tk, Amyderýa/ uz, Amudaryo// tg, Амударё, Amudaryo ps, , tr, Ceyhun / Amu Derya grc, Ὦξος, Ôxos (also called the Amu, Amo River and historically known by its Latin name or Greek ) is a major river in Central Asi ...
to
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
with Sharaf al-Din Khwarazmi as his secretary, whom he had a distaste in.
His position was reaffirmed by
Güyük Khan
Güyük (also Güyug;; ''c''. March 19, 1206 – April 20, 1248) was the third Khagan-Emperor of the Mongol Empire, the eldest son of Ögedei Khan and a grandson of Genghis Khan. He reigned from 1246 to 1248.
Appearance
According to Giovanni ...
in 1246.
Ascelin of Lombardia
Ascelin of Lombardy, also known as Nicolas Ascelin or Ascelin of Cremona, was a 13th-century Dominican friar whom Pope Innocent IV sent as an envoy to the Mongols in March 1245. Ascelin met with the Mongol ruler Baiju, and then returned to Europe ...
might have met him while he was at the court of
Baiju in . He visited
Karakorum
Karakorum (Khalkha Mongolian: Хархорум, ''Kharkhorum''; Mongolian Script:, ''Qaraqorum''; ) was the capital of the Mongol Empire between 1235 and 1260 and of the Northern Yuan dynasty in the 14–15th centuries. Its ruins lie in the ...
twice after his appointment in 1248 and 1251. On his third voyage, he was upheld by
Hulagu
Hulagu Khan, also known as Hülegü or Hulegu ( mn, Хүлэгү/ , lit=Surplus, translit=Hu’legu’/Qülegü; chg, ; Arabic: fa, هولاکو خان, ''Holâku Khân;'' ; 8 February 1265), was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of West ...
in Transoxiana and was released after a while. His employees included the famous
Juvayni family
The Juvayni family was a Persian family native to the Juvayn area in Khorasan. The most famous members were Shams al-Din Juvayni (d. 1284) and his elder brother Ata-Malik Juvayni (d. 1283). The family was known for patronizing many scholars and ...
, Fakr al-Din Bihishti (d. 1256), Husam al-Din Bihishti, Najm al-Din Ali, Turumtai, Naimadai, etc. He made a census in Persia in accordance with the decree of
Möngke in 1254 along with Najm al-Din Ali.
He participated in Hulagu's
campaign against the Nizaris in Persia in 1256.
In 1259-61 he directed punitive operations against rebels in
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, and then was sent to
Khorasan
Khorasan may refer to:
* Greater Khorasan, a historical region which lies mostly in modern-day northern/northwestern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
* Khorasan Province, a pre-2004 province of Ira ...
to fight the
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, 'Great State' in Turkic, was originally a Mongols, Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the fr ...
. He is described as faithful servant of the Qaghan in
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
n sources while the
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
n and
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
n sources say he was cruel and violent overseer. However, one Georgian chronicle mentions he was a friend of equity, trustful in his language, a deep thinker, and profound in counsel. It also says Arghun conducted the empire-wide census in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
,
Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...
,
Alania
Alania was a medieval kingdom of the Iranian Alans (proto-Ossetians) that flourished in the Northern Caucasus, roughly in the location of latter-day Circassia, Chechnya, Ingushetia, and modern North Ossetia–Alania, from its independence from th ...
,
Pontic steppe
Pontic, from the Greek ''pontos'' (, ), or "sea", may refer to:
The Black Sea Places
* The Pontic colonies, on its northern shores
* Pontus (region), a region on its southern shores
* The Pontic–Caspian steppe, steppelands stretching from nor ...
