Baydu
Encyclopedia
Baydu (died 1295) was the sixth ruler of the Mongol empire's
Ilkhanate
division in Iran
. He succeeded his cousin Gaykhatu
as khan
of the Ilkhanate state in 1295.
Gaykhatu had been killed by a group of conspirators led by Taghachar
, a commander in the Mongol army, who then placed Baydu in power. Baydu was considered easygoing and controllable, and under him, the Ilkhanate was divided among the co-conspirators.
Baydu had strong sympathies to Christianity
, but was required to act outwardly as a Muslim
. According to Saunders in Mongol Conquests, Baydu allowed churches on his ordo
and wore a cross around his neck. He was urged by his followers to rid himself of Ghazan, but refused out of affection. However, his followers gradually deserted him, in part because of the intrigues of Emir Nauruz. Baydu attempted to escape and flee from Azerbaijan
to Georgia
, but was taken prisoner near Nakhichevan
. After only five months in power he was executed on the 5th of October, 1295, during the civil war with his successor Mahmud Ghazan
.
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
Ilkhanate
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
division in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. He succeeded his cousin Gaykhatu
Gaykhatu
Gaykhatu was the fifth Ilkhanate ruler in Iran. He reigned from 1291 to 1295. During his reign, Gaykhatu was a noted dissolute who was addicted to wine, women, and sodomy...
as khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
of the Ilkhanate state in 1295.
Gaykhatu had been killed by a group of conspirators led by Taghachar
Taghachar
Taghachar, also spelled Tajir, Ta'achar was a commander in the army of the Mongol Empire. He was one of the conspirators involved in the overthrow of three Ilkhanate khans, and placed the short-lived Baidu on the throne in 1295...
, a commander in the Mongol army, who then placed Baydu in power. Baydu was considered easygoing and controllable, and under him, the Ilkhanate was divided among the co-conspirators.
Baydu had strong sympathies to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, but was required to act outwardly as a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. According to Saunders in Mongol Conquests, Baydu allowed churches on his ordo
Ordo
Ordo may refer to:* A musical phrase constructed from one or more statements of a rhythmic mode pattern and ending in a rest* Ordo , is a nomadic palace for the Mongol aristocrats and the Turkic rulers...
and wore a cross around his neck. He was urged by his followers to rid himself of Ghazan, but refused out of affection. However, his followers gradually deserted him, in part because of the intrigues of Emir Nauruz. Baydu attempted to escape and flee from Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
to Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, but was taken prisoner near Nakhichevan
Nakhichevan
The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is a landlocked exclave of Azerbaijan. The region covers 5,363 km² and borders Armenia to the east and north, Iran to the south and west, and Turkey to the northwest...
. After only five months in power he was executed on the 5th of October, 1295, during the civil war with his successor Mahmud Ghazan
Mahmud Ghazan
Mahmud Ghazan was the seventh ruler of the Mongol Empire's Ilkhanate division in modern-day Iran from 1295 to 1304. He was the son of Arghun and Quthluq Khatun, continuing a line of rulers who were direct descendants of Genghis Khan...
.