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

THE SUCCESSORS OF GENGHIS KHAN
Guyiik Khan, he and his brothers, as has been mentioned in the appendix
to the account of his branch of the family, set about the subjugation
of the remainder of those countries.90
In the beginning of the year 639/1241-1242,9I when Ogetei Qa'an
died, he was seized, because of his great age, with a sudden attack of
paralysis.92 And when he was summoned to the quriltai, he held back
on that excuse, and because of his absence, he being the senior of them
all, the question of the Khanate was not determined for nearly 3 years.
The eldest of Ogetei Qa'an's wives, Toregene Khatun, governed [the
realm], and during this period confusion found its way into the borders
and center of the Empire. Qa'an had made his grandson Shiremun
his heir-apparent, but Toregene Khatun and some of the emirs objected,
saying that Guyiik Khan was older, and they again summoned
Batu to take part in the enthronement. Though he was offended with
them and apprehensive because of the alarming nature of the past
events, he set out, proceeding at a slow pace. Before his arrival and
without the attendance of aqa and ini,93 they arbitrarily settled the
Khanate upon Giiyiik Khan. Giiyiik Khan was afflicted with a chronic
disease, and on the pretext that the climate of his old yurt, which his
father had given him, was beneficial to his condition, he set out with a
large army for the region of Emil-Qpchin.94 When he approached this
area, Batu became a little apprehensive. Sorqoqtani Beki, the eldest
wife of Tolui Khan, because of the foundation of friendship that had
been laid and consolidated between Jochi Khan and Tolui Khan and
the families of either side since the time of Chingiz-Khan, sent the
message that Giiyiik Khan's coming to that region was not devoid
of some treachery. On that account, his apprehension was increased
and he awaited the arrival of Giiyiik Khan with vigilance and caution.
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50 See above, pp. 56-57 and 69-71. 9! Actually November, 1241.
92 Istirkha. Elsewhere (see below, pp. 170 and 200) his infirmity is described as
dard-ipd," pain in the foot," that is, apparently gout.
93 See Glossary.
94 The phrase seems to occur in the Yuan shih. It is stated in the biography of
Subedei that after conquering the countries north of the Caucasus he returned home,
according to the translation of Bretschneider (II, p. 43), by way of "Ye-mi-li and
Ho-dji," that is, presumably Yeh-mi-li Ho-chi. Emil-Qpjin, like Onan-Keliiren
(see above, Section 2, p. 29 note 82), would appear to be the name of a region between
two rivers, one of the rivers in this case being the Emil, while Qojin is perhaps another
name for the Qpbaq. See above, Section i, p. 19 and note 23.
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