, Georgia, Armenia, and
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
. Arghun had many political enemies at the headquarters, so he had to visit the
''ordo'' of the Qaghan in
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
often to prove his loyalty. Although, Möngke appointed him to his former position after his accession in 1252, the Emperor summoned Arghun to answer a charge of treason. The
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian Diaspora, Armenian communities across the ...
noble,
Sempad Orpelian, justified Arghun completely and charged his enemy, a
Khorazm
Khwarazm (; Old Persian: ''Hwârazmiya''; fa, خوارزم, ''Xwârazm'' or ''Xârazm'') or Chorasmia () is a large oasis region on the Amu Darya river delta in western Central Asia, bordered on the north by the (former) Aral Sea, on the ea ...
i lieutenant, with being the real offender. Arghun was released and they returned together.
Under Hulagu
He mainted his administrative tasks under Hulagu and even punished underpaying vassals who owed them taxes, including
Gvantsa Kakhaberidze Gvantsa ( ka, გვანცა, or, archaically, Guantsa, გუანცა; also transliterated as Gwantza, Gontza, Gontsa, or Gonc'a) (died c. 1263) was a Queen Consort of Georgia as the third wife of King David VII “Ulu” ( r.: 1245-1270) ...
,
Hasan Jalal of Khachen,
Zakare III Zakarian,
Akhsitan II
Jalaladdin Akhsitan was the 27th Shirvanshah. He was executed by the order of Hulagu
Hulagu Khan, also known as Hülegü or Hulegu ( mn, Хүлэгү/ , lit=Surplus, translit=Hu’legu’/Qülegü; chg, ; Arabic: fa, هولاکو خان ...
and others in 1261. He accompanied
Prince Abaqa in support of
Alghu Alghu (d. 1265 or 1266) was a khan of the Chagatai Khanate (1260–1265/6). He was the son of Baidar and the grandson of Chagatai Khan.
Biography
In 1260 he was appointed as head of the ''ulus'' of the Chagatai Khanate by the Great Khan claimant ...
against his struggle with
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, 'Great State' in Turkic, was originally a Mongols, Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the fr ...
.
Under Abaqa
Arghun continued to serve Ilkhanate after death of Hulagu in 1265. His new post was in
Khorasan
Khorasan may refer to:
* Greater Khorasan, a historical region which lies mostly in modern-day northern/northwestern Afghanistan, northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan
* Khorasan Province, a pre-2004 province of Ira ...
, as deputy of Prince Tubshin. New Chagatai khan
Baraq
Barak (Hebrew: בָּרָק, bārāq, "lightning"), is a masculine name of Hebrew origin. It appears in the biblical Book of Judges as the name of the Israelite general Barak, who alongside Deborah led an attack against the forces of King Jabin o ...
threatened to invade Ilkhanate until they leave
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
to them in 1270. Arghun Aqa fought in left flank under
Prince Yoshmut in Battle of Herat on 22 July 1270 which resulted in a decisive victory. He served in Khorasan till his death on 17 June 1275.
Legacy
He appears to have funded
Pir Huseyn Khanqah
The Pir Huseyn Khanqah and Mausoleum lies along the left bank of Pirsaat River (Pirsaatçay), 126 kilometers to the southwest of Baku. The inscription plaque over the portal, read by V. Kratchkovskaya in 1952, announces that the khanqah (dervish ...
in
Qubalıbalaoğlan, modern
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
. He is thought to be buried in
Radkan, Khorasan.
Family
He had many wives, including a daughter of
Yesü Möngke
Yesü Möngke (, died 1252) was head of the ''ulus'' of the Chagatai Khanate (1246 or 1247-1252).
Biography
He was the fifth son of Chagatai Khan and Yesülün Khatun. In or around 1246, he was appointed as khan of the Chagatai Khanate by his ...
, to whom he married in 1249. Another wife of his was Sürmish, who gave birth to Nawruz.
He had at least 14 sons and 4 daughters:
* A son (died 1270 in
Herat
Herāt (; Persian: ) is an oasis city and the third-largest city of Afghanistan. In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of Herat Province, situated south of the Paropamisus Mountains (''Selseleh-ye Safēd ...
