'ZURAG' film original in German 2010 Berlin'ZURAG' film in the Mongolian national television, 2011 Ulan Bator
(Original record from the MNB broadcast)
'ZURAG' film original in German 2010 Berlin
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Erstes
Kapitel: Tschingis
Chaans Vorfahren
und seine Kindheit English - First Chapter: Genghis Khan's Ancestors and his childhood info: Ögedei Khan Ögedei Khan, (Mongolian: Өгэдэй, Ögedei; also Ogotai or Oktay, c. 1186 – 1241), was the third son of Genghis Khan and second Great Khan (Khagan) of the Mongol Empire by succeeding his father. He continued the expansion of the empire that his father had begun, and was a world figure when the Mongol Empire reached its furthest extent west and south during the invasions of Europe and Asia. Like all of Genghis' primary sons, he participated extensively in conquests in China, Iran and Central Asia. Background Ögedei was the third son of Genghis Khan and Börte Ujin. He participated in the turbulent events of his father's rise. When he was 17 years old, Genghis Khan experienced the disastrous defeat of Khalakhaljid Sands. Ogedei was heavy wounded and lost on the battlefield. His father's adopted brother and companion Borokhula rescued him. Although already married, in 1204 his father gave him Toregene, the wife of a defeated Merkit chief. After Genghis was proclaimed Emperor or Khagan in 1206, myangans (1000's) of the Jalayir, Besud, Suldus, Khongqatan clans as his appanage. Ogedei's territory occupied the Emil and Hobok rivers. According to his father's wish, Ilugei, the commander of the Jalayir, became Ogedei's tutor. Ogedei , along with his brothers, campaigned independently for the first time in November, 1211 against the Jin Dynasty (1115–1234). He was sent to ravage the land south through Hebei and then north through Shanxi in 1213. Ogedei's force drove the Jin garrison out of the Ordos and he rode to the juncture of the Xi Xia, Jin and Song domains. During the Mongol conquest of Eastern Persia, Ogedei and Chagatai massacred the residents of Otrar after a five-month siege in 1219-20 and joined Jochi who was outside the walls of Urganch. Because Jochi and Chagatai were quarreling over the military strategy, Ogedei was appointed by Genghis Khan to oversee the siege of Urganch. They captured the city in 1221. When the rebellion broke out in south east Persia and Afghanistan, Ogedei also pacified Ghazni. Ascendancy to Supreme Khan he Empress Yisui insisted that Genghis Khan designate a heir before the invasion of Khwarezmid Empire in 1219. After the terrible brawl between Jochi and Chagatai, they agreed that Ogedei to be chosen as heir. Genghis confirmed their decision. Genghis Khan died in 1227, and Jochi had died a year or two year earlier. Ogedei's younger brother Tolui held the regency until 1229. He was elected supreme khan in 1229, according to the kurultai held at Kodoe Aral on the Kherlen River after Genghis' death, although this was never really in doubt as it was Genghis' clear wish that he be succeeded by Ögedei. After ritually declining three times, Ogedei was proclaimed Khagan of the Mongols on September 13, 1229. Chagatai continued to support his younger brother's claim. Genghis Khan saw Ogedei's characteristic as courtesy and generosity. His charisma is partially credited for his success in keeping the Empire on his father's path. Thanks mostly to the organization left behind by Genghis Khan, and the personal charisma of Ögedei, the affairs of the Mongol Empire remained for the most part stable during his reign. To this it must again be added that Ögedei was an extremely pragmatic man, and knew his limitations. He had no delusions that he was his father's equal as a military commander or organizer, and used the abilities of those he found most capable. World conquests: Expansion in the Middle East After destroying the Khwarazmian empire, Genghis Khan was free to move against Hsi Hsia in 1226. In 1226, however, Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu, the last of the Khwarizm monarchs, returned to Persia to revive the empire lost by his father, Muhammad ‘Ala al-Din II. The Mongol forces sent against him in 1227 were defeated at Dameghan. Another army that marched against Jalal al-Din scored a pyrrhic victory in the vicinity of Isfahan, but was unable to follow up that success. Ogedei’s consent to launch a campaign at last, Chormaqan left Bukhara at the head of 30 to 50,000 Mongol soldiers. He occupied Persia and Khorasan, two long-standing bases of Khwarazmian support. Crossing the Amu Darya River in 1230 and entering Khorasan without encountering any opposition, Chormaqan passed through it