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

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BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY OF QUBILAI QA AN<br />

Sarban might stir up unrest and he sent him with fifty nokers to Qpnichi,<br />

the grandson <strong>of</strong> Jochi. It so happened that in the region <strong>of</strong> Jand and<br />

Ozkend their route passed by a private estate (khail-khdna) <strong>of</strong> Sarban.<br />

His dependents gathered around, seized the fifty nokers, and released<br />

him. Sarban again set out at the head <strong>of</strong> an army, seized Shlregi's<br />

baggage train, and ordered it to be sent to the Qa'an, sending on a<br />

messenger in advance to report on his own position. Shiregi learnt<br />

<strong>of</strong> this and came to give him battle. His army at once went over to<br />

Sarban and he was left alone. Sarban ordered him to be guarded by<br />

five hundred horsemen. Hearing <strong>of</strong> this, Yobuqur led his army to<br />

give battle to Sarban, but his troops also went over to Sarban, and he<br />

too was captured and handed over to five hundred horsemen. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

now set out to go to the Qa'an. Yobuqur feigned illness and asked for<br />

2 or 3 days' grace, during which time he secretly sent a large sum in<br />

money and jewels to Otchigin, the nephew <strong>of</strong> Chingiz-<strong>Khan</strong>, whose<br />

yurt was in that region, and asked him to save him from that dreadful<br />

gulf. Prince Otchigin gathered together his army and suddenly drove<br />

<strong>of</strong>f their horses and surrounded the soldiers. Sarban made <strong>of</strong>f with his<br />

wife with only one mount. One <strong>of</strong> Otchigin's bahadurs saw his wife<br />

escaping and tried to seize her. She cried out. Sarban turned back,<br />

shot the man with a single arrow and set out with his wife to join<br />

the Qa'an. Shiregi had arrived there before him, and the Qa'an had<br />

not admitted him and had ordered him to reside on an island with a<br />

very unhealthy climate, where he remained all his life and finally<br />

died. As for Sarban, the Qa'an showed him favor and gave him lands<br />

and troops; and after awhile he too passed away.<br />

As for Yobuqur, he took the ordos <strong>of</strong> Shiregi and Sarban and joined<br />

the following (khail) <strong>of</strong> Qonichi. Melik-Temiir and Qurbaqa went to<br />

Qaidu, and Ulus-Buqa, the son <strong>of</strong> Shiregi, joined the following <strong>of</strong><br />

Qonichi and remained there awhile. Yobuqur grew tired <strong>of</strong> serving<br />

Qaidu and fled to join the Qa'an, as did Ulus-Buqa with his mother<br />

and the ordos. And when Mongke-Temiir, the grandson <strong>of</strong> Jochi,<br />

died, Tode-Mongke was set up in his stead, and Noqai, Tode-Mongke,<br />

and Qonichi consulted together and sent Nomoghan to the Qa'an,<br />

saying: "We have all submitted and will attend the quriltai." And<br />

Qaidu likewise sent back Hantum Noyan but did not go to the quriltai.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y too revoked their intention, and Nomoghan died a year later.<br />

And God knows best what is right.<br />

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