Antong (), alternatively rendered as Hantum (1245 or 1248–1293), of the

Mongol Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China (Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family of M ...

Jalair clan, was a prominent official of the

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...

of China, serving during the reign of

Kublai Khan Kublai Khan (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 and first emperor of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty of China. He proclaimed the ...

(Emperor Shizu). As a great-grandson of Muqali, one of the greatest generals under

Genghis Khan Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; August 1227), also known as Chinggis Khan, was the founder and first khan (title), khan of the Mongol Empire. After spending most of his life uniting the Mongols, Mongol tribes, he launched Mongol invasions and ...

, he became an influential administrator in the administration of the Yuan dynasty, one of the chiefs of Kublai's administration. He was born to Ba'atur (d. 1261), a grandson of Muqali, and Temülün, the elder sister of Kublai's wife Chabi. Antong was well-educated in

Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, Religious Confucianism, religion, theory of government, or way of li ...

, and had accompanied Kublai since he was still a boy. He had a good knowledge of Chinese law, and was one of the Mongolian aristocrats who were most popular with the Han. After the enthronement of Kublai in 1260, he was appointed the commander of the imperial guards, when he was only sixteen. In 1265, he was again appointed as the grand chancellor of the Central Secretariat (Zhongshu Sheng), and actively supported Kublai Khan to adopt and honor

and Han court rituals, and opposed the influence of

Ahmad Fanakati Ahmad Fanākatī, alternatively rendered as Ahmad Banākatī (; ; before 1242 — 10 April 1282) was a Persian Muslim from the Qara Khitai (Western Liao dynasty) who served as chancellor and finance minister of the Yuan dynasty during Kublai's ...

. In 1275, he was dispatched to assist Nomokhan, a son of Kublai Khan, to confront the attacks of Kaidu from

Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...

. He was captured due to the insurgency of his own underlings, and was handed over to

Mengu-Timur Mengu-Timur ( ) or Möngke Temür (; died 1280) was a son of Toqoqan Khan (himself the son of Batu) and Köchu Khatun of Oirat, the daughter of Toralchi Küregen and granddaughter of Qutuqa Beki. Mengu-Timur was a khan of the Golden Horde, ...

, khan of the

Golden Horde The Golden Horde, self-designated as ''Ulug Ulus'' ( 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 division of ...

, who, in turn, passed him on to Kaidu. He was not allowed to return to the Yuan dynasty until 1284. However, he gradually lost the trust of Kublai Khan upon his return, and died in 1293. He was granted the

posthumous name A posthumous name is an honorary Personal name, name given mainly to revered dead people in East Asian cultural sphere, East Asian culture. It is predominantly used in Asian countries such as China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand. ...

Prince Zhongxian of Dongping () by Temür Khan (Emperor Chengzong) in 1303.

References

1240s births 1293 deaths Yuan dynasty right chancellors {{China-mil-bio-stub