The four great khanates during the fall of the Yuan Dynasty

 

The four great khanates during the fall of the Yuan Dynasty

 

When chatting about the Yuan Dynasty, Agudengba, Azhuo and Chu Sanxing always had endless topics to talk about.

Chu Sanxing asked Agudengba:

I am very interested in the vast Yuan Dynasty. The Yuan Dynasty created military miracles in the history of the Chinese nation and was one of the most distinctive dynasties in Chinese history. Why didn't the four major khanates send troops to help when the Yuan Dynasty fell?

Azhuo said: I am also very curious about this. Mr. Agudemba, can you tell us something about the four khanates.

Agudenba said:

In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor in Nanjing and established the Ming Dynasty. After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang sent people to the Northern Expedition and finally successfully occupied the capital of the Yuan Dynasty. The Yuan Dynasty was forced to withdraw from the Central Plains and returned to the Mongolian grasslands. In this way, the Yuan Dynasty perished.

Many people cannot understand that the Mongols once swept across the Eurasian continent and established four major khanates in addition to the Yuan Dynasty. So how did the four great khanates appear? After the Mongols unified the grasslands and established the Mongol Empire, they began the Western Expedition. The Mongol Empire's Western Expedition began in 1219 and ended in 1260. In these decades, the Mongols swept across the Eurasian continent and ruled an ever-increasing territory. It was under this situation that the four great khanates emerged. Simply put, Mongolia had a tradition of enfeoffment at that time, and these khanates were established by the descendants of Genghis Khan. In 1255, Genghis Khan began to divide the fiefdoms among his princes. This was the original origin of the four great khanates.

Agudengba began to briefly describe these four khanates:

The Kipchak Khanate, also called the Golden Horde, was mainly established by Jochi, the eldest son of Genghis Khan, and his descendants. The territory of the Kipchak Khanate is very large, reaching Oros in the west, from Lake Balkhash, the Caspian Sea, and the Black Sea in the south, to near the Arctic Circle in the north. The entire Eastern Europe region is its sphere of influence. Our familiar Russian ancestors were ruled by this khanate for a long time.

The Chagatai Khanate was established by the Chagatai Khanate, the second son of Genghis Khan, and his descendants. At its peak, the Chagatai Khanate reached Turpan and Lop Nur in the east, the Amu River in the west, Talbahatai Mountain in the north, and the Hindu Kush Mountains in the south. Looking at this territory, we can find that its jurisdiction mainly covers northwest China and Central Asia.

Ogedai Khanate, this khanate was established by the descendants of Ogedai, the third son of Genghis Khan. Note that it was not Wo Kuotai, but the descendants of Wo Kuotai. The main jurisdiction of this khanate is in the upper reaches of the Irtysh River and the area east of Lake Balkhash. The scope of its rule is basically the territory of Xiliao.

Ilkhanate. This khanate was a regime established in West Asia by Hulagu, the fourth son of Genghis Khan, Tolei. Its territory stretches from the Amu Darya and Indus rivers in the east, to the west most of Asia Minor, to the Persian Gulf in the south, and to the Caucasus Mountains in the north. Mainly in the current West Asia area. The descendants of this Khanate entered India and established the Mughal Dynasty.

This is the general situation of the establishment of the four great khanates. There is still a certain disparity in the territory of these khanates. Except for the Ilkhanate, the others all border on the Yuan Dynasty.

Agudemba continued:

After understanding the establishment of these khanates, let's take a look at the relationship between these khanates and the Yuan Dynasty. They are of the same origin and species, but their relationship is not good.

First of all, the relationship between the four major khanates and the Yuan Dynasty had been troubled for a period of time. Just by looking at this title, we know that these regimes are lower in status than the Yuan Dynasty. The reason for this is that they are all enfeoffed by the Mongol Khan, which means that these regimes must accept the leadership of the Mongol Khan. Therefore, for a long time, these khanates obeyed directly the Mongol Khan. Moreover, the Mongolian Plateau, the birthplace of the Mongols, is also directly managed by the Mongolian Khan, which is also of great significance. However, after Ali Buge and Kublai Khan competed for the throne of Khan, these khanates no longer obeyed Kublai Khan. Because they did not recognize Kublai Khan's status. Since they no longer recognized Kublai Khan, they no longer obeyed the orders of the Yuan Dynasty.

Of course, later these khanates still recognized the orders of the Yuan Dynasty emperor. After all, they were still the Mongol Khans and had orthodox status. But they only admitted that accepting the canonization of the Yuan Dynasty did not have a close relationship with the Yuan Dynasty.