)
* Girai Malik
* Tatarji
*
Nawruz (d. 13 August 1297)
* Lagzi Güregen (d. 2 April 1297) — married to Baba Khatun (daughter of
Hulagu
Hulagu Khan, also known as Hülegü or Hulegu ( mn, Хүлэгү/ , lit=Surplus, translit=Hu’legu’/Qülegü; chg, ; Arabic: fa, هولاکو خان, ''Holâku Khân;'' ; 8 February 1265), was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of West ...
)
** Terjughan Khatun — married to
Öljaitü
Öljaitü ( mn, , Öljaitü Qaghan, fa, اولجایتو), also known as Mohammad-e Khodabande ( fa, محمد خدابنده, ''khodābande'' from Persian meaning the "slave of God" or "servant of God"; 1280 – December 16, 1316), was the eigh ...
* Hajji
* Tarkhan Hajji
** A daughter — married Fakhr al-Din ibn Rukn al-Din of
Kartids
The Kart dynasty, also known as the Kartids ( fa, آل کرت), was a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Tajik origin closely related to the Ghurids, that ruled over a large part of Khorasan during the 13th and 14th centuries. Ruling from their capital ...
(1295–1308)
* Yol Qutlugh
* Bulquq
* Oiratai
* Ertai Ghazan (d. 1297)
* Narin Hajji (d. 1297,
Hamadan
Hamadan () or Hamedan ( fa, همدان, ''Hamedān'') ( Old Persian: Haŋgmetana, Ecbatana) is the capital city of Hamadan Province of Iran. At the 2019 census, its population was 783,300 in 230,775 families. The majority of people living in Ha ...
)
* Arghun Hajji
* Mengli Buqa
* Barghun Hajji
* Emine Khatun (died and buried in
Salmas
Salmas ( fa, سلماس; ; ; ; syr, ܣܵܠܵܡܵܣ, Salamas) is the capital of Salmas County, West Azerbaijan Province in Iran. It is located northwest of Lake Urmia, near Turkey. According to the 2019 census, the city's population is 127,864. ...
) — possibly married to Taj al-Din 'Ali Shah, vizier.
* Begi Khatun or Ilkuye Begi — married to
Muzaffar al-Din Hajjaj
Muzaffar al-Din Hajjaj was a nominal Qutlughkhanid prince of Kerman, a son of Qutb al-Din Mohammad and Kutlugh Turkan.
Life
Muzaffar al-Din Hajjaj was a minor when his father Qutb al-Din Mohammad died in 1257. Kerman nobles assembled and aske ...
in 1263/4
* A daughter — married to Kingshü, son of
Jumghur
Jumghur () was the second son of Hulagu. Although according to some researchers, he may have been the eldest one.
Life
He was born to Hulagu and his Oirat wife Guyuk Khatun in 1234. He was descended from Genghis Khan on both sides: Hulagu was h ...
* Menglitegin — married to Amir Tasu of
Eljigin
The Eljigin people are a Khalkha Mongolian sub-ethnic group. They live in Zavhan province. The name sounds similar to Mongolian word "el" for "this" and to Turkic word "tegin
Tegin ( otk, 𐱅𐰃𐰏𐰤, Tegin, also tigin, MC *''dək-gɨn' ...
clan of
Khongirad
The Khongirad ( Mongolian: ᠬᠣᠩᠭᠢᠷᠠᠳ; Хонгирад; Khonghirad; ), also known as Qongirat (Qoŋğırat/Қоңғырат), was one of the major divisions of the Mongol tribes. Variations on the name include Onggirat, Ongirat, Q ...
** Bulughan Khatun Khorasani — married to
Ghazan
Mahmud Ghazan (5 November 1271 – 11 May 1304) (, Ghazan Khan, sometimes archaically spelled as Casanus by the Westerners) was the seventh ruler of the Mongol Empire's Ilkhanate division in modern-day Iran from 1295 to 1304. He was the son of A ...
Notes
References
* Amitai-Preiss, ''Mongols and Mamluks: the Mamluk-Īlkhānid War, 1260-1281''
* Rene Grousset, ''The Empire of the Steppes''
1275 deaths
People of the Ilkhanate
Heads of state of Iran
Mongol Empire people
Oirats
Year of birth unknown
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