Chormaqan (also Chormagan or Chormaqan Noyan) (;
Chagatai: جورماقان;
Khalkha Mongolian
The Khalkha dialect is a dialect of central Mongolian widely spoken in Mongolia. According to some classifications, the Khalkha dialect includes Inner Mongolian varieties such as ''Shiliin gol'', ''Ulaanchab'' and ''Sönid''. As it was the basis ...
: ; died was one of the most famous generals of the
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire was the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in human history, 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 Euro ...
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 ...
and
Ögedei Khan
Ögedei Khan (also Ögedei Khagan or Ogodei; 11 December 1241) was the second Khan (title), khan of the Mongol Empire. The third son of Genghis Khan, he continued the expansion of the empire that his father had begun.
Born in 1186 AD, Öged ...
. He was also a member of the
keshik.
Career
A member of the
Sunud tribe, Chormaqan is mentioned in ''
The Secret History of Mongols'' many times. He probably participated in the Mongol campaigns in North
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
and later in the
Subutai
Subutai (c. 1175–1248) was a Mongol general and the primary military strategist of Genghis Khan and Ögedei Khan. He ultimately directed more than 20 campaigns, during which he conquered more territory than any other commander in history a ...
's and
Jebe
Jebe (or Jebei, , pronounced as ''Zev''; birth name: Jirqo'adai (Modern Mongolian: Zurgaadai), , ) (death: approximately 1224) was one of the most prominent Noyans (generals) of Genghis Khan. He belonged to the Besud clan, part of the Taichud ...
's famous journey through
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
and
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
n
steppe
In physical geography, a steppe () is an ecoregion characterized by grassland plains without closed forests except near rivers and lakes.
Steppe biomes may include:
* the montane grasslands and shrublands biome
* the tropical and subtropica ...
s. He was a quiver bearer, as such often mentioned in sources as "
Qurchi".
He was appointed by
Ögedei in the winter of 1230 to renew the Mongol conquests in
Persia
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
, which had languished since Genghis Khan's assault on and near destruction of the
Khwarezmid Empire
The Khwarazmian Empire (), or simply Khwarazm, was a culturally Persianate, Sunni Muslim empire of Turkic '' mamluk'' origin. Khwarazmians ruled large parts of present-day Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Iran from 1077 to 1231; first as vass ...
from 1218 to 1223. His army reportedly consisted of around 30,000 to 50,000 men.
At the approach of Chormagan and the new Mongol army, the small Khwarezmid band under
Jalal ad-Din were swept away. Further campaigns in the mid-1230s, based from the steppes in
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
around
Tabriz
Tabriz (; ) is a city in the Central District (Tabriz County), Central District of Tabriz County, in the East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan province of northwestern Iran. It serves as capital of the province, the county, and the distric ...
, firmly established the
Kingdom of Georgia
The Kingdom of Georgia (), also known as the Georgian Empire, was a Middle Ages, medieval Eurasian monarchy that was founded in Anno Domini, AD. It reached Georgian Golden Age, its Golden Age of political and economic strength during the reign ...
and
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, also known as Cilician Armenia, Lesser Armenia, Little Armenia or New Armenia, and formerly known as the Armenian Principality of Cilicia, was an Armenian state formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian ...
as vassals to the Mongols. It is theorized that these moves may have been made to secure communications for the attack westward led by
Batu that followed shortly thereafter.
Chormaqan also received the submission of the
Qutlugkhanids in
Kerman
Kerman (; ) is a city in the Central District (Kerman County), Central District of Kerman County, Kerman province, Kerman province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district.
History
Kerman was founded as a def ...
, whose ruler
Buraq Hajib Buraq Hajib, also spelt Baraq Hajib (died 1234), Mernissi, Fatima; Mary Jo Lakeland (2003). The forgotten queens of Islam. Oxford University Press. . was a Khitan who founded the Qutlugh-Khanid dynasty in the southern Persian province of Kirman ...
sent his son
Rukn al-Din Mubarak Khwaja Rukn al-Din Mubarak Khwaja was a Qutlugkhanid ruler of Kerman and the son of Buraq Hajib, founder of the dynasty.
