Ariq Böke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arik Bökeᠠᠷᠢᠭᠪᠦᠬᠡ |
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| Khagan of the Mongol Empire (Nominal due to the empire's division) |
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| Great Khan of the Mongol Empire | |||||
| Reign | 11 August 1259 – 21 August 1264 | ||||
| Predecessor | Möngke Khan | ||||
| Successor | Kublai Khan | ||||
| Born | c. 1219 Mongol Empire |
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| Died | 1266 (aged 46–47) | ||||
| Spouse | Elchiqmash Khatun Qutiqta Khatun Qutlu Khatun Iraghui Khatun Eshitai Khatun |
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| Issue | Yubuqur, Meliktemur, Tamachi, Nayirbukha, Haluhan Ahai, Neguder ahai, Nomuhan Ahai | ||||
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| House | Borjigin | ||||
| Father | Tolui Khan | ||||
| Mother | Sorghaghtani Beki | ||||
| Religion | Tengrism | ||||
Ariq Böke (born after 1219, died 1266) was a very important figure in the Mongol Empire. He was the youngest son of Tolui and a grandson of the famous Genghis Khan.
After his older brother, Möngke Khan, who was the Great Khan, passed away, Ariq Böke claimed the title for himself. He took charge while his other brothers, Kublai Khan and Hulagu Khan, were away. However, when Kublai returned in 1260, the Mongol leaders couldn't agree on who should rule. This led to both Kublai and Ariq Böke being chosen as Great Khan. This disagreement started a big fight called the Toluid Civil War, which caused the huge Mongol Empire to split into different parts.
Ariq Böke was supported by the traditional Mongols. These were people who wanted to keep the old nomadic ways of life. On the other hand, his brother Kublai was supported by leaders from North China and Manchuria, who were more open to new ideas.
Contents
Ariq Böke's Early Life
Ariq Böke was the youngest son of Sorghaghtani Beki and Tolui. Tolui was the youngest son of Genghis Khan. When Genghis Khan died in 1227, his third son, Ögedei, became the leader of the Mongol Empire.
Ariq Böke was present at the elections for both his uncle, Great Khan Ögedei, and Ögedei's son, Güyük. After his oldest brother, Möngke, became Great Khan in 1250, Ariq Böke's family became very powerful. His mother was a Christian, and Ariq Böke was also known to be kind towards Christians. A traveler named William of Rubruck even wrote that he saw Ariq Böke make the sign of the cross and say that Jesus was God.
Ariq Böke's older brother, Kublai Khan, tried to get him to study Chinese philosophy. However, Ariq Böke wasn't as interested in Chinese scholars as his brother was.
The Fight for Leadership
When Ögedei Khan died, there was a struggle for power. Leadership eventually went to Ögedei's son, Güyük, in 1246. But Güyük died just two years later. After another struggle, the sons of Tolui, Ögedei's brother, took control.
The first of Tolui's sons to become Great Khan was Möngke. Möngke and Kublai worked together to conquer Southern China. Their brother Hulagu led the Mongol army to the west, conquering Baghdad. During this time, Ariq Böke was left in charge of the Mongol homeland.
When Möngke died in 1259, Ariq Böke was chosen as Khan. This happened because his brothers were away. Most of the important leaders and families in the capital city of Karakorum supported him. However, when Kublai and Hulagu heard about Möngke's death, they stopped their own battles. They returned to decide who would be the next leader.
In May 1260, Kublai was chosen as Khan by his own supporters. This created a problem because Ariq Böke had also been chosen. A civil war then started between the brothers. For example, when the Chagatai Khanate needed a new leader, Kublai tried to send someone loyal to him. But Ariq Böke captured and killed that person. Instead, Ariq Böke put his own friend, Alghu, in charge.
Alghu was supposed to protect the area from Hulagu's forces and Berke of the Golden Horde. But Alghu turned against Ariq Böke. They fought, and Ariq Böke won one battle, forcing Alghu to run away.
Ariq Böke Gives Up
As the war between Ariq Böke and Kublai continued, Ariq Böke's army became weaker. Kublai had a very strong army. It included Mongol cavalry, as well as soldiers from Manchuria, China, Kipchak people, and Goryeo (Korea).
Kublai's supporter, Kadan, defeated Ariq Böke's general. Ariq Böke lost control of the capital city of Karakorum twice. Kublai also stopped all trade to Mongolia from North China. This cut off Ariq Böke's food supply.
Finally, Ariq Böke gave up to Kublai in 1264. He was put in prison by Kublai. Ariq Böke died mysteriously a few years later. Some people thought he might have been secretly poisoned.
Ariq Böke's Impact
Ariq Böke represented a group of Mongols who wanted to keep their traditional way of life. They worried that leaders like Kublai were becoming too much like the settled Chinese people. These traditional Mongols believed that the Mongol center should stay in Mongolia. They wanted to keep their nomadic life pure and simply use China for its resources. Ariq Böke became the leader for this group.
Even though Ariq Böke lost the war, some of his children and grandchildren later became important leaders. His legacy was also continued by Kaidu.
See Also
