Bayan of the Merkid
Encyclopedia
Bayan of the Mergid was a Mongol general of the Mergid
clan and official in the Yuan Dynasty
. At the turn of the 13th/14th centuries he, together with the Turk
El Temür, was a member of the group around Qaishan. Qaishan was a nephew of Temür Khan and appointed to defend Mongolia
against the Chagatai Khanate
under Kaidu
, the grandson of Ogedei. In one battle, he repelled and chased the Ogedeid army; and was given the title of Baghatur
. After Temür's death, Qaishan was the one who emerged as the new Yuan emperor, and Bayan was among those who received official positionas as reward. Later, Bayan was governour of Henan
. Historians describe him as a traditionalist who attempted to preserve Mongolian culture while he is seen as violent aristocrat by some.
In the conflicts about the succession of Tugh Temür Khan after 1332, Bayan broke with El Temür and supported Toghon Temür, who ascended the throne in 1333 (the same who would lose China in 1368). He was appointed commander of kheshig
, composed of Mongols
, Kypchaks, Russians
and Asud
in 1334. Until 1335 Bayan succeeded in annihilating El Temür's sons and family. Bayan began concentrating official positions in his person that had not been so concentrated before. He implemented rather conservative politics, abolishing the imperial examination system
, and aiming at containing the number of Han Chinese in the upper echelons of the Yuan bureaucracy. He once suggested the emperor to killed those Han Chinese
of the large surnames Zhang
, Wang
, Liu
, Li
and Zhao
to suppress the rebellion. In 1339 he became great chancellor . At this time he had probably gone too far, in any case he was toppled in 1340 by his nephew Toghtogha. Shortly after that, his purges were called off and his policies were reversed.
Merkit
The Mergid was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in the 12th century.The Mergids inhabited in basins of the Selenge River and lower Orkhon River...
clan and official in the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
. At the turn of the 13th/14th centuries he, together with the Turk
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
El Temür, was a member of the group around Qaishan. Qaishan was a nephew of Temür Khan and appointed to defend Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
against the Chagatai Khanate
Chagatai Khanate
The Chagatai Khanate was a Turko-Mongol khanate that comprised the lands ruled by Chagatai Khan , second son of the Great Khan Genghis Khan, and his descendents and successors...
under Kaidu
Kaidu
Kaidu was the leader of the House of Ogedei and the de facto khan of the Chagatai Khanate. He ruled part of modern-day Xinjiang and Central Asia during the 13th century, and actively opposed his uncle, Kublai Khan, who established the Yuan Dynasty in China until his death in 1301...
, the grandson of Ogedei. In one battle, he repelled and chased the Ogedeid army; and was given the title of Baghatur
Baghatur
Baghatur is a historical Turco-Mongol honorific title, in origin a term for "hero" or "valiant warrior".The term was first used by the steppe peoples to the north and west of China as early as the 7th century as evidenced in Sui dynasty records...
. After Temür's death, Qaishan was the one who emerged as the new Yuan emperor, and Bayan was among those who received official positionas as reward. Later, Bayan was governour of Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
. Historians describe him as a traditionalist who attempted to preserve Mongolian culture while he is seen as violent aristocrat by some.
In the conflicts about the succession of Tugh Temür Khan after 1332, Bayan broke with El Temür and supported Toghon Temür, who ascended the throne in 1333 (the same who would lose China in 1368). He was appointed commander of kheshig
Kheshig
Kheshig were the imperial guard for Mongol royalty in the Mongol Empire, particularly for the rulers like the Genghis Khan and his wife Borte. Their primary purpose was as a body guard for the emperors and rulers and to protect them during the day and night...
, composed of Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
, Kypchaks, Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Asud
Asud
Asud were a guard and military group of Alani origin. The Mongol clan Asud is the plural of As, the Arabic name for the Alans.After the Mongol invasion of Rus, many Alans submitted to the Mongol Empire. Some of them resisted the Golden Horde longer. Many warriors moved from Northern Caucasia to...
in 1334. Until 1335 Bayan succeeded in annihilating El Temür's sons and family. Bayan began concentrating official positions in his person that had not been so concentrated before. He implemented rather conservative politics, abolishing the imperial examination system
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
, and aiming at containing the number of Han Chinese in the upper echelons of the Yuan bureaucracy. He once suggested the emperor to killed those Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
of the large surnames Zhang
Zhang
Zhang may refer to:* Zhang , common Chinese surname* Zhang County , of Dingxi, Gansu* Zhang River , a river flowing mainly in Henan* Zhang, Beijing , town in Shunyi District, Beijing...
, Wang
Wang
Wang may refer to:Name:* Wang , one of two surnames with distinct Chinese characters.* Titles in Chinese nobility* A title in Korean nobility* A title in Mongolian nobilityPlaces:* Wang River in Thailand...
, Liu
Liu
劉 is a common Chinese family name. The transliteration Liu can represent several different surnames written in different Chinese characters:*劉 / 刘, pinyin: Liú...
, Li
Li
Li or li may refer to:* Li , the Confucian concept of ritual** Li , philosophical concept of principle* Li people, an ethnic group of China...
and Zhao
Zhao
Zhao may refer to:* Zhao , a Chinese surname* Zhao , a historical Chinese state in the Warring States Period* Zhao , a historical Chinese state in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period...
to suppress the rebellion. In 1339 he became great chancellor . At this time he had probably gone too far, in any case he was toppled in 1340 by his nephew Toghtogha. Shortly after that, his purges were called off and his policies were reversed.