The Successors of Genghis Khan - Robert Bedrosian's Armenian ...

THE SUCCESSORS OF GENGHIS KHAN
a daughter-in-law, protecting her from the gaze of strangers. And
because she was exceedingly beautiful and capable the emirs of Ong-
Khan said to one another: "Why does not Ong-Khan take Borte
Fujin for himself," But Ong-Khan said: "She is in the position of a
daughter-in-law to me and has been placed with us for safe keeping.
To look at her with perfidious eyes is not the way of chivalry." When
Chingiz-Khan learnt of her whereabouts, he sent an emir of the
Jalayir4 called Sebe (the grandfather of Sartaq, who during the
infancy of Arghun5 was by virtue of the yarllgh of Abaqa6 Khan emir
of the ordo in Khurasan and Mazandaran) to Ong-Khan to seek and
fetch Borte Fujin. Having treated her with respect and consideration,
Ong Khan dispatched her along with Sebe. Upon the way a son was
suddenly born to her, and for that reason he was called Jochi.7 Since
the road was dangerous and there was no opportunity for halting,
it was impossible to make a cradle, and [so] Sebe kneaded a little
flour and, wrapping it round the child, took him in his lap so that he
might not be harmed. And carrying him carefully, he brought him to
Chingiz-Khan.8
When he grew up he always accompanied and was in attendance
upon his father, assisting him in weal and woe, but there was constant
strife, quarreling, and disagreement between him and his brothers
Chaghatai and Ogetei. And because of ,9 the path of unity
was trodden upon both sides between him and Tolui and his family
and none of them ever uttered that taunt but regarded his I0
as genuine.
4 On the Jalayir, see Khetagurov, pp. 92-98.
5 The Il-Khan of Persia (1284-1291).
6 The father of Arghun, Il-Khan of Persia from 126510 1281.
7 Later authorities have explained Jochi's name as meaning "unexpected guest,"
from M.o.jochin, "guest," but it would seem that Rashid al-Din had some other word
in mind. See Horde d'Or, pp. 10-28, and Doerfer I, No. 167 (pp. 299-300).
8 The SH gives an altogether different version (§§ 104-11) of the events, according to
which Borte was rescued from the Merkit by an expedition led jointly by Genghis
Khan, Ong Khan, and Genghis Khan's anda, or "oath brother," Jamuqa, and it is
implied in a later passage (§254) that the Merkit Chilger Boko was Jochi's real father.
See also below, note 10.
9 There is a blank in the MSS.
10 There is a blank in one of Blochet's MSS and in his text, but not in Verkhovsky's.
Presumably some such word as nasab, "genealogy, parentage," is missing. The " taunt"
must in any case be a reference to the circumstances of Jochi's birth.
98