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

THE SUCCESSORS OF GENGHIS KHAN
listened to these words and approved of them; and he sent the following
reply: "Hiilegii is right. I acted out of ignorance." And after that
he did not admit Ar'iq Boke to his presence for a whole year.
On that occasion Aji'qi, the brother of Abishqa, who had been put
to death by Asutai, said to the last named: "It was thou who killed
my brother." He replied: "I killed him by the command of the then
ruler, Ariq Boke. Moreover I did not wish a member of our family to
be killed by a qarachu. Today Qubilai Qa'an is ruler of the face of the
earth. If he so commands, I will kill thee too." The Qa'an said to
Ajiqi: "This is not the time for such words; there is violent anger in
them." In the midst of this exchange Taghachar Noyan stood up
and said: "It is the Qa'an's command that today we should not
inquire about bygone matters but should concern ourselves with
feasting and merrymaking." The Qa'an approved of this and that
day they occupied themselves with drinking. Taghachar then said:
"Ariiq Boke is standing. Let the Emperor assign a place for him to sit
in." The Qa'an indicated that he should sit with the princes, and they
spent the rest of the day feasting and carousing.
The next morning the princes and great emirs, Taghachar, the son
of Otchi Noyan, Yesiingge, the son of Jochi Qasar, Hulaqur, Yeke-
Qadan, Jibik-Temiir, the son of Ajiq'i, Ja'utu, the son of Shiremiin,
the son of Shingqur, and Aji'qi', the son of Biiri and grandson of Chaghatai,
assembled in the audience chamber. The Qa'an ordered the
emirs to seize Ar'iq Boke and bind him. He then gave orders that, of
the princes, Shiregi, Taqai, Charaqu, and Bai-Temiir, and, of the emirs,
Hantum Noyan, Dorbetei, and Bolad Ghingsang, who had been in this
country, should sit down, examine Ariq Boke and his emirs, and make
a report. Ariq Boke said: " It is I who am the author of this crime which
has spread so far and wide. These men have committed no crime."
His words were not listened to, and the Qa'an ordered the guilty emirs
to be told as follows: "In the days of Mongke Qa'an the emirs of the
time did not string a single bow against him, and there was no great
revolt, only a little discord which they harbored in their hearts. All
the world knows how they were punished and chastised.66 How then
shall it be with you who have stirred up all these troubles, and cast so
much confusion and tumult amongst all mankind, and destroyed so
66 See above, pp. 210 ff.
262