Temüge (1168–1246) was the youngest brother 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
, ...
, second son of
Yesugei
Yesugei Baghatur or Yesükhei ( Traditional Mongolian: ; Modern Mongolian: Есүхэй баатар, ''Yesukhei baatar'', ; ) (b. 1134 – d. 1171) was a major chief of the Khamag Mongol confederation and the father of Temüjin, later known as ...
.
''
The Secret History of the Mongols
''The Secret History of the Mongols'' (Middle Mongol: ''Mongɣol‑un niɣuca tobciyan''; Traditional Mongolian: , Khalkha Mongolian: , ; ) is the oldest surviving literary work in the Mongolian language. It was written for the Mongol royal fam ...
'' tells that "when Temujin was 9 years of age, Temuge was three years old." Being the youngest boy in the family, he received a prefix to the name "otchigin" (diminutive form of "отгон" or “otgon” meaning "junior", Also Ot (Fire)
Tegin
Tegin ( otk, 𐱅𐰃𐰏𐰤, Tegin, also tigin, Middle Chinese, MC *''dək-gɨn'' > Pinyin: ''Tèqín''; , erroneously ''Tèlè'' ) is a Turkic peoples, Turkic title, commonly attachable to the names of the junior members of the Khagan's fami ...
(Junior member of Khan family) as old turkic), who in the family is always a "guardian of the family and home", and therefore is often referred to as Temuge-otchigin or simply Otchigin. In childhood and adolescence was somewhat spoiled by his mother and older brothers, inclined to luxury, but was "courageous, powerful and quick in battle" that was recognized even by the family's enemies. When the shaman Kokochu (Teb-Tengri) started dragging the power over the Mongols to his own family, Genghis Khan sanctioned Temuge to kill Kokochu in a staged wrestling match.
As the youngest male sibling, Temüge and his mother, by Mongol traditions, were allotted the most land and people by Genghis Khan during his coronation. Although he seems to have been the least warlike of the brothers, and was criticized by Genghis himself for being lazy and shiftless, Temüge proved himself to be a skilled politician and capable ruler, who, alongside his mother
Hoelun
Hoelun (also Hoelun Üjin; Mongolian: ; Cyrillic: Өэлүн үжин, Өэлүн эх, ''Mother Hoelun'', Öülen/Oulen; ), 1140-1221 was the mother of Genghis Khan and the wife of his father Yesügei, the chief of the Khamag Mongol confederat ...
, ruled the Mongol heartland in his elder brothers' absence being engaged in war campaigns. He appears to have had intellectual leanings, first coming under the influence of the conquered
Xia
Xia (Hsia in Wade–Giles) may refer to:
Chinese history
* Xia dynasty (c. 2070 – c. 1600 BC), the first orthodox dynasty in Chinese history
* Xia (Sixteen Kingdoms) (407–431), a Xiongnu-led dynasty
* Xia (617–621), a state founded by Dou Ji ...
and
Jin cultures and then taking an active interest in the other cultures encompassed in the vast Mongol empire.
[Temuge met a grim fate-after the death of his nephew Ogedei, he tried to seize the throne. Instead, he was arrested and executed by Great Khatun Töregene.]
Temuge attempted to enter the main political arena after the death of
Ögedei Khan
Ögedei Khagan (also Ogodei;, Mongolian: ''Ögedei'', ''Ögüdei''; – 11 December 1241) was second khagan-emperor of the Mongol Empire. The third son of Genghis Khan, he continued the expansion of the empire that his father had begun.
...
, his nephew and son of Genghis Khan, in 1241. At that time, Ogedei's son
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 ...
was engaged in so-called "Western campaign" in Russia and Europe, so Temuge-otchigin tried to seize the throne, but he was prevented by
Töregene, Ogedei's widow and Güyük's mother. After the 1246
kurultai
Kurultai ( Mongolian: , Хуралдай, ''Khuraldai'') or ; Kazakh: Құрылтай, ''Qūryltai''; tt-Cyrl, Корылтай, ; ba, Ҡоролтай, ; az, Qurultay; tk, Gurultaý was a political and military council of ancient Mongol a ...
elected Güyük as great khan, Temüge was executed.
Ancestry
References
Genghis Khan
Mongol Empire people
1168 births
1246 deaths
People executed by the Mongol Empire
Borjigin
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