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

HISTORY OF CHAGHATAI KHAN
having returned, he married her and secured absolute possession of the
throne of the ulus of Chaghatai. When the news of this reached Ariq
Boke, he led an army against Alghu and they joined battle. In the
first two encounters Ar'iq Boke was defeated: in the third Alghu
was put to flight and came to Bukhara, and Samarqand, where he
seized money, arms, and animals from the rich. Ariq Boke plundered
his heavy baggage and after the lapse of a year returned from that
region to repel the army of the Qa'an.
The next year, which was the year 662/1263—1264, Alghu died, and
Orqi'na Khatun, having all the emirs and army under her command,
installed her son Mubarak-Shah, the eldest son of Qara-Hulegu, as
ruler. The army continued as before to pillage and commit irregularities;
but Mubarak-Shah, being a Muslim, would not allow any violence
against the peasants. When Ariq Boke was forced to surrender to the
Qa'an and rebellion subsided in that region, Baraq, who was the son of
Yesiin-To'a, the third son of Mo'etiiken, and had for a time been in
attendance at the court of the Qa'an, was sent by him to the ulus of
Ghaghatai and given a.yarligh to the effect that Mubarak-Shah and he
were to rule the ulus [jointly]. When Baraq arrived and found Mubarak-
Shah and Orqi'na firmly established and in a strong position, he did
not show the yarligh. Mubarak-Shah asked him why he had come. He
replied: "For some time I have been far away from my ulus and home,
and my people are scattered and distressed. I have sought permission
and have come to gather my followers together and wander about
with you." Mubarak-Shah was pleased with these words, and Baraq
lived with him practising craft and dissimulation whilst gathering
military men around him out of every corner. All of a sudden an emir,
called Bitikchi, and certain army leaders joined him. They deposed
Mubarak-Shah, and Baraq became absolute ruler, while Mubarak-
Shah was reduced to the position of being his head cheetah-keeper.
Now Qaidu had been in league and alliance with Ariq Boke and had
refused to present himself before the Qa'an, and the latter had sent
Baraq in order to ward off Qaidu. In obedience to that command, as
soon as he had gathered strength, [Baraq] led an army against [Qaidu]
and they joined battle. In the first encounter Baraq was defeated.
When they began a second battle, Qipchaq Oghul, the son of Qadan
Oghul, the son of Ogetei Qa'an, who was a friend of Baraq, made