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The Family of Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan seated on an ornate throne inside a tent, with family and Court

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Painted portrait of a Genghis Khan in white robes and head covering, facing forward against a pale background

Genghis Khan

r. 1206 - 1227

Dark silhouette portrait of a person in traditional East Asian attire and tall headwear set against a textured gold background

d. 1237?

Dark silhouette bust of a person wearing a traditional rounded helmet and robes against a warm gold background

d.1227

Dark silhouette bust of a person wearing a traditional rounded helmet and robes against a warm gold background

d. 1242

Painted portrait of a bearded figure in a tan robe and green cap, facing slightly left against a plain background

r. 1229 - 1241

Dark silhouette portrait of a person in traditional East Asian attire and tall headwear set against a textured gold background

Rg. 1241 - 1246

Historical painted figure seated cross legged on a richly decorated throne with gold floral designs and red garments

Rg. 1227 - 1229

Red-robed court figure with tall headwear seated near a richly decorated gold throne in a historical manuscript scene

d. 1252

Historic painted court scene showing a crowned seated figure in blue garments, resting one hand on a knee

d.1256

Historic manuscript illustration of a crowned person on a throne, framed by attendants and decorative blue panels

r.1246 - 1248

Dark silhouette portrait of a person in traditional East Asian attire and tall headwear set against a textured gold background

Oghul-Qaimish

Rg. 1248 - 1251

Historic manuscript painting of a ruler seated on a decorated throne in green garments, surrounded by court figures

r. 1251 - 1259

Historical painted likeness of a bearded figure in white clothing and black-trimmed headwear, centred on a light backdrop

r. 1260 - 1294

Manuscript painting of a seated court figure on a patterned red cushion beneath decorative script at the top

d.1265

Dark silhouette bust of a person wearing a traditional rounded helmet and robes against a warm gold background

r. 1260 - 1264

Fourteenth-century map fragment featuring a seated ruler in green robes, gold accents and radiating routes

Golden Horde

Fourteenth-century map illustration featuring a seated crowned ruler, stylised castles, handwritten notes and compass routes

Chaghatayid Dynasty

Fourteenth-century map illustration featuring a ruler with a gold crown and sceptre, surrounded by forts and route lines

Yuan Dynasty

Fourteenth-century map featuring a seated crowned figure amid castles, banners, waterways and compass lines

Founders

Painted portrait of a Genghis Khan in white robes and head covering, facing forward against a pale background

Genghis Khan
Great Khan

Dark silhouette portrait of a person in traditional East Asian attire and tall headwear set against a textured gold background

Borte
Spouse & Khatun

Children & Spouses

Dark silhouette bust of a person wearing a traditional rounded helmet and robes against a warm gold background

Jochi
Son of Genghis Khan

Dark silhouette bust of a person wearing a traditional rounded helmet and robes against a warm gold background

Chaghadai
Son of Genghis Khan

Painted portrait of a bearded figure in a tan robe and green cap, facing slightly left against a plain background

Ogedei
Son of Genghis Khan

Dark silhouette portrait of a person in traditional East Asian attire and tall headwear set against a textured gold background

Toregene
Spouse of Ogedei

Historical painted figure seated cross legged on a richly decorated throne with gold floral designs and red garments

Tolui
Son of Genghis Khan

Red-robed court figure with tall headwear seated near a richly decorated gold throne in a historical manuscript scene

Sorqoqtani
Spouse of Tolui

Grandchildren

Historic painted court scene showing a crowned seated figure in blue garments, resting one hand on a knee

Batu
Son of Jochi

Historic manuscript illustration of a crowned person on a throne, framed by attendants and decorative blue panels

Güyük
Son of Ogedei

Dark silhouette portrait of a person in traditional East Asian attire and tall headwear set against a textured gold background

Oghul-Qaimish
Spouse of Guyuk

Historic manuscript painting of a ruler seated on a decorated throne in green garments, surrounded by court figures

