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

THE SUCCESSORS OF GENGHIS KHAN
tall and corpulent. He has a son called Oriig-Temur, who, in his own
ulus, is firmly established on the throne of sovereignty. He has built
mosques and places of worship in his own ordos and yurts and is always
employed in reading the Qur'an and performing acts of worship.
Four years after the august accession of Temiir Qa'an, Du'a, the
son of Baraq, set out at the head of an army to attack the aforementioned
princes and emirs who control the frontier of Temiir Qa'an's
Empire. As is the custom of the army, there is a patrol stationed in
every siibe19 and from the silbe of Aj'iqi and Chiibei, who are in the
extreme West, to the siibe of Muqali, who is in the East, yams have
been set up and couriers stationed in them. On this occasion they
reported to one another that a large army had made its appearance.
It so happened that the princes Kokochii, Jungqur, and Nangiyadai20
had gathered together and held a feast and were drinking and making
merry. At night, when the news arrived, they were drunk and had
fallen unconscious, incapable of mounting horse. Korgiiz Kiiregen,21
the son-in-law of Temiir Qa'an, set out at the head of his army, and at
once the enemy arrived. Since they were unaware of the situation, and
some of the armies of the right and left hand were without news, and
the distance between them great, they were unable to join one another,
and Du'a, the son of Baraq, and his army fell upon Korgiiz, who had
not more than six thousand men with him. He was unable to stand up
to Du'a and [so] fled, making in the direction of a mountain. The enemy
pursued and captured him and were about to kill him. He said: "I
am Korgiiz, the son-in-law of the Qa'an." Du'a's commander gave
orders that he was not to be killed but held [prisoner]. The fleeing
troops went to the Qa'an. Now Kokochii, the Qa'an's uncle, having
failed to join the army because of neglect, was afraid and lay skulking in
a corner. He was sent for several times but did not appear. In the end
the Qa'an sent Ajiqi to coax him out [of his hiding-place]. And when
the routed army reached the Qa'an's presence, he was displeased with
its commanders: Jungqur and Nangiyadai were seized and bound, and
Ig See above, p. 299 and note 231.
20 Only the first of the three would appear to be a prince of the blood: Kokochii, a
son of Qubilai and uncle of the Great Khan. Jungqur and Nangiyadai are
apparently the commanders referred to above, p. 286.
21 On Korgiiz, "Prince George," see above, p. 286 and note 181.
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