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

THE SUCCESSORS OF GENGHIS KHAN
left him there. As is recorded in the history of Chingiz-Khan, he took
Otrar and captured and destroyed the fortress. He then returned [to
the main army], subjugating the regions which lay across his path
until he joined his father in the neighborhood of Samarqand. From
thence he was dispatched by Chingiz-Khan together with his brothers
Chaghatai and Ogetei to capture Khwarazm. When they laid siege
to the town it was impossible to capture it because of a disagreement
between him and Chaghatai. Chingiz-Khan ordered Ogetei to take
command of that operation; by his competence he brought about
agreement between the brothers, and they took Khwarazm. Chaghatai
and Ogetei then set off to join their father, and they reached Chingiz-
Khan before the fortress of Talaqan. As for Jochi, he set out from
Khwarazm for the Erdish, where his heavy baggage was, and reached
his ordos. Previously, Chingiz-Khan had ordered Jochi to set out
upon the conquest of the northern countries, such as those of the Bular,
Bashghird, Orus, Cherkes, and the Qi'pchaq Steppe, and to subjugate
them. As [Jochi] had held back from this operation and returned to
his own tents, Chingiz-Khan was extremely annoyed and said: "I will
put him to death without seeing his face." Jochi was taken suddenly ill,
and on that account, when Chingiz-Khan returned from the Tazik
countries and alighted at his ordos, he was unable to present himself
but sent several kharvdrs*6 of game and offered his excuses. Thereafter
on several occasions Chingiz-Khan summoned him to his presence,
but on account of his illness he did not come but sent excuses. Then a
man of the Mangqut87 people was passing through theyurts of Jochi.
Jochi had set out and was proceeding from ywrt to yurt, still ill, when
he came to a mountain, which was his hunting ground. Being too
weak himself, he sent the emirs of the hunt to hunt [for him]. That
man, seeing them hunting, thought that it was Jochi. When he came
to Chingiz-Khan the latter asked him about Jochi's illness. He replied:
"I know nothing about any illness, but he is hunting in such-and-such
a mountain." At these words, the flame of Chingiz-Khan's anger
flared up and he thought: "He has surely become a rebel not to pay
attention to his father's words." And he said: "Jochi is mad to commit
such actions." He ordered the armies to set out against him with
86 See Glossary.
87 On the Mongol tribe of the Mangqut, see Campagnes, pp. 167-69.
118