Secondly, the differences between the various khanates and the Yuan Dynasty became increasingly large. Like the Yuan Dynasty, the four major khanates had a small proportion of Mongolians. Therefore, if they wanted to consolidate their local rule, they had to accept the local politics, economy, culture, and ethnic groups.

Azhuo asked:

During the Yuan Dynasty, did any religion become the state religion? Did the people of the Yuan Dynasty or the Mongolian people at that time have a universal belief?

Agudenba said:

Although these khanates were all established by the Mongols, as time went by, the differences between the rulers of these khanates became more and more obvious. Most of the Khanate monarchs accepted Islam or Christianity and slowly abandoned the traditional Mongolian shamanism. The Yuan Dynasty implemented an inclusive religious policy, and various religions could develop in Yuan Dynasty society. Of course, the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty believed most in Tibetan Buddhism, which can be said to be the state religion of the Yuan Dynasty. However, the Mongols and primitive shamanism still existed, but they did not occupy a dominant position in the politics of the Yuan Dynasty. Therefore, there are still great differences between the various Khanates and the Yuan Dynasty in terms of beliefs.

Belief is a part of culture and its influence is subtle. It’s just that you accepted this culture without knowing it. Once you accept it, you will find that the differences between yourself and others are getting bigger and bigger, and your sense of identity will be getting lower and lower. In this case, the relationship between them and the Yuan Dynasty will become worse and worse.

Agudemba continued:

According to the development of the above situation, the relationship between the four major khanates and the Yuan Dynasty became increasingly bad. Not to mention that they supported the Yuan Dynasty, they didn't even listen to the Yuan Dynasty's orders, and their contacts were getting less and less.

When the Yuan Dynasty fell, what were these khanates doing, and why did they have the energy and ability to support the Yuan Dynasty?

The situation of the Kipchak Khanate was not good at the time. The Khanate developed well before 1340 and even achieved centralized power. However, after 1340, the opponent's strength became stronger and stronger, and coupled with the constant struggle for power within the central government, the replacement of monarchs became faster and faster. The final result was that the Kipchak Khanate gradually split. Under such circumstances, it was difficult for the Kipchak Khanate to even protect itself, let alone support the Yuan Dynasty. After all, their internal problems were too serious and they had no ability to support the Yuan Dynasty.

The Chagatai Khanate was split into two in 1346, but the Yuan Dynasty had not yet perished. The Eastern Chagatai Khanate, which split from the Chagatai Khanate, fell into a melee in 1363, and the melee did not end until the demise of the Yuan Dynasty. After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, the melee in this khanate ended. The Timurid Empire that split from the Chagatai Khanate was very far away from the Yuan Dynasty. Before the 15th century, the empire was very weak and had no ability to support the Yuan Dynasty.

The ending of the Ogedai Khanate is still very interesting. When this Khanate reached the second generation, it was destroyed by the Yuan Dynasty and the Chagatai Khanate. The Ogedai Khanate is the smallest and weakest among the four great khanates. The reason why the Yuan Dynasty destroyed this Khanate was because it was located in the northwest of the Yuan Dynasty and was very harmful to the Yuan Dynasty.

The Ilkhanate split in 1335. In 1358, the Ilkhanate was destroyed by the Timur Khanate. At this time, the Yuan Dynasty had not yet perished.

In other words, two of the four great khanates perished before the demise of the Yuan Dynasty. Although the other two khanates did not perish, they were all in turmoil when the Yuan Dynasty perished, and they were unable to assist the Yuan Dynasty.

Agudenba said:

In fact, even if there is no situation, if the four major khanates are here, their relationship with the Yuan Dynasty will not be very good. This is similar to the enfeoffment system of the Western Zhou Dynasty. When the central government is strong, local princes will obey the central government's orders. Once the central government weakens, it is normal for them to oppose the central government, let alone obey its orders. But as time went by, the relationship between local princes and the central government became increasingly alienated, and they basically had no feelings for the central government.

Agudengba sang a song called "Intrigue and Intrigue":

 

The structure of the imperial palace buildings,

Exquisitely intertwined and intrigues;

The combination of monarchs, ministers and generals in the imperial court,

Use all your scheming and fight openly and secretly.

 

The war of tribal khanates,

Everyone holds the terrain, you fight for it;

The scheming overlord becomes king,

The appearance is incompatible with the spirit, and you are deceitful.

 

In the name of patriotism,

deceive the people and fool the people;

National rejuvenation is an imperial pretense;

Change of dynasties is inevitable in history.