Elbeg Nigülesügchi Khan

Elbeg Nigülesügchi Khan (1361–1399) was a Mongol Khan of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in Mongolia. Elbeg was the younger brother of Jorightu Khan and ruled for seven years. His reigning title Nigülesügchi Khagan means "Merciful Emperor" in Mongolian language. Border skirmishes with Ming China and the Oirat rebellion plagued his reign.

During his reign, the Oirats began to openly challenge the Borjigin family and the Ming repulsed Mongolian invasions. According to Tsagaan Sechen, Elbeg was charged with responsibility for all things wrong.

Whilst hunting game, Elbeg Khaghan saw a drop of hare blood on the snow and asked: "Is there a lady with a face white like snow and cheeks red like blood?” Khutkhai Taifu said: “My Khaghan! I know a lady of such beauty”. Khaghan asked him: “Who is that beauty?”. The Taifu spake: “Forbidden for thee to see her. If thou insistest, I shall tell thee”. And Khutkhai Taifu spake: “Princess Lady Öljeitü Huang, spouse of thy son Prince Kharauchog Duuren Temur Huang Taizi possesses such beauty.” Curious of the beauty of his son's wife, Elbeg Nigülesügchi Khaghan ordered Khutkhai Taifu of Oirad: “My Taifu who helps see the unseen, who helps reach the unreachable and who makes dreams come true. Find her now.”

Khutkhai Taifu visits the Princess and tells her the Khaghan’s command: “The Khaghan wills to see thy radiating beauty.” The Lady is in great angre: “Do the sky and earth come together? Should high noble Khaghans see their daughters-in-law? Is thy son Duuren Temur Huang Taizi dead? The Khaghan’s intention is evil.” The Khaghan didn’t listen to these words; he killed his son and took his daughter-in-law.

Later Khutkhai Taifu came to the Khaghan’s örgöö to drink yogurt. As the Khaghan was away, the Taifu sat to wait in front of the ger, Lady Öljeitü Huang Behichi said to him: “I shall send an envoy to the Khaghan, let us wait for him together. Come in to the southern örgöö.” As the Taifu enters the ger, Lady Öljeitü gives him a cup and says: “Thou raisedst me to a high noble rank. I was a Behichi, thou madest me a Taihu. I was a Princess, thou madest me a Queen.” From a bottle with one neck and two bowls, she poured arz for the Taifu and water for herself and made the Taifu fall drunk.

To revenge for her Huang Taizi, she hung a curtain in front of her olbog on which she laid the Taifu. She scratched her face and undid her hair and sent an envoy to the Khaghan. As the Khaghan came, the Taifu ran away. As the Khaghan pursued him, the Taifu shot his thumb cut. The Khaghan killed the Taifu and gave the skin of the spine to the Behichi. She mixed the Khaghan’s blood with the Taifu’s, licked it and said: “The blood of the Khaghan murdering his own son and of the Taifu betraying his Lord – this blend is my feminine revenge for my beloved Huang Taizi. I am now ready to die.” Finding himself deceived, the Khaghan regretted his sin and did not punish the Behichi but sent Batula chingsang to rule the Four Tumens.^[1]

Ugetchi Khashikha who was ruler of the Oirads at the time, resisted the Khagan's decision to appoint new ruler over his tribes and persuaded Batula that the violent khan who had killed his own kin could not match the throne of Emperor. Batula wanted to revenge the death of his father as well.

In 1399, Elbeg Nigülesügchi Khagan was defeated by the Four Oirats and was killed by their leaders, Ugetchi Khashikha and Batula, as a result. Several months after his death, his crown was succeeded by his eldest son Gün Temür Khan. Allied with the late khan's principal consort Kobeguntai who was jealous of Elbeg's issue with Oljeitu, Ugetchi Khashikha seized all properties and harem of him.

References

• Jack Weatherford - The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire Crown 2010