Borjigin
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Borjigin (plural Borjigit or Borjigid; Khalkha Mongolian: Боржигин Borjigin; Chinese: 博爾濟吉特; pinyin: Bó'ěrjìjítè) were the imperial clan of Genghis Khan of the Khorchin Mongols. The family ruled over a united Mongol Empire in the 13th century and, in 1271, Kublai Khan—who, as a direct descendant and grandson of Genghis, also carried the name—established the Yuan Dynasty in China. The Borjigit continued to rule over the Mongol Empire, China, and other parts of Asia for much of the following century. In 1368, under Ukhaatu Khan, the Borjigit lost China but members of the family continued to rule over Mongolia into the 17th century and they were the strongest of the 49 Mongol banners well into the Qing Dynasty of China. Borjigin is a common surname in Mongolia today.
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[edit] Origin of the Borjigit
The word borjigin derives of two different words uniting to mean one single word to identify the name of the forefathers and the few generations of the bairns of Genghis Khan. The words are originally of Turkic origin and combined the words börü (wolf) and tigin/tegin (prince).
When the Uyghurs, successors of the Göktürks in the region, moved towards the area of Turfan, the Mongol Shévéys inhabited the area which fell to the north of Ötükän (the homeland of all Turkic peoples, now the Changai Mountains). Those Shévéy people used to tend the camel herds of the Uyghurs and used to fight the Tungus and the Manchu peoples who wanted to obtain and conduct such duty. The Khagan of the Uyghurs who angered over this issue decided to send Börü Tigin (Wolf Prince), who was one of the princes in his court, along with his family as başbuğ (leader) to those Shévéy. This Börütigin family put things back in order, increased the number of camel herds and made Mongols adopt many Turkic legends and sagas.
Around 1160 near the Onon river, a child named Temuchin was born to the Börütigin family that were at the head of the Shévéys who inhabited Ötükän who would become Genghis Khan.
[edit] Mongol Empire and Yuan Dyansty
- Main articles: Genghis Khan, Mongol Empire, and Yuan Dynasty
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[edit] Qing Dynasty
During the initial building of the Qing, the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan had the tradition of diplomatic marriages with Mongols to earn their support. Qing rulers would make Mongol ladies empresses and major concubines. As the Khorchin were the strongest banner, the Manchus were anxious to make alliances the from the Borjigit. These marriages produced two empresses and three dowager empresses of the Qing Dynasty, from which a Xiaozhuang subsequently became a notable grand empress dowager. Hence, it is not surprising to note that from Nurhaci to the Shunzhi Emperor, all the empresses and major concubines were Mongols.
[edit] Prominent Borjigin Qing empresses
Empress Xiaoduan (Jere) was made empress in 1636, Empress of Emperor Hung Taiji. Daughter of Prince Manjusri. Known as a benevolent empress and the most virtuous of all. Made "Motherly Empress Dowager Empress" (Mu Hou Huang Tai Hou) in 1643 after the death Of Emperor Hung Taiji. She died in 1649 (Shunzhi's 6th year of rule).
Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang (Bumbutai) was historically considered the mother of Qing Dynasty. Concubine of Huangtaiji. Daughter of Prince Jaisang and niece of Empress Xiaoduan. Made the "Enlightened Mother Dowager Empress" (Sheng Mu Huang Tai Hou) in 1643 after the death of Emperor Hung Taiji. She died in 1688 having helped Shunzhi Emperor run the country till his death and Kangxi Emperor for 25 years of his reign. She was an excellent politician who did not to interfere in politics, unlike the notorious Empress Dowager Cixi. However, when the conditions required, she rendered her efforts.
[edit] Modern relevance
In the 1920s, the communist Mongolian government banned surnames for efficiency—many had the same name, which confused tax collection. In 1997, the government of Mongolia reversed this, although the new law was not acted upon until 2004, when identity cards began to require the surname. Mongolian citizens were largely given free rein over the choice of name—resulting in a large number choosing Borjigin, the family name of nationalist icon Genghis Khan. [1][2]