quickly. He left a sizable contingent behind under the command of Dayir Noyan, who had further instructions to invade western Afghanistan. Chormaqan and the majority of his army then entered the northern section of Persia known as Mazandaran in the autumn of 1230. In doing so, he avoided the mountainous area south of the Caspian Sea. That region was controlled by the Ismailis. Upon reaching the city of Rai, Chormaqan made his winter camp there and dispatched his armies to pacify the rest of northern Persia. In 1231, he led his army southward and quickly captured the cities of Qum and Hamadan. From there, he sent armies into the regions of Fars and Kirman, whose rulers quickly submitted, preferring to pay tribute to their Mongol overlords rather than to see their states ravaged. Meanwhile further east, Dayir steadily achieved his goals in capturing Kabul, Ghazni, and Zawulistan. With the Mongols already in control of Persia, Jalal al-Din was isolated in Transcaucasia where he was banished. Whole Persia was added to the Mongol Empire. The fall of the Jin Chinese Dynasty At the end of 1230, responding to the Jin's unexpected defeat of the Mongol general Doqulkhu, the Khagan went south to Shanxi province with Tolui, clearing the area of the Jin forces and taking the city of Fengxiang. After passing the summer in the north, they again campaigned against the Jin in Henan, cutting through territory of South China to assault the Jin's rear. By 1232 the Jin Emperor was besieged in his capital of Kaifeng. Ogedei soon departed, leaving the final conquest to his generals. After taking several cities, the Mongols, with the belated assistance of the Song Dynasty, destroyed the Jin in February 1234. However, a viceroy of the Song murdered a Mongol ambassador and the Song armies recaptured the former imperial capitals of Kaifeng, Luoyang, and Chang'an which were now ruled by the Mongols. In addition to the Mongol-Jin War, Ogedei crushed the Eastern Xia Dynasty in 1233, pacifying southern Manchuria. Ogedei subdued the Water Tatars in northern part of the region and suppressed their rebellion in 1237. Conquest of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia The Mongols under Chormaqan returned to Caucasus in 1232. Ganjak’s walls were breached by catapult and battering ram in 1235. The Mongols eventually withdrew after the citizens of Irbil agreed to send a yearly tribute to the court of the khagan. Chormaqan waited until 1238, when the force of Mongke was also active to the north Caucasus. After subduing Azerbaijan and Greater Armenia, Chormaqan took Tiflis. In 1238, the Mongols captured Lorhe whose ruler, Shahanshah, fled with his family before the Mongols arrived, leaving the rich city to its fate. After a putting up a spirited defense at Hohanaberd, the city’s ruler, Hasan Jalal, submitted to the Mongols. Another column then advanced against Gaian, ruled by Prince Avak. The Mongol commander Tokhta ruled out a direct assault and had his men construct a wall around it and its prince Avak surrendered soon. By 1240, Chormaqan had completed the conquest of Transcaucasia, forcing the Georgian nobles to surrender. Invasion of Korea In 1224 a Mongol envoy was killed in obscure circumstances and Korea stopped paying tribute. Ogedei dispatched Saritai (Sartaq) to subdue Korea and avenge the dead envoy in 1231. The Goryeo King temporarily submitted and agreed to accept Mongol overseers. Thus, Mongol armies vassalized Korea. When they withdrew for the summer, however, Choe U murdered the overseers and moved the court from Kaeong to Kanghwa Island. Saritai was hit with a stray arrow and died as he campaigned against them. Ogedei announced plans for the conquest of the Koreans, the Southern Song, the Kipchaks and their European allies, all of whom killed Mongol envoys at the kurultai in Mongolia in 1234. Ogedei appointed Danqu commander of the Mongol army and made Bog Wong, the defected Korean general, the governor of 40 cities with their subjects. When the court of Goryeo asked the peace treaty in 1238, Ogedei demanded the king to summon before him in person. The Goryeo king finally sent his relative Yeong Nong-gun Sung with 10 noble boys to Mongolia as hostages, temporarily ending the war in 1241. Europe The Mongol Empire expanded westward under the command of Batu Khan to subdue the Russian steppe and the rest of Europe. Their western conquests included almost all of Russia (save Novgorod, which became a vassal), Hungary, and Poland. During the siege of Kolomna, the Khagan's half brother Khulgen was killed by an arrow. After the conquest of Volga-Bulgaria, Alania, and Rus principalties, Ogedei's son Güyük and Chagatai's grandson