Möngke
Son of Tolui

Historical painted likeness of a bearded figure in white clothing and black-trimmed headwear, centred on a light backdrop

Kublai
Son of Tolui

Manuscript painting of a seated court figure on a patterned red cushion beneath decorative script at the top

Hülegü
Son of Tolui

Dark silhouette bust of a person wearing a traditional rounded helmet and robes against a warm gold background

Ariq-Boke
Son of Tolui

Successor States

Fourteenth-century map fragment featuring a seated ruler in green robes, gold accents and radiating routes

Golden Horde
Legacy of Batu

Fourteenth-century map illustration featuring a seated crowned ruler, stylised castles, handwritten notes and compass routes

Chaghatayid Dynasty
Legacy of Chaghadai

Fourteenth-century map illustration featuring a ruler with a gold crown and sceptre, surrounded by forts and route lines

Yuan Dynasty
Legacy of Kublai

Fourteenth-century map featuring a seated crowned figure amid castles, banners, waterways and compass lines

Il-khanate
Legacy of Hulegu

Image Credits

Genghis Khan - National Palace Museum, Taipei
Guyuk - Bibliothèque nationale de France, Supplément Persan 206 f.136
Hulagu - 14th century, Rashid ad-Din, Persia
Kublai - National Palace Museum, Taipei
Mongke - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Ogedei - National Palace Museum, Taipei
Sorqoqtani - Rashid al-Din, Djami al-Tawarikh, 14th century, Librairie Gallimard
Tolui - Rashid al-Din, Djami al-Tawarikh, 14th century, Librairie Gallimard
Batu - Rashid al-Din Hamadani History of the World Bibliothèque nationale de France

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A historical-style drawing depicting Genghis Khan with white hair, black pointed adornments on each side of the head, and a lengthy, finely detailed beard. Image credit: Chinggis Khaan, painting on silk. Copy of the original, Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan.

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Genghis Khan (r. 1206 - 1227)

Genghis Khan was born as Temujin in Mongolia in the 1160s. Through strength and diplomacy, he rose to power, reuniting the Mongolian clans under his leadership in 1206. Genghis began a series of campaigns to expand Mongol influence across Asia, laying the foundations of the Mongol Empire.
Borte (d. 1237?)

Borte and Temujin were betrothed as children, yet soon after their wedding as teenagers, Borte was captured by rival Merkits. When Temujin rescued her, she had been forcibly married and was pregnant. Borte would go on to play a role in the rise of the Mongols, advising both her husband and sons.
Jochi (d.1227)

Jochi was the first son of Genghis Khan, although his parentage is questioned. Regardless, Jochi became a valued commander in the Mongol army, particularly against the Khwarezmian Empire. Genghis gave Jochi and his sons lands west of the Irtysh River, which laid the foundation for the Golden Horde.
Chaghadai (d. 1242)

Chaghadai was the second son of Genghis Khan. According to sources, Chaghadai was a stern man, devoted to Mongol tradition. In keeping with Mongol custom, Genghis Khan gave his sons ‘ulus’ or territory to rule over. Chaghadai received land in central Asia, which evolved into the Chaghatayid Khanate.
Ögedei (r. 1229 – 1241)

Ögedei was the third son of Genghis Khan and his successor to the Mongol Empire. He was considered a strong and just ruler who expanded the empire into Europe and southern China. Ögedei established the city of Karakorum and ordered the extension of the Yam. Ögedei died of acute alcoholism in 1241.
Toregene (Rg. 1241 - 1246)

Originally the wife of a Merkit prince, Toregene had been captured and forced to marry Temujin's son, Ogedei, before 1204. When Ogedei died in 1241, she ruled the empire as regent while a quriltai chose the next heir. In this time, Toregene changed the tax system and ordered raids on neighbours.
Tolui (Rg. 1227 - 1229)

