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0213 Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1
Report of a Mission to Yarkund in 1873 : vol.1 / Page 213 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000196
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R.S. rejoined his family. He here held a Cirultcy, and celebrated his conquests by magnificent festivities. After these rejoicings he marched against Shandarca, the rebel Chief of Tangtit, devastated his country and reduced him to subjection, but, restoring him to favour, gave him one of his daughters in marriage. This Chief, however, it appears, again rebelled, and Changiz taking the field against him was wounded by an arrow, and died from its effects in Ramzeut 624 H.=18th August 1227 A.D. (Y.C.), aged seventy-three years, having reigned twenty-five. He was

buried, by his own desire, without ostentation, at the roots of a tree in his favourite hunting grounds. He had more than five hundred wives, but only five were noted for birth and beauty combined. They were Parta Cochin, a noble lady of the Canghrat tribe, the mother of his noted sons. In his early wars she was taken prisoner by the Makrit, and delivered to Aong Khan. He kept her sometime, and on a cessation of hostilities restored her to Changiz, whom, shortly after her return, she presented with the son named Jtijf=stranger. A stigma always attached to his parentage, and was the cause of his disagreement with his brothers, and subsequent separation from them. He died during the life of Changiz, and his son, Batti Khan, inherited his share of the empire. Parta Cochin after him bore Changiz three sons, viz., Aoktây, Chaghtay, and Tali, and five daughters.

The other noted wives were Konjti, daughter of Akan Khan, King of Khita;

Kormay Stin, daughter of Tayang Khan ; Mysolon, the daughter of Jamkabtid ; and Ctilan, the daughter of Tayrasdn. The offspring of Changiz in a few generations exceeded ten thousand souls. He first instituted his celebrated Yasci-Yûsvn code after the death of Aong Khan. On his coronation he confirmed it, and had it written in the Uighur character, which he adopted for the Moghol language. lie first established the decimal system of military organization, and the several ranks and offices for the civil administration of the Moghol empire, and instituted the hunting circles, called efirga, with the rules and regulations for their conduct, and the pains and penalties for their infraction. He was a just ruler, protected merchants and encouraged commerce, tolerated all religions, and was liberal to those who unconditionally surrendered to his authority ; but to those who opposed him his only course was one of utter ruin and extermination. On the death of Changiz some confusion followed in the succession to the Chiefship, and it was not till the spring of the third year after, that Aoktay was acknowledged Khdn at a Curult4 held in his camp. At this assembly he was crowned King, and divided the treasures left by Changiz amongst his sons, and nobles and chiefs and troops. He performed the funeral obsequies of the departed conqueror, and sacrificing forty noble virgins to his manes consigned them to his grave as companions in the world he had gone to. On this occasion Aoktây received the homage of his brothers and nobles nine times on bended knee (according to the Tartar observance of that number), after which they went out and knelt three times to the sun as witness to their sincerity. All criminals were pardoned up to date, and the Risd-Yûsûn of Changiz ordained as the rule of government. And thus was inaugurated the succession to the throne of Changiz.

After this Cûrultay, in the spring of 627H.=1229A.D., Aoktây with Chaghtay,

and Ttili, marched to the conquest of Khitâ. Tdli died during the campaign from the effects of a fever contracted through an act of brotherly devotion, of which instances are not uncommon amongst Tartar tribes. He had, to save the life of the sick Aoktây, voluntarily taken his disease to himself by drinking a cup of water in which it had been typically washed away from his afflicted brother. The Moghol army suffered great losses in this campaign from the effects of climate and disease, but their booty in captured women was so great that the districts depopulated from these causes were soon repeopled by their offspring.

From the conquest of Khita, Aoktây returned to Karakoram, and in the spring

of 633 H.=1235 A.D. sent his son Kiiy dk, and Batd, the son of Jdji, and Mangti, the son of 'Dili, and all the sons of Chaghtay to the conquest of Rtis, Charkas, and Bulghar, whilst he devoted his time to the restoration of the principal cities destroyed by his father, and the erection, at Karakoram, of a magnificent palace for himself.

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