Toghril , so known under the name of Ong Khan or Wang Khan (~ 1130 - 1203), was the chief of the tribe of the Kéraït, in Mongolia, towards the end of the year 1100. His/her father was Qourdjaqouz Khan. He knew Yesügei-ba' atour and his Témüdjin son who became Gengis Khan thereafter. Kéraït were in great majority Christian nestoriens and it is probable that it was to it him too. Toghril received the title of Ong Khan by the Manchu . He played a big role in the fulgurating rise of Gengis Khan which unified the Mongolian tribes thereafter.
Biography
Before the death of Yesügei
Toghril had a very difficult youth. The Merkit captured it during its childhood and it was tiny room to slavery. It is possible that it left Merkit after being released following a ransom or that he is quite simply escaped. However, according to the Secret History, it was again removed towards the thirteen years age by Tatar which also took his/her own mother. When Toghril returned to Kéraït later. His/her father, Qourdjaqouz, died. Toghril took its place and ordered Kéraït about the years 1165. It benefitted from it to kill its three frêres. Erké-qara escaped and fuya at the Naïman which were the tribe close to Kéraït. The two others frêres, Bouqa Témur and Tai-Témur Taïchi were carried out. However, the success of Toghril was short because his/her uncle, Gourkhan, reversed it. Toghril flees with his/her daughter and a handle the faithful ones. It tried to obtain the assistance of Merkit to reverse in its Gourkhan turn but their chief, Toqto' has, refused in spite of the fact that Toghril offered his/her daughter to him because Kéraït were very numerous. Toghril thus went to see the father of Témüdjin, Yesügei. It chooses to help Toghril because it had before fought a battle to the sides of Kéraït against the Tatar. Kéraït were surprised when Yesügei attacked without them not having time to prepare. In spite of the fact that Kéraït were much more numerous, their forces were dispersed a little everywhere in central Mongolia. Toghril took again the command of Kéraït and Gourkhan flees.
Helps in Témüdjin
Toghril was, just like Djamuqa and Témüdjin, frêre by oath with Yesügei. When Yesügei was assassinated by poisoning whereas this last visited of Tatar and that he learned later by Belgutaï and Qassar that the young woman of Témüdjin, Börté, had been removed by Merkit, he came to him to assistance. It was a good manners to be avenged for Merkit of which he had been the slave and Merkit were as fewer as Kéraït. The victory seemed to him probably assured. He asked for all the same the assistance of Djamuqa which came to him to assistance. Before the coalition guided by Toghril, his/her brother Djaqagambou, Djamuqa and Témüdjin cannot arrive where they wanted to attack Merkit, two of the chiefs of this tribe, Dayir-oussoun and Toqto' a-béki, fuyèrent the camping, probably informed by people who had seen the army moving. The coalition easily gained the combat which followed and approximately 300 Merkit perished. The chiefs distributed the spoils between them and gave the women merkit to the warriors. The children became slaves. Börté was found later in the evening. Toghril turned over to the Kéraït camping with its men, to trust of an easy victory.
Fights against Tatar
Temüdjin, some time after, accepted the name of Gengis Khan. It intended to attack Tatar which had for a long time caused him various problems of which the murder of his/her father. He asked for the assistance of Toghril which accepted readily, still content with the victory which he had had before. The grandfather of Toghril had been also assassinated to him by Tatar what gave him a similar reason to fight them. He joined Gengis Khan with a few thousands of Kéraït. The Djurki were also invited, but declined the offer because they were somewhat scrambled with the tribe of Gengis. They found finally allies in Wan-yen Siang, king of the dynasty Kin of China. Tatar were regarded by the Chinese as being harmful and the occasion was perfect to exterminate them. When the combined forces of Toghril and Gengis Khan attacked Tatars, they were taken in a vice since the warriors Chinese who were behind encircled the enemy tribe easily. The men were massacred, the women given to the most valorous warriors and the children were adopted or became servants and slaves. A few thousands of Tatar which had resisted then which was escaped were cut off. The Général of Chinese gave the title of King to Toghril. This last, like Gengis Khan, returned to their campings of origin with in their possession even more spoils.