Buri ridiculed Batu and the Mongol camp suffered dissention. The Khagan harshly criticized Guyuk that "You broke the spirit of every man in your army...Do you think that the Russians surrendered because of how mean you were to your own men".Then he sent Guyuk back to continue the conquest of Europe. Ögedei's sons Kadan and Güyük attacked Poland and Transylvania, respectively. Ögedei Khan had granted permission to invade the remainder of Europe, all the way to the "Great Sea," the Atlantic Ocean, and only his death prevented the possible invasions of Austria, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain, and the remaining small European principalities. Indeed, Mongol forces were moving on Vienna, launching a fierce winter campaign against Austria and Germany in the first wave into Western Europe, when Ögedei died. Some historians believe only his death prevented the complete conquest of Europe. Conflict with the Song China In a series of razzias from 1235 to 1245, the Mongols commanded by Ogedei's sons penetrated deep into the Song Dynasty and reached Chengdu, Xiangyang and Yangtze River. But they could not succeed in completing their conquest due to climate and number of the Song troops. However, Ogedei's son Khochu died in the process. In 1240, Ogedei's another son Khuden dispatched a subsidiary expedition to Tibet. The situation between the two nations worsened when the Song officers murdered Ogedei's envoys headed by Selmus. The Mongol expansion throughout the Asian continent under the leadership of Ögedei helped bring political stability and re-establish the Silk Road, the primary trading route between East and West. India Ogedei appointed Dayir commander of Ghazni and Menggetu commander in Qonduz. In winter 1241 the Mongol force invaded the Indus valley and besieged Lahore. Dayir died storming the town, however, on December 30, 1241, and the Mongols butchered the town before withdrawing from the Delhi Sultanate. Some time after 1235 another Mongol force invaded Kashmir, stationing a darughachi there for several years. And Kashmir became Mongolian dependency. Around the same time, a Kashmiri Buddhist master, Otochi, and his brother Namo arrived at the court of Ogedei. Administration Ogedei began bureaucratization of Mongol administration. Three culture constituted his administration:
Ogedei abolished the branch departments of state affairs and divided the areas of the Mongol ruled China into 10 routes according to the suggestion of Yelü Chucai. He also divided the empire into Beshbalik administration, Yanjing administration while the Headquarter in Karakorum directly dealt with Manchuria, Mongolia and Siberia. Late in his reign, Amu Darya administration was established. Turkestan was administered by Mahamud Yalavach while Yelu Chucai administered North China from 1229 to 1240. Ogedei appointed Shigi Khutugh chief judge in China. In Iran, Ogedei appointed first Chin-temur, a Kara-kitai, and then Korguz, an Uyghur who proved to be honest administrator. Later, some of Yelu Chucai's duties were transferred to Mahamud Yalavach and taxes were handed over to Abd-ur-Rahman, who promised to double the annual payments of silver. The Ortoq or partner merchants lent Ogedei's money at exorbitant rates of interest to the peasants, however, Ogedei considerably banned higher rates. Despite it proved profitable, many people fled their homes to avoid the tax collectors and their strong-arm gangs. Ogedei had imperial princes tutored by the Christian scribe Qadaq and the Taoist priest Li Zhichang and built schools and academy. Ogedei Khan also decreed to issue paper currency backed by silk reserves and founded a Department which was responsible for destroying old notes. Yelu Chucai protested to Ogedei that his large-scale distribution of appanages in Iran, Western and North China, and Khorazm, could lead to a disintegration of the Empire. Ogedei thus decreed that the Mongol nobles could appoint overseers in the appanages, but the court would appoint other officials and collect taxes. The Khagan proclaimed the Great Yassa as integral body of precedents, confirming the continuing validity of his father's commands and ordinances, while adding his own. Ogedei codified rules of dress, conduct during the kurultais. Throughout the Empire, in 1234, he created postroad stations (Yam) with a permanent staff who would supply post riders' needs. Relay station were were set up every 25 miles and the yam staff supplied remounts to the envoys and served specified rations on them. The attached households were exempt from other taxes but they had to pay a qubchuri tax to supply the goods. Ogedei ordered Chagatai and Batu to