Oghul Qaimish
Encyclopedia
Oghul Qaimish was the principal wife of Güyük Khan
and ruled as regent
over the Mongol empire
after the death of her husband in 1248. She was a descendant from the Mergid
tribe. However, H.H.Howorth believed that she was an Oirat
.
put down the rebellion of her clan in 1216-19. Oghul Qaimish bore Guyuk two sons, Khoja and Naqu. When her husband died in Qum-Sengir in Turkestan
, she brought his ordo
in the Ogedeids' appanage in Emil
-Qobaq region in 1248. Guyuk's chief officials, Chinqai, Qadaq and Bala, helped Oghul to serve as regent. She spent her time with the Mongol shamans and lacked her mother-in-law, Toregene's political skills. While her sons, Naqu and Khoja, and Shiremun, the grandson of Ogedei, attempted to secure their claims on the throne, Chagatayid Khan Yesu Mongke
primarily supported Oghul Qaimish.
Before or during the regency of Oghul, her husband's general Eljigidei
sent the embassy to Louis IX of France
to offer an alliance against the Muslims. Louis sent his men headed by André de Longjumeau in reply, but after she received them at her ordo on Emil, Oghul Qaimish sent them back with presents and letters announcing the Mongol demand for submission.
In 1249, Batu
arranged a kurultai
where Möngke
was chosen as Khagan
at Ala Qamaq in the Ulus of Jochi. Oghul declined Batu's invitation and sent Bala to that assembly with a demand that Shiremun or one of the Ogedeids be elected khan. When the Tolui
ds and the Golden Horde
organized a second kurultai on the Kherlen River
in 1251, which officially proclaimed Mongke Khan, Oghul Qaimish refused, with her son Khoja, to come. Most of the Ogedeid and Chagataid princes supported her.
After her opponent, Möngke was elected in 1251, Oghul Qaimish's sons and Shiremun attempted to overthrow Mongke. When the plot was discovered, Khoja was exiled to the South China
front and Shiremun was executed. Oghul Qaimish and Shiremun's mother Qadaqach were summoned to court and arrested. When Oghul Qaimish was stripped naked, she was angry with Sorghaghtani and other imperial females who questioned her in closed ger
. After torture she was executed by being wrapped in felt
and flung into a river.
Güyük Khan
Güyük was the third Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. As the eldest son of Ögedei Khan and a grandson of Genghis Khan, he reigned from 1246 to 1248...
and ruled as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
over the Mongol empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
after the death of her husband in 1248. She was a descendant from the Mergid
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...
tribe. However, H.H.Howorth believed that she was an Oirat
Oirats
Oirats are the westernmost group of the Mongols who unified several tribes origin whose ancestral home is in the Altai region of western Mongolia. Although the Oirats originated in the eastern parts of Central Asia, the most prominent group today is located in the Republic of Kalmykia, a federal...
.
Life
She was given as wife to Guyuk after Genghis KhanGenghis 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....
put down the rebellion of her clan in 1216-19. Oghul Qaimish bore Guyuk two sons, Khoja and Naqu. When her husband died in Qum-Sengir in Turkestan
Turkestan
Turkestan, spelled also as Turkistan, literally means "Land of the Turks".The term Turkestan is of Persian origin and has never been in use to denote a single nation. It was first used by Persian geographers to describe the place of Turkish peoples...
, she brought 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...
in the Ogedeids' appanage in Emil
Emil
-People:* Emil , including a list of people with the given name Emil or Emile-Books:*Emile: or, On Education , a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, originally titled Émile ou de l'education...
-Qobaq region in 1248. Guyuk's chief officials, Chinqai, Qadaq and Bala, helped Oghul to serve as regent. She spent her time with the Mongol shamans and lacked her mother-in-law, Toregene's political skills. While her sons, Naqu and Khoja, and Shiremun, the grandson of Ogedei, attempted to secure their claims on the throne, Chagatayid Khan Yesu Mongke
Yesü Möngke
Yesü Möngke was head of the ulus of the Chagatai Khanate . He was the son of Chagatai Khan.In or around 1246, he was appointed as khan of the Chagatai Khanate by his cousin the Great Khan Güyük Khan, whom he was friends with, following the deposition of Qara Hülëgü...
primarily supported Oghul Qaimish.
Before or during the regency of Oghul, her husband's general Eljigidei
Eljigidei
Eljigidei was a Mongol commander in Persia, fl. He supposedly commanded a strong contingent when Chingis Khan invaded Khwarizm in 1219–1223. Ogedei was close to Eljihidey. That's why Eljigidei was given command over the Mongol forces in Persia, by the new khan Güyük in 1246, replacing Baiju...
sent the embassy to Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
to offer an alliance against the Muslims. Louis sent his men headed by André de Longjumeau in reply, but after she received them at her ordo on Emil, Oghul Qaimish sent them back with presents and letters announcing the Mongol demand for submission.
In 1249, Batu
Batu Khan
Batu Khan was a Mongol ruler and founder of the Ulus of Jochi , the sub-khanate of the Mongol Empire. Batu was a son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. His ulus was the chief state of the Golden Horde , which ruled Rus and the Caucasus for around 250 years, after also destroying the armies...
arranged a kurultai
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"...
where Möngke
Mongke
Mongke means "eternal" in Mongolian language and may refer to:-Medieval:* Möngke Khan , Great khan of the Mongol Empire* Yesü Möngke, khan of Chagatai khanate, 1247-1252* Mengu-Timur Mongke (also Mönkh, Monkh, Munkh) means "eternal" in Mongolian language and may refer to:-Medieval:* Möngke Khan...
was chosen as Khagan
Khagan
Khagan or qagan , alternatively spelled kagan, khaghan, qaghan, or chagan, is a title of imperial rank in the Mongolian and Turkic languages equal to the status of emperor and someone who rules a khaganate...
at Ala Qamaq in the Ulus of Jochi. Oghul declined Batu's invitation and sent Bala to that assembly with a demand that Shiremun or one of the Ogedeids be elected khan. When the Tolui
Tolui
Tolui, was the youngest son of Genghis Khan by his chief khatun Börte...
ds and 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...
organized a second kurultai on the Kherlen River
Kherlen River
Kherlen River is a river of 1,254 km length in Mongolia and China.-Course:The river has its origin in the south slopes of the Khentii mountains, near the Burkhan Khaldun mountain in the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area, about 180 km northeast of Ulaanbaatar...
in 1251, which officially proclaimed Mongke Khan, Oghul Qaimish refused, with her son Khoja, to come. Most of the Ogedeid and Chagataid princes supported her.
After her opponent, Möngke was elected in 1251, Oghul Qaimish's sons and Shiremun attempted to overthrow Mongke. When the plot was discovered, Khoja was exiled to the South China
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
front and Shiremun was executed. Oghul Qaimish and Shiremun's mother Qadaqach were summoned to court and arrested. When Oghul Qaimish was stripped naked, she was angry with Sorghaghtani and other imperial females who questioned her in closed ger
Ger
Ger may refer to:*Ger , a Hasidic dynasty from Góra Kalwaria*Ger , the javelin of the Germanic tribe of the Teutons*Germany *German language *Granular endoplasmic reticulum *Gross Enrollment Ratio...
. After torture she was executed by being wrapped in felt
Felt
Felt is a non-woven cloth that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing woollen fibres. While some types of felt are very soft, some are tough enough to form construction materials. Felt can be of any colour, and made into any shape or size....
and flung into a river.