National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

( 144 )

It is said to have covered several square miles of surface, and to have comprised R.S. separate suits of apartments for his several brothers and their families, besides hunting parks, flower gardens, fish ponds, &c., and all sorts of resorts for pleasure and amusement, with gorgeous pavilions and halls for music, dispersed over the grounds. In all these the workmanship was of the most elaborate and costly kind, and the handiwork of the most skilful artificers and masters from China and the countries of the west. On the return of the victorious armies from the latter direction, he held a Cûrultdy here, and in the midst of its magnificent ceremonies, and varied displays, its plea,ures and festivities, the Great Lord of all the Tirtir nations, the most puissant sovereign of the age, the Great Aoktiy Cain, the successor of Changiz, died suddenly in 639 H. =1241 A.D. as King of Iran and Turin on the west, and Mogholia and Khiti on the east.

Chaghtray succeeded, and ruled the country from Irin to Karakoram. He was V.B. a bigotted Budhist and a confirmed drunkard, nevertheless the country during his rule flourished and prospered. He held his Court at Almiligh, between which and Bukharra he established a post of express couriers for speedy intelligence. He died in the same year after Aoktiy, and left many sons, of whom Bisû, Boni, Bydar, and Basan Boca were present at the Curultiy, when Kûyûk, son of Aoktay, succeeded to the Khini.

Chaghtiy had nominated his grandson Kara HuMini, a minor, to succeed him, and his mother, Abûskûn, acted as regent, and put to death many State officers in the way of her ambition. On this Kûyuk deposed her, and disposing of other rivals, in 645 H. = 1247 A.D., appointed Bisû as successor to Chaghtiy.

This, however, led to anarchy at the capital, Almiligh, and disorder soon spread Y.C. all over the country, and led ultimately to the dismemberment of the Chaghtray empire, on the ruins of which, after the lapse of a hundred years of anarchy, usurpations, depositions, and murders amongst the Moghol Princes contending for power, was constructed the new kingdom of Mogholistin, or Jattah Ulûs, by a Chaghtray descendant. This kingdom of Mogholistan comprised the countries of Zûnghâr and Kishghar on the north and south respectively of the Allah Ugh or Tianshan range of mountains.

Kûyûk, after three years' reign, was succeeded by Mangû Khan, the eldest son V.B. of Tûli. He reinstated Kara Hul kû and Abûskiin, and, deposing Bisû for rebellion against his authority, ordered Kara, Hulakû to kill him ; but both died before the mandate could be carried out. On this Mangû appointed Organa, the widow of Kara Hulâ.kû, to the government of the Chaghtiy empire. She ruled in peace for ten years at Almiligh, and there, in 1254 A.D. (Y.C.) received Hulakû Khan, the second son of Tûli, and the Lord of the Western Tatar, when he was on his march from Karakoram against the mulâhid or " assassins" in Persia, where, after the conquest of Baghdad, he died at Maragha in Azarbijin, not long after his brother, Mangû, who died in 658 H. = 1259 A.D. at the siege of Tangtâsh from the effects of excessive drinking during his campaign against China. On his death war broke out between his son and successor Cubliy Cain, whose capital was at Khanbiligh, and Arik Bûghi in the west.

Organa was now deposed by Algû, who fixed his seat at Almiligh as the protegé of Arik Bûghi. But he soon revolted and joined Cublray, who, whilst Arik Bûgha was engaged against him in the west, advanced and seized Karakoram. Arik Bûghi now took Almiligh and drove out A1gû, who fled first to Kishghar, and then to Khutan, and finally to Samarcand. Meanwhile Almiligh was devastated, famine followed, and thousands perished. Arik Bûghâ was now deserted by his Chiefs, and proposed peace provided he held the Chaghtiy country. Algû agreed to this, married Organa, and appointing Masiûd Beg, the Chaghtray Governor of Miwarinahar, to act as Wazir, thus restored peace.

Algû now repelled the invasion of Turkistan by Kaidû, the grandson of Aoktay, who, aided by Bite, contested the succession to the paramount Khâni against Cubliy, and died soon after his wife in 662 H. = 1263 A.D. Cublary then appointed