control their yams separately. The Khagan prohibited the nobility from issuing paizas (tablet that gave the bearer authority to demand goods and services from civilian populations) and jarliqs. Ogedei decreed that within decimal units one out of every 100 sheep of the well-off should be levied for the poor of the unit, and that one sheep and one mare from every herd should be forwarded to form a herd for the imperial table. Karakorum From 1235-38 Ogedei constructed a series of palaces and pavilions at stopping places in his annual nomadic route through central Mongolia. The first palace Wanangong was constructed by North Chinese artisans. The Emperor urged his relatives build residences nearby and settled the deported craftsmen from China near the site. The construction of the city, Karakorum (Хархорум), was finished in 1235, assigning different quarters to Islamic and North Chinese craftsmen, who competed to win Ogedei's favor. Earthen walls with 4 gates surrounded a city. Attached were private apartments, while in front of stood a giant stone tortoise bearing an engraved pillar, like those that were commonly used in East Asia. There was a castle with doors like the gates of the garden and a series of lakes wherein many water fowl used to gather. Ogedei erected several houses of worship for his Buddhist, Muslim, Taoist, and Christian followers. In the Chinese ward, there was a Confucian temple where Yelu Chucai used to create or regulate a calendar on the Chinese model. Character He was considered to be his father's favorite son, ever since his childhood. As an adult Ögedei was known for his ability to sway doubters in any debate in which he was involved, simply by the force of his personality. He was a physically big, jovial and very charismatic man, who seemed mostly to be interested in enjoying good times. He was intelligent and steady in character. His charisma was partially credited for his success in keeping the Mongol Empire on the path that his father had set. To encourage trade caravans he paid extremely high prices for all manner of goods whether he needed them or not. Ogedei squandered much of his wealth, passing out pearls, golds, coins and other precious stones to the people. The constant outflow from the Imperial treasury had to be made up by taxes, principally on North China. Ogedei kept peace among his family, criticizing his son and Chagatai's grandson. The sudden death of Tolui seems to have affected him deeply. According to some sources, Tolui sacrificed his own life, having a drink in pagan ritual in order to save Ogedei who was suffering from illness. Ogedei fell victim to alcoholism. Chagatai entrusted an official to watch his habit, but Ogedei managed to drink anyway. When he died at dawn on December 11, 1241, after a late-night drinking bout with Abd-ur-Rahman, the people blamed the sister of Tolui's widow and Abd-ur-Rahman. The Mongol aristocrats recognized, however, that the Khagan's own lack of self control had killed him. Ögedei was also known to be a humble man, who did not believe himself to be a genius, and was willing to listen and use the great generals that his father left him, as well as those he himself found to be most capable. He was the Emperor (Khagan) but not a dictator. Like all Mongols at his time, he was raised and educated as a warrior from childhood, and as the son of Genghis Khan he was a part of his father's plan to establish a world empire. His military experience was notable for his willingness to listen to his generals, and adapt to the circumstances. He was an extremely pragmatic person, much like his father, and looked at the end, rather than the means. His steadiness of character and dependability were the traits that his father most valued, and that gained him the role of successor to his father, despite his two older brothers. Aftermath of Ögedei's death Ogedei had nominated his grandson Shiremun as his heir, but Güyük eventually succeeded him after the five-year regency of his widow Töregene Khatun. However, Batu, the Khan of the Kipchak Khanate (the Ulus of Jochi) in Russia, nominally accepted Guyuk, who died on the way to confront Batu. It was not until 1255, well into the reign of Mongke Khan, that Batu felt secure enough to again prepare to invade Europe. Fortunately for the Europeans, he died before his plans could be implemented. When Kublai Khan established the Yuan Dynasty in 1271, he had Ögedei Khan placed on the official record as Taizong (Chinese: 太宗; pinyin: Tàizōng). Children Ogedei had many khatuns and concubines. Ogedei married first Borakchin and then Toregene. Other wives included Mukha and Jachin. He had 7 sons:
Text from Wikipedia |
