Rinchinbal Khan, Emperor Ningzong of Yuan

Rinchinbal
Emperor Ningzong of Yuan
Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty
Khagan of the Mongols
Emperor of China
Portrait of Rinchinbal Khan, Emperor Ningzong of Yuan.
Emperor of Yuan Dynasty
Reign October 23, 1332 – December 14, 1332
(52 days)
Coronation October 23, 1332
Predecessor Jayaatu Khan, Emperor Wenzong of Yuan
Successor Ukhaantu Khan, Emperor Huizong of Yuan
Consort zh:答里也忒迷失
Full name
Mongolian: ᠷᠢᠨᠴᠢᠨᠪᠠᠯ
Chinese: 懿璘质班
Rinchinbal
Era dates
Zhishun (至順) 1332
Posthumous name
Emperor Chongsheng Si Xiao (冲聖嗣孝皇帝)
Temple name
Ningzong (寧宗)
Dynasty Yuan
Father Kusala
Mother Babusha of the Naiman
Born 1 May 1326
Died 14 December 1332(aged 6)
Dadu

Rinchinbal (Mongolian: Rinčinbal, Ринчинбал; Rinchinbal from Tibetan rin chen dpal), also known as Emperor Ningzong of Yuan (Chinese: 元寧宗, May 1, 1326-December 14, 1332), was a son of Kuśala who was briefly installed to the throne of the Yuan Dynasty, but died soon after he seized the throne of Great Khan of the Mongols and Emperor of China. He was the shortest-reigning monarch in the imperial history of Mongolia.

Biography

He was the second son of Kuśala (Emperor Mingzong) and a younger brother of Toghun Temür (Emperor Huizong). He was mothered by Babusha of the Naiman tribe when his father lived in exile in Central Asia under the Chagatai Khanate.

When his father Kuśala died (was supposedly killed with poison by El Temür) and was succeeded by his younger brother Tugh Temür, Rinchinbal was appointed to Prince of Fu. Tugh Temur made his son Aratnadara heir apparent in January 1331.[1] In order to secure her son's throne, Tugh Temur's Khatun Budashiri executed Rinchinbal's mother, Babusha, and exiled Toghan Temur to Korea.[2] These proved unnecessary, however, Aratnadara died one month after his designation as heir.[3]

Although Tugh Temür had a son named El Tegüs when he died in 1332, it is said that on his deathbed the Khagan expressed remorse for what he had done to his elder brother and his intention to pass the throne to Toghan Temur, Kusala's eldest son, instead of his own son. The grand councilor El Temür resisted letting Kuśala's eldest son Toghun Temür accede to the throne since he was suspected of having poisoned his father Kuśala. When Tugh Temur's widow and El Tegüs's mother Budashiri Khatun respected Tugh Temür's will of making Kuśala's son succeed the throne, the 6 year old Rinchinbal was chosen. While Toghun Temür was kept far away from the capital Dadu, Rinchinbal was in Dadu and had become favored by Tugh Temür. Rinchinbal enthroned as the new emperor on 23 October 1332, but he died two months or 53 days later.[3]

El Temür again asked Budashiri to install El Tegüs but it was declined again. He had no choice but to invite Toghun Temür back from far-away Guangxi[4] in southwest China.

Rinchinbal Khan, Emperor Ningzong of Yuan
Born: 1326 Died: 1332
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Jayaatu Khan, Emperor Wenzong
Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty
1332
Succeeded by
Ukhaatu Khan, Emperor Huizong
Preceded by
Tugh Temur
Great Khan of the Mongol Empire
1332
Succeeded by
Toghan Temur
Preceded by
Emperor Wenzong
Emperor of China
1332
Succeeded by
Emperor Huizong

References

  1. ^ Yuan shi, 34. p.754
  2. ^ Yuan shi, 34. pp.774
  3. ^ a b Herbert Franke, Denis Twitchett, John King Fairbank-The Cambridge History of China: Alien regimes and border states, 907-1368, p.557
  4. ^ Jeremiah Curtin-The Mongols: A history, p.392