07.04.2013 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY OF OGETEI QAAN<br />

water began to move, and when the troops had crossed, it was back<br />

again without one soldier's having suffered harm. When Bachman was<br />

brought before Mongke Qa'an, he begged to be put to death by the<br />

latter's own hand. Instead Mongke ordered his younger brother<br />

Bochek to cut him in half. Qachir-Ukula, the As emir, was likewise<br />

put to death. That summer Mongke remained in that region.<br />

<strong>The</strong>n, in the taqiqu233 y'il, that is, the Year <strong>of</strong> the Hen, falling in the<br />

months <strong>of</strong> the year 634/I236-I237,234 the sons <strong>of</strong> Jochi <strong>Khan</strong>, Batu,<br />

Orda, and Berke, the sons <strong>of</strong> Qa'an, Qadan and Giiyiik <strong>Khan</strong>, as<br />

also Mongke Qa'an, the grandson <strong>of</strong> Chaghatai <strong>Khan</strong>, Biiri, and the<br />

son <strong>of</strong> Chingiz-<strong>Khan</strong>, Kolgen, went to war against the Boqshi and<br />

the Burtas235 and conquered them in a short space <strong>of</strong> time.<br />

In the autumn <strong>of</strong> the same year all the princes that were in those<br />

parts held a quriltai, and all together went to war against the Orus.<br />

Batu, Orda, Giiyiik <strong>Khan</strong>, Mongke Qa'an, Kolgen, Qadan, and<br />

Biiri together laid siege to the town <strong>of</strong> Irezan,236 which they took in<br />

3 days. <strong>The</strong>y then also captured the town on the Ika,237 where Kolgen<br />

was wounded and died. One <strong>of</strong> the Orus emirs, Orman238 by name,<br />

advanced at the head <strong>of</strong> an army; he was defeated and slain. <strong>The</strong>y<br />

likewise jointly captured the town <strong>of</strong> Makar239 in a space <strong>of</strong> 5 days<br />

and killed the emir <strong>of</strong> the town, Ulai-Temiir240 by name. Laying<br />

siege to the town <strong>of</strong> Great Yurgi,241 they took it in 8 days.242 <strong>The</strong> people<br />

fought hard, but Mongke Qa'an in person performed deeds <strong>of</strong> valor<br />

until he had defeated them. <strong>The</strong>y captured the town <strong>of</strong> ,243<br />

233 T. taqaghn/taqi'ghu, "fowl."<br />

234 Actually 1237.<br />

235 <strong>The</strong> Boqshi are apparently the Moksha, a division <strong>of</strong> the Mordvins. Burtas<br />

(Burtas) seems to have been a general Islamic name for the Mordvins, who survive<br />

to this day as citizens <strong>of</strong> the Mordvinian A. S. S. R.<br />

236 Ryazan, which fell on the 21 st December, 1237.<br />

237 That is, the Oka. <strong>The</strong> town was Kolomna.<br />

238 Prince Roman, the defender <strong>of</strong> Kolomna.<br />

239 MKR or MAKARD. Apparently Moscow, then only a secondary town in the<br />

Suzdal principality.<br />

240 Vladimir, son <strong>of</strong> the Grand Duke Yuri.<br />

241 That is, Vladimir, the capital <strong>of</strong> the Grand Duke Yuri.<br />

242 According to the Russian sources, the siege lasted from 2nd to the 8th February,<br />

1238.<br />

243 QYRQLA or QYRNQLA. According to Berezin Pereyaslavl', according to<br />

Pelliot Torzhok. See Horde d'Or, p. 115, note i to p. 114.<br />

59

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!