Temür Khan
| |
| Temür Khan, Emperor Chengzong of Yuan | |
|---|---|
| Birth and death: | 1265-1307 |
| Clan name: | Borjigin (孛兒只斤) |
| Given name: | Temür (鐵木耳 Tiěmùér; Өлзийт Төмөр) |
| Khan name: | Temür Öljeytü Khân Chinese: 完澤篤汗 |
| Dates of reign: | 1294-1307 |
| Dynasty: | Yuan (元) |
| Temple name: | Chengzong (成宗 Chéngzōng) |
| Posthumous name: (short) |
- |
| Posthumous name: (full) |
Qin Ming Guang Xiao Huangdi (钦明广孝皇帝) |
| Era names: | Yuanzhen (元貞 Yuánzhēn) 1295-1297 Dade (大德 Dádè) 1297-1307 |
Emperor Chengzong of Yuan (Chinese: 元成宗, 1265-February 10, 1307), also known as Temür Khan, was the second leader of the Yuan Dynasty to rule as Emperor or Khaan of this dynasty between 1294 and 1307. He was a son of the Crown Prince Zhenjin (真金) and the grandson of Kublai Khan. During his rule, he made peace with the western khanates as well as the neighboring countries such as Dai Viet and Champa, which accepted his nominal supermacy.
Early career
Kublai ordered him to guard the Liao River area and Liaodong in the east from Nayan (Naiyan) and other rival relatives in 1287. He managed to repulse them with the assistance of Kublai's generals. Prince Temur was appointed a governor of Karakorum and surrounding areas in 1293. Three Chagatai princes submitted to him while he was defending Eastern Mongolia (they fled to Chagatai Khanate soon and returned to Yuan Dynasty again during the reign of Temur).
Reign
Temur Khan was originally not the successor named by Kublai Khan, but he did become the successor after his father, the Crown Prince Zhenjin, died before Kublai Khan. Temür had obtained the seal of heir apparent and was backened by his mother Kököjin and by merited officials of Kublai, namely Üs Temür, Bayan, Turk Bukhumu, and Öljei all experienced with the Chinese state bureaucracy and honored military leaders. These highly estimated persons could enforce the election of Temür against his competitor and brother Gamala.
Many other high posts of his empire were filled with people of different origin, including Mongols, Han Chinese, Muslims and few Christians, although many of these statesmen were guided by the Confucian principle.
He banned sales and distill of alcohols in Mongolia in 1297. French historian Rene Grousset applauded his activity in the book Empire of Steppes.
Temur Khan was a competent emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. He kept the empire the way Kublai Khan left it though he didn't make any great achievements. He continued many of Kublai Khan's economic reforms and tried to recover the economy from the highly-costed campaigns during Kublai Khan's reign. He allowed the empire to heal from the wounds of particularly the Vietnam Campaign. One problem was that corrupt officials started to show up during his reign, but overall, the empire was still in a good shape. The Emperor died in Dadu in 1307.
Military Campaigns
Soon after he was enthroned as Emperor Chengzong, Temür called off all preparations for further expansions to Japan and Dai Viet whose new ruler ignored his grandfather's emmisary in 1291, initiated by his grandfather. Kings of Dai Viet, Burma and Sukhotai visited Khanbalik to greet him as their overlord in 1295 and again in 1300. Temur released the emissary of Dai Viet to show his goodwill. After the compliment from the prince of Dai Viet, he left the idea of Vietnamese campaign and said all his ministers: "They are our friendly subjects. Do not attack their people". But he had to quell rebellions in the southwestern mountainous area, lead by tribal chieftains like Song Longji and female leader Shejie in 1296. It took long months for the generals Liu Shen and Liu Guojie to supress these rebellions. By the request of Mien prince, Temur dispatched a detachment of Yuan army to Burma in 1297. They successfully repelled Shan brothers from Myanmar.
Yuan troops extinguished Naiyan's remnants under Khadan (who is a descendant of Yesugei) in Manchuria and Altai during his reign.
Oljeitu Temür Chenzong sent his messengers to Japan and Champa to demand submission. Champa responded positively but Kamakura shogunate did not. In 1300, a detachment of Yuan army invaded Burma to protect his vassals from Thai warlords without success. That year, Chenzong launched a large offensive against Kaidu's raid. Buyan of White Horde also asked help from Temür against Kaidu and his rebel cousin. But the emperor's mother admonished him not to lead army for pursuing enemies. Kaidu and his number two Duwa were defeated by the Yuan army and Kaidu died following year. Shortly afterward, the political situation in Central Asia changed.
Temür and the Western Khanates
Ghazan Khan of the Ilkhanate converted to Islam after his enthronement in 1295. He actively supported the expansion of Islam in his empire and renounced all relationship with the "paganish" Yuan Dynasty. Three years later though, he changed this policy and sent his envoys with precious gifts such as cloths, jewels and gold to greet Temür who was the most respected person of House of Tolui at time. In response, Temür said "Descendants of Chingis Khan shall be friendly to each other forever" and sent Ghazan a seal reading "王府定國理民之寶" in Chinese script, meaning "Seal certifying the authority of his Royal Highness to establish a country and govern its people". Ghazan also received his share from the appanage in Yuan Dynasty.
In 1304, Duwa of Chagatai Khanate, Kaidu's son Chapar, Tokhta of Golden Horde and Ilkhan Oljeitu negotiated peace with Temür Khan, in order to maintain trade and diplomatic relations, and agreed him to be their nominal overlord.[1] According to the ancient custom which was inherited from the time of Hulegu, Temür thus deigned Oljeitu as the new khan of the Ilkhanate, and sent him a seal reading "真命皇帝和順萬夷之寶" in Chinese script, meaning "Seal of Mandate of Heaven Emperor [i.e. Emperor of China] who made peace with all foreigners/barbarians", which was later used by Oljeitu in his letter to French king Philip IV of France in 1305.[2] Nevertheless, the fighting between Duwa and Chapar soon broke out. Temür decided to help Duwa by sending a large army, and Chapar finally surrendered.
References
- Rene Grousset - Empire of Steppes
- Цэен-ойдов - Чингис Богдоос Лигдэн Хутаг хүртэл 36 хаад