Ariq Böke

Succession struggle

Great Khan

When Ögedei Khan died, a power struggle erupted, with leadership then passing to Ögedei's son Güyük in 1246, though Güyük died only two years later, in 1248. After another struggle, the sons of Tolui, Ögedei's brother, took power. The first of Tolui's sons to be Great Khan was Möngke, 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 Böke was elected Khan in the absence of his brothers, and had the support of most of the ministers and powerful families in the capital of Karakorum, such as Möngke's family, and other princes of the Golden Horde 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. At the kurultai in Mongolia, the members of the families of Genghis Khan’s four sons, including the Blue Horde, Möngke’s wife and sons, the descendants of Genghis’ two brothers, and the Ilkhan Hülegü’s eldest son Jumqur supported Ariq-Böke’s election. However, when Kublai and Hulagu received news of Möngke's death, they aborted their own battles in order to return to the capital to decide the matter of succession. In May 1260, Kublai was elected khan by his own supporters, to rival the claim of Ariq Böke. A civil war subsequently broke out 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 Böke had Abishqa captured and eventually killed, and instead installed his own ally Alghu. Ariq Böke started the conscription of new soldiers from the populace, including monks and priests, earlier than Kublai did. Ariq Böke ordered Alghu to defend the area from both the forces of Hulagu, and the possible presence of Berke of the Golden Horde. But Alghu deserted Ariq Böke, killing his envoys for treasure, while Kaidu remained loyal to Ariq Böke. Alghu and Ariq Böke 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.

Surrender

Eventually, as the war continued between Ariq Böke and his brother Kublai, the former's forces weakened. Kublai had powerful Mongol cavalry troops, Mongolian, Manchurian, Han, Kipchak and numerous Chinese and Goryeo infantry units. Kublai's supporter Kadan, a son of Ögedei, crushed Ariq Böke'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 in 1264. He was imprisoned by Kublai and died mysteriously a few years after his surrender, leading to rumors that he had been secretly poisoned.

Legacy

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." 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, and the lineage of both Ilkhan Arpa Ke'un and Yesüder can be traced back to Ariq Böke.

Family

Ariq Böke had at least five wives and concubines and nine children.

Wives

• Ilchigmish khatun – daughter of Toralchi of Oirats and Checheigen, went to his son Nairubuqa after his death
• Qutuqt khatun – a lady from Naimans
  • Khalukhan akhai – married Tatakhtai kurgen of Bayaut
  • Neguder akhai – engaged to Mongke Temür (Mengu-Timur)
• Ashitai khatun – daughter of Chigu of Khongirad and Tümelün bekhi (sister of Checheikhen)
  • Yobuqur
  • Melik temür
  • Qutuq
  • Tamachi
  • Kamtai
  • Nomgon - married Chapar kurgen of Oirats

Concubines

• Qutlu – a lady from Khongirad
• Irau-gui – a lady from Barulas clan
  • Nairubuqa

Descendants of Ariq Böke

• Ariq Böke (阿里不哥/ālǐbúgē,اریغ بوکا/Arīq būkā)
  • Yobuqur (薬木忽兒/yàomùhūěr, یوبوقور/Yūbūqūr)
  • Melig-Temür (明里帖木兒/mínglǐ tiēmùér, ملک تیمور/Melik tīmūr)
    • Mingγan (منگقان/Mingqān)
      • Söse (سوسه/Sūsa)
        • Arba Ku'ün (ارپا كاون/Arpā Kāūn)
  • Nairaqu buqa (乃剌忽不花/nǎiláhū búhuā,نایرو بوقا/Nāīrū būqā)

Khagans of imprecise origin from Ariq Böke

• Jorightu Khan Yesüder (1388–1391) – first khan replaced Kublaid rule in Mongolia
• Engke Khan (1391–1394) – son of Yesüder
• Delbeg Khan (Dalbag) (1412–1415) – supported by Oirats
• Oyiradai (1415–1425) – supported by Oriats