Jamuqa
Encyclopedia
Jamukha was a Mongol military and political leader and the chief rival to Temüjin
(later Genghis Khan
) in the unification of the Mongol tribes.
Jamukha born in the Jadaran, a sub-tribe of the Khamag Mongol
confederation, and Jamukha was an anda (childhood friend) and a blood brother
to Temüjin.
According to The Secret History of the Mongols
, when Börte
, wife of Temüjin, was abducted by the Three Mergids
; Wang Khan
, Jamukha and Temüjin combined forces against the Mergids to recover her.
In 1201, the thirteen remaining tribes (Mergid, Tatar, Naiman etc..) and Mongol tribes not allied with Temujin (Jadaran, Taichuud etc..) tribal leaders assembled a khurultai
and elected Jamukha as Gur Khan
, universal ruler, a title used by the rulers of the Kara-Khitan Khanate
. Jamukha's assumption of this title was the final breach between Temüjin and Jamukha, leading Temüjin to form a coalition of tribes to oppose him. In the fall of that year, a great battle broke out between Jamukha's alliance and Khereit-Khamag Mongol alliance at the Ergune
valley (Battle of the Thirteen sides). This decisive battle ended with Temujin's victory and eventual ascension as Khan of all united Mongol tribes.
Jamukha was less successful in coalition-building because, unlike Temüjin, he maintained traditional divisions between tribes in his forces and assigned commands by hereditary rank rather than merit. In particular, Jamukha did not recruit shepherds who lacked tribal status in the Mongol tradition. This allowed Temüjin to recover from a series of military defeats inflicted by Jamukha and to emerge victorious.
states that Temüjin offered renewal of their brotherhood, but Jamukha insisted that just as there was room for only one sun in the sky, there was room only for one Mongol lord. He asked to be executed by dying a noble death without the spilling of blood. His request was granted by having his back broken by Temüjin's soldiers.
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
(later Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
) in the unification of the Mongol tribes.
Jamukha born in the Jadaran, a sub-tribe of the Khamag Mongol
Khamag Mongol
Khamag Mongol was a major tribal confederation in Mongolian plateau in 12th century. It is sometimes also considered a predecessor state to the Mongol Empire....
confederation, and Jamukha was an anda (childhood friend) and a blood brother
Blood brother
Blood brother can refer to one of two things: two males related by birth, or two or more men not related by birth who have sworn loyalty to each other. This is usually done in a ceremony, known as a blood oath, where the blood of each man is mingled together...
to Temüjin.
According to The Secret History of the Mongols
The Secret History of the Mongols
The Secret History of the Mongols is the oldest surviving Mongolian-language literary work...
, when Börte
Börte
Börte was the first wife of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. Börte became the head of the first Court of Genghis Khan, and Grand Empress of his Empire. Little is known about the details of her early life, but she was betrothed to him at a young age, married at 17, and then...
, wife of Temüjin, was abducted by the Three Mergids
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...
; Wang Khan
Wang Khan
Wang Khan, also Ong Khan, was the title given to the Kerait ruler Toghrul by the Jurchen Jin Dynasty of China. Like the rest of their tribe he may have been Nestorian Christian...
, Jamukha and Temüjin combined forces against the Mergids to recover her.
In 1201, the thirteen remaining tribes (Mergid, Tatar, Naiman etc..) and Mongol tribes not allied with Temujin (Jadaran, Taichuud etc..) tribal leaders assembled a khurultai
Kurultai
Kurultai is a political and military council of ancient Mongol and Turkic chiefs and khans. The root of the word "Khural" means political "meeting" or "assembly" in the Mongolian language, it is also a verb for "to be established"...
and elected Jamukha as Gur 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...
, universal ruler, a title used by the rulers of the Kara-Khitan Khanate
Kara-Khitan Khanate
The Kara-Khitan Khanate, or Western Liao was a Khitan empire in Central Asia. The dynasty was founded by Yelü Dashi, who led the remnants of the Liao Dynasty to Central Asia after fleeing from the Jurchen conquest of their homeland in North and Northeast of modern day China...
. Jamukha's assumption of this title was the final breach between Temüjin and Jamukha, leading Temüjin to form a coalition of tribes to oppose him. In the fall of that year, a great battle broke out between Jamukha's alliance and Khereit-Khamag Mongol alliance at the Ergune
Argun River (Asia)
Ergune or Argun is the river which is a part of the Russia–China border. Its upper reaches are known as Hailar River in China. Its length is 1,007 mi...
valley (Battle of the Thirteen sides). This decisive battle ended with Temujin's victory and eventual ascension as Khan of all united Mongol tribes.
Jamukha was less successful in coalition-building because, unlike Temüjin, he maintained traditional divisions between tribes in his forces and assigned commands by hereditary rank rather than merit. In particular, Jamukha did not recruit shepherds who lacked tribal status in the Mongol tradition. This allowed Temüjin to recover from a series of military defeats inflicted by Jamukha and to emerge victorious.
Death
Jamukha was eventually betrayed to Temüjin by his followers in 1206. Temüjin executed Jamukha's betrayers on the principle that betrayal merits the harshest punishment. The Secret History of the MongolsThe Secret History of the Mongols
The Secret History of the Mongols is the oldest surviving Mongolian-language literary work...
states that Temüjin offered renewal of their brotherhood, but Jamukha insisted that just as there was room for only one sun in the sky, there was room only for one Mongol lord. He asked to be executed by dying a noble death without the spilling of blood. His request was granted by having his back broken by Temüjin's soldiers.