Esen Buqa I
Encyclopedia
Esen Buqa I was Khan of the Chagatai Khanate
(1310 – c. 1318). He was the son of Duwa
.
In 1309 Esen Buqa's brother Kebek
ordered a meeting (quriltai) to determine the future of the khanate following his seizure of power. The meeting resulted in Esen Buqa being proclaimed khan.
Esen Buqa spent the bulk of his reign in conflict with two of his neighbors, the Yuan dynasty
of China
and the Ilkhanate
of Persia. The Chaghadaids feared a Yuan-Ilkhanate alliance against the state; this fear was caused by the testimony of the Yuan's emissary to the Ilkhanate, Abishqa. The diplomat, while travelling through Central Asia, revealed to a Chaghadaid commander that such an alliance had been created, and Yuan-Ilkhanate forces were mobilizing to attack the khanate. Abishqa's testimony was never corroborated with any evidence, but Esen Buqa remained convinced of the truth of his statement.
Yuan forces had, in fact, already for a long time been entrenched in the east. This was originally meant to keep Chapar in submission, but since the latter's defeat in 1310, the garrisons were perceived as a threat to the Chaghadaid state. In order to solve the shortages of pasture grounds, Esen Buqa in 1312 sent envoys in an attempt to negotiate with the border garrison commander Tughaji Jinsank in order to convince them to adjust their position. The negotiations, however, did not go well, and strained relations between the two. Esen Buqa sent tribute to the Yuan court in 1312 and 1313, but Yuan attempts to restrict trade between the two states kept tensions high. Esen Buqa attempted to gain the support of Uzbeg Khan
of the Golden Horde
, but without success.
Because of these events, Esen Buqa decided to attack the Yuan forces, thus breaking the peace that his father Duwa had brokered with China in 1304. The element of surprise, however, was lost when a Chaghadaid official defected to Tughaji's camp and revealed the plan. Tughaji withdrew his troops to beyond the Irtysh
, then defeated Esen Buqa's troops in the spring of 1314. The magnitude of the defeat was such that Esen Buqa sought peace, claiming to the Yuan court that Tughaji had moved to attack first. Chunqur, a son of Tughaji, convinced the Chagatai khan that none of the Yuan troops besides Tughaji's would move against him if he attacked again. Tughaji, however, again kept Esen Buqa's troops from victory. The Yuan Emperor Renzong
, growing impatient with Esen Buqa, ordered all of the garrisons to invade the Chagatai realm. Hami was conquered, and Uzbeg Khan again rejected Esen Buqa's invitation for an alliance in 1315.
In an attempt to make up for some of his losses, Esen Buqa launched an invasion of Khurasan
, a part of the Ilkhanate, sometime after 1315. The invasion, while initially successful, turned sour when news reached the army that Talas
and the pasture of Issyk Kül had been captured by Yuan forces. Many of the Chaghadaid troops' families had been located there, and, already tired of campaigning, they fled back home. The defection of a Yuan contender, Qoshila, to Esen Buqa's side did little to improve the situation, and the Yuan continued to advance their position. Only Esen Buqa's death in either 1318 or 1320, and the ascension again of his brother Kebek to the Chagatai throne, allowed peace to prosper again in the region.
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...
(1310 – c. 1318). He was the son of Duwa
Duwa
Duwa , also known as Du'a, was khan of the Chagatai Khanate . He was the second son of Baraq. He was the longest reigning monarch of the Chagatayid Khanate and accepted the Great Khan's supremacy...
.
In 1309 Esen Buqa's brother Kebek
Kebek
Kebek was khan of the Chagatai Khanate from 1309 until 1310, and again from c. 1318 until his death.-First Reign:Kebek was the son of Duwa, who was khan from 1282 until 1307...
ordered a meeting (quriltai) to determine the future of the khanate following his seizure of power. The meeting resulted in Esen Buqa being proclaimed khan.
Esen Buqa spent the bulk of his reign in conflict with two of his neighbors, 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...
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and the 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...
of Persia. The Chaghadaids feared a Yuan-Ilkhanate alliance against the state; this fear was caused by the testimony of the Yuan's emissary to the Ilkhanate, Abishqa. The diplomat, while travelling through Central Asia, revealed to a Chaghadaid commander that such an alliance had been created, and Yuan-Ilkhanate forces were mobilizing to attack the khanate. Abishqa's testimony was never corroborated with any evidence, but Esen Buqa remained convinced of the truth of his statement.
Yuan forces had, in fact, already for a long time been entrenched in the east. This was originally meant to keep Chapar in submission, but since the latter's defeat in 1310, the garrisons were perceived as a threat to the Chaghadaid state. In order to solve the shortages of pasture grounds, Esen Buqa in 1312 sent envoys in an attempt to negotiate with the border garrison commander Tughaji Jinsank in order to convince them to adjust their position. The negotiations, however, did not go well, and strained relations between the two. Esen Buqa sent tribute to the Yuan court in 1312 and 1313, but Yuan attempts to restrict trade between the two states kept tensions high. Esen Buqa attempted to gain the support of Uzbeg Khan
Uzbeg Khan
Sultan Mohammed Öz-Beg, better known as Uzbeg or Ozbeg , was the longest-reigning khan of the Golden Horde, under whose rule the state reached its zenith...
of the Golden Horde
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
, but without success.
Because of these events, Esen Buqa decided to attack the Yuan forces, thus breaking the peace that his father Duwa had brokered with China in 1304. The element of surprise, however, was lost when a Chaghadaid official defected to Tughaji's camp and revealed the plan. Tughaji withdrew his troops to beyond the Irtysh
Irtysh
The Irtysh River is a river in Siberia and is the chief tributary of the Ob River. Its name means White River. Irtysh's main affluent is the Tobol River...
, then defeated Esen Buqa's troops in the spring of 1314. The magnitude of the defeat was such that Esen Buqa sought peace, claiming to the Yuan court that Tughaji had moved to attack first. Chunqur, a son of Tughaji, convinced the Chagatai khan that none of the Yuan troops besides Tughaji's would move against him if he attacked again. Tughaji, however, again kept Esen Buqa's troops from victory. The Yuan Emperor Renzong
Emperor Renzong of Yuan China
Buyantu Khan , also known as Emperor Renzong of Yuan , born Ayurbarwada, was the Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, and is regarded as the eighth Great Khan of the Mongols in Mongolia....
, growing impatient with Esen Buqa, ordered all of the garrisons to invade the Chagatai realm. Hami was conquered, and Uzbeg Khan again rejected Esen Buqa's invitation for an alliance in 1315.
In an attempt to make up for some of his losses, Esen Buqa launched an invasion of Khurasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
, a part of the Ilkhanate, sometime after 1315. The invasion, while initially successful, turned sour when news reached the army that Talas
Taraz
Taraz , is a city and a center of the Jambyl Province in Kazakhstan. It is located in the south of Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan, on the Talas River...
and the pasture of Issyk Kül had been captured by Yuan forces. Many of the Chaghadaid troops' families had been located there, and, already tired of campaigning, they fled back home. The defection of a Yuan contender, Qoshila, to Esen Buqa's side did little to improve the situation, and the Yuan continued to advance their position. Only Esen Buqa's death in either 1318 or 1320, and the ascension again of his brother Kebek to the Chagatai throne, allowed peace to prosper again in the region.