Life
He was the only son of Buraq Hajib and Uka Khatun. He was sent to court of Ögedei Khan in 1234 by his father as a gesture o ...
to Ögedei's court. Another local noble who submitted was
Salghurid
The Salghurids (), also known as the Atabegs of Fars (), were a Persianate society, Persianate dynasty of Salur tribe, Salur Turkoman (ethnonym), Turkoman origin that ruled Fars province, Fars, first as vassals of the Seljuks then for the Khwara ...
atabeg Abu Bakr b. Sa'd I, who sent his brother or nephew Tahamtan to
Karakorum
Karakorum (Khalkha Mongolian: Хархорум, ''Kharkhorum''; Mongolian script:, ''Qaraqorum'') was the capital city, capital of the Mongol Empire between 1235 and 1260 and of the Northern Yuan, Northern Yuan dynasty in the late 14th and 1 ...
.
Isfahan
Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...
did not submit to Mongol rule, therefore he had to lay a siege to there in 1236. Upon submission of Georgian and Armenian feudals, he divided
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States
Georgia may also refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
up to 8 tumens and set up
Ganja
''Ganja'' (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for cannabis flower, specifically marijuana or hashish. Its usage in English dates to before 1689.
Etymology
''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi (, IPA: aːɲd͡ʒa ...
as his powerbase, although some sources state he
Ani,
Kars
Kars ( or ; ; ) is a city in northeast Turkey. It is the seat of Kars Province and Kars District.[ ...]
and environs. His rule weakened in 1239 on arrival of Chinqai and
Korguz to Khorasan, to whom fiscal administrator was transferred by
Ögedei.
Chormaqan died around 1241 and was replaced by
Baiju, his lieutenant.
Family
His wife Altani held considerable amount of influence in
ordo
''Ordo'' (Latin "order, rank, class") may refer to:
* A musical phrase constructed from one or more statements of a rhythmic mode pattern and ending in a rest
* Big O notation in calculation of algorithm computational complexity
* Orda (organizati ...
, upon whose suggestion Baiju was appointed. His son
Shiramun later served under the
Il-khans Hulagu
Hulegu Khan, also known as Hülegü or Hulagu; ; ; ; ( 8 February 1265), was a Mongol ruler who conquered much of Western Asia. As a son of Tolui and the Keraite princess Sorghaghtani Beki, he was a grandson of Genghis Khan and brother of Ar ...
and
Abaqa
Abaqa Khan (27 February 1234 – 4 April 1282, , "paternal uncle", also transliterated Abaġa), was the second Mongol ruler ('' Ilkhan'') of the Ilkhanate. The son of Hulagu Khan and Lady Yesünčin and the grandson of Tolui, he reigned from 1265 ...
.
[Jackson, Peter (December 15, 1993)]
Čormāgūn
''Encyclopædia Iranica
''Encyclopædia Iranica'' is a project whose goal is to create a comprehensive and authoritative English-language encyclopedia about the history, culture, and civilization of Iranian peoples from prehistory to modern times.
Scope
The ''Encyc ...
''. His daughter
Esukan was married to King
David VII of Georgia.
His other son was Bora. Armenian Prince
Hasan Jalal
Hasan-Jalalyan ( is a medieval Armenian people, Armenian dynasty that ruled over parts of the South Caucasus. From the early thirteenth century, the family held sway in Khachen (Greater Artsakh (historic province), Artsakh) in what are now the ...
offered him the hand of his daughter Ruzanna (Ruzukan). Bora was executed during reign of Hulagu.
References
External links
''Chormaqan Noyan: The First Mongol Military Governor in the Middle East'' by Timothy May''Chormaqan and the Mongol Conquest of the Middle East'' by Timothy May
Generals of the Mongol Empire
Genghis Khan
1241 deaths
13th-century generals
Year of birth unknown
{{Mongol-Empire-stub