| Ariq Böke Arigh Bukha |
|
|---|---|
| Born | 1219 |
| Died | 1266 |
| Predecessor | Mongke Khan |
| Successor | Kublai Khan |
| Royal House | Borjigin |
| Dynasty | Mongol Empire |
| Royal anthem | There is only god in heaven and only one lord Chingis khaan on earth. |
| Father | Tolui |
| Mother | Sorkakteni Beki |
Ariq Böke (1219–1266), the components of his name also spelled Arigh, Arik, Bukha, Buka (Mongolian: Аригбөх; Chinese: 阿里不哥), was the youngest son of Tolui (1192–1232), a son of Genghis Khan. After the death of his brother the Great Khan Mongke, Ariq Boke briefly took power while his brothers Kublai and Hulagu were absent. When Kublai returned for an election in 1260, rival factions could not agree, and elected simultaneous claimants Kublai and Ariq Boke to the throne, resulting in a war for succession which marked the beginning of civil war in the Mongol Empire. Ariq Boke was supported by the traditionalists of the Mongol Empire, while his brother Kublai Khan was supported by the senior princes of North China and Manchuria.
Contents |
Ariq Boke was the youngest son of Sorghaghtani Beki and Tolui, the youngest son of Genghis Khan. When Genghis died in 1227, the leadership of the Empire passed to Genghis' son (Ariq Boke's uncle), Ogedei. He peacefully attended the elections of both his uncle Great Khan Ogedei and Ogedei's successor Guyuk. After his eldest brother Mongke was enthroned in 1250, his family became even more powerful among the Chingisids. Ariq Böke is also known for being sympathetic towards Christianity; this is known from the account of Franciscan William of Rubruck, who was an envoy of French King Louis IX.
When Ogedei Khan died, a power struggle erupted, with leadership then passing to Ogedei's son Guyuk in 1246, though Guyuk died only two years later, in 1248. After another struggle, the sons of Tolui, Ogedei's brother, took power. The first of Tolui's sons to be Great Khan was Mongke, who proceeded with Kublai to conquer Southern China and the Southern Song Dynasty. Their brother Hulagu led the Mongol advance westward, conquering Baghdad and proceeding into Syria and towards Palestine. During this time, all affairs of the Heartland were left under the control of their brother Ariq Böke.
When Möngke died in 1259, Ariq Boke was elected Khan in the absence of his brothers, and had the support of most of the existing ministers and powerful families in the capital of Karakorum, such as Mongke's family, and other princes of the Golden family along with other forces in the capital of Karakorum including Torguud royal bodyguards and White Horde elites, as well as the Oirats, who were allied with him as one of the Oirat leaders was married to his daughter. However, when Kublai and Hulagu received news of Mongke's death, they aborted their own battles in order to return to the capital to decide the matter of succession. In April 1260, Kublai was elected khan by his own supporters, to rival the claim of Ariq Boke. Thus was launched a civil war between the brothers, for the leadership of the Empire. For example, when the Chagatai Khanate needed a new leader, Kublai attempted to send Abishqa, who was loyal to him. But Ariq Boke had Abishqa captured and eventually killed, and instead installed his own ally Alghu. Ariq Boke ordered Alghu to defend the area from both the forces of Hulegu, and the possible presence of Berke of Golden Horde. But Alghu deserted Ariq Boke, killing his envoys for treasure, while Kaidu remained loyal to Ariq Boke. Alghu and Ariq Boke were soon in direct conflict, with Alghu winning the first engagement, but then at the second, Ariq Böke was victorious, and forced Alghu to flee westward.
Eventually, as the war continued between Ariq Boke and his brother Kublai, Ariq Boke's forces weakened. Kublai had powerful Mongol cavalries, Alan and Turk contingents and numerous Chinese and Goryeo infantries. Kublai's supporter Kadan, a son of Ogedei, crushed Ariq Boke's force under general Alandar, and Ariq Böke twice lost control of the capital of Karakorum. Kublai also blockaded all trade to Mongolia from North China, in order to cut the food supply. Ariq Böke finally submitted to Kublai at Xanadu on August 21, 1264. Kublai pardoned him but executed most of his companions.
According to scholar David Morgan, "Ariq Böke can be seen as representing an influential school of thought among the Mongols, which Kublai through his actions and attitudes after 1260 opposed. Some Mongols felt there was a dangerous drift towards softness, typified in those like Kublai who thought there was something to be said for settled civilization and for the Chinese way of life. In the traditionalist view, the Mongol center ought to remain in Mongolia, and the Mongols' nomadic life be preserved uncontaminated. China ought merely to be exploited.
Ariq Böke came to be regarded as this faction's figurehead."[1] This legacy was continued by Kaidu (Khaidu). Although Ariq Böke lost power, some of his descendants later became important figures in the Ilkhanate and the Northern Yuan Dynasty, with the lineage of both Ilkhan Arpa Ke'un and Yesüder can be traced back to Ariq Boke.
|
Ariq Böke
House of Borjigin (1206–1635)
|
||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mongke Khan |
Great Khan of the Mongol Empire 1260–1264 |
Succeeded by Kublai Khan |