Tolui was Genghis Khan’s fourth son. Tolui was talented military commander, proving himself against the Jin Empire in 1212. When Genghis Khan died in 1227, Tolui was appointed regent and given most of Mongolia as his ‘ulus’. While on campaign in 1232, Tolui died which one source credits to poison.
Sorqoqtani (d. 1252)

Sorqoqtani was the wife of Tolui. After the death of Guyuk Khan, Sorqoqtani manoeuvred for her son, Mongke, to succeed. This brought her into conflict with Guyuk’s widow, Oghul-Qaimish, and her sons. After much debate and the brink of civil war, Sorqoqtani prevailed and Mongke ascended the throne.
Batu (d.1256)

Batu Khan was the son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. During the reign of Ogedei, Batu was placed in charge of the invasion of the Kievan Rus. When Ogedei died, Batu chose to form the Golden Horde around the River Volga, partly to secure his lands from Ogedei's son, Guyuk.
Güyük (r.1246 - 1248)

Güyük became the third khan of the empire after the death of his father, Ögedei. His election was not guaranteed, and it took the work of his mother, Toregene, to secure his ascent. Güyük led a series of peaceful reforms for the empire, including tax and poverty relief. Güyük died suddenly in 1248.
Oghul-Qaimish (Rg. 1248 – 1251)

On the death of her husband Guyuk, Oghul-Qaimish became regent and expected the quriltai to support her sons in their inheritance. Yet, her ineffective rule and alleged arrogance led to the election of Mongke, son of Tolui. Oghul-Qaimish denounced the coup but without allies, Mongke had her drowned.
Möngke (r. 1251 – 1259)

Möngke became khan after the political manoeuvres of his mother, Sorqoqtani. After the divisive election, Möngke had several rival members of his own family executed. Despite this, Möngke was a reformer. He conducted a census of the empire, creating a fairer tax system which exempted the unemployed.
Kublai (r. 1260 – 1294)

Kublai secured his position as khan in 1264 after defeating his brother Ariq-Boke in a civil war. Kublai moved the imperial centre of the Mongol Empire from Mongolia to Beijing and patronised science and the arts. During his reign, he subjugated Korea and Song China but failed to conquer Japan.
Hülegü (d.1265)

Hülegü was made the il-khan, or sub-ruler, of Syria and Iraq during the reign of his brother, Möngke Khan. During the 1250s and 1260s, Hülegü expanded Mongol influence in the Middle East, capturing cities such as Baghdad in 1258. He supported his brother Kublai in the civil war of the 1260s.
Ariq-Boke (r. 1260 - 1264)

After the death of Mongke Khan in 1259, his brothers Ariq-Boke and Kublai sparked a civil war over the succession. The Golden Horde and Ariq-Boke fought against the Ilkhanate and Kublai's army based in China. Ariq-Boke was forced to surrender in 1264 and he died the following year from illness.
Golden Horde

The Golden Horde was made of land west of the Irtysh River in eastern Russia. Genghis Khan's son, Jochi, and his son, Batu, expanded this land into Russia, Ukraine, and Europe. The Golden Horde was the longest lived of all Mongol territories, with successor states existing until the 18th century.
Chaghatayid Khanate

The Chaghatayid Khanate was founded on land left to Chagatai by his father Genghis Khan. This covered territory in modern-day Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The khanate was frequently at war with their fellow Mongol neighbours until its absorption into the growing Timurid Empire.
Yuan Dynasty

In 1271, Genghis's grandson, Kublai, declared the start of a new dynasty – the Yuan – and adopted the Chinese mandate of heaven. The Yuan ruled China and parts of present-day Mongolia for over a century. In 1388, the Han Chinese overthrew their Mongol overlords and established a new Ming dynasty.
Il-khanate

The Il-khanate was founded when Mongke Khan made his brother, Hulegu, the il-khan of territory in modern day Iran and Iraq. The term means the khan of a particular people, signifying their subordinate position to the Great Khan. The Il-khanate splintered into smaller lands in the mid-14th century.