Years of misery of Toghril
That occurred towards the neighborhoods from 1194. When it arrived at his place, Toghril was reversed by its frêre Erké-qara which it had not been able to assassinate and which had returned with Naïman. Many Kéraït which was dissatisfied command of Toghril probably also contributed to drive out Toghril. It fuya without same outward journey to ask of the assistance of Gengis Khan. The reasons are unknown. It is possible that it was continued by its enemies or that he was quite simply too proud since he had asked for the assistance of Yésugaï in similar circumstances. It ends up leading on the grounds of the Ouigour then went in the king of the Qara-Khitaï after having traversed approximately 2500 kilometers. It did not remain very a long time at this place. It is after having left Qara-Khitaï that it finally decided to join Gengis Khan. According to the writings of Aldine Rashid, it would have reached the camping of Gengis Khan in 1196. This race was probably very painful because it had crossed many mountains and deserts. It had, in the last moments of its way, piqué its Chameau day after day to drink blood there because food was done increasingly rare. It had lost many cattle and faithful. Nearly two years of hell finished finally for Toghril.
With Gengis Khan
Toghril had never really helped Gengis Khan when itself had lived its own years of misery until Börté was removed. Gengis Khan however placed it with more the great attention. Toghril became its guest lasting approximately two years. Toghril was without under, this is why Gengis Khan undertook to attack Merkit for one second time and gave most of spoils to Toghril which gave some to various Kéraït chiefs to consolidate allies near its tribe of origin. Gengis Khan would then have attacked a tribe Kéraït, Tumèn-Tubégän, and most of the survivors became with the service of Toghril. Kéraït returned entirely in Toghril towards 1198. Naïman remained neutral and did not offer any assistance to Erké-qara because the Naïman people were then divided between two kings. Gutchugundun Bouyirouq took the southern part and Taï Bouga the northern part of the Naïman grounds. Erké-qara fuya for the second time. To reward Kéraït which had remained to him faithful, Toghril ordered to them to plunder weak Merkit for the third time. Important Merkit whose two wire of Toqto' a-béki were captured whereas another was assassinated. Toghril did not give any spoils to Gengis Khan which was very patient and generous. The brother of Toghril, Djaqagambou found in Gengis Khan very a good friend and both became brothers of blood by oath.
From 1199 to 1203
These years were favourable with many upheavals in Mongolia and were also the last of the life of Toghril.
1199
Towards 1199, Toghril wanted to finish of them good once for all with Naïman and the argument between the two kings of this tribe was an unhoped-for chance to attack. If it attacked one of the brothers, it was almost certain that the other would not do anything and it could destroy them one after the other without having to face the two tribes together which could have formed a frightening alliance. It succeeds in joining together Gengis Khan and Djamuqa, chief of the tribe of the Djadjirat and forced them to become again allied because they had hitherto become enemy. They did it, but with a mistrust one towards the other. When the forces of Toghril, Djamuqa and Gengis Khan met to fight those of Gutchugudun, they realized well quickly that Naïman had an asset; their grounds were favourable with a long continuation. Indeed, Toghril had great difficulty to pursue its enemies because they had much ground to escape. After an excursion of a few hundred kilometers, Toghril went obviously that it could never catch up with them and reconsidered its steps. However, a Naïman general of the name of Köksé' u-sabraq which was not far put to continue Toghril in his turn. During the night, the camps Naïman and Kéraït were face to face and Toghril, under the councils of Djamuqa, left Gengis Khan to flee. It had beforehand placed campfires to make accept in the enemy (but also Gengis Khan) who they remained at this place for the night. The following day, Gengis Khan quickly went account of the trick and fuya by circumventing Naïman which decided to continue Toghril. They joined it and attacked its rear-guard which was made up of Djaqagambou and Ilqa, the son of Toghril. They had much evil to fight the enemy because they probably still were very tired continuation. Toghril sent messengers to horse with Gengis Khan so that it comes to him to assistance. It sent its faithful Bo' ortchou, Mouqali, Boroqoul and Tchila' oun with a few hundreds of men. During the battle, the two Merkit prisoners, sons of Toqto' a-béki, fled to join their father. The Cheval of Ilqa bled much. It is at this time that the men of Gengis Khan arrived and crushed Naïman which did not expect it at all. Kéraït had escaped with a potential massacre. Toghril thanked Gengis Khan and him prometta which it was never going to forget what it had made lasting for him this battle.
1200
In 1200, Toghril lent strong hand to Gengis Khan whereas this last was attacked by a formed alliance of the Tayitchi' out, ordered by Targhoutaï Kiriltouq, an old enemy of Gengis, and of Merkit directed by Toqto' a-béki which had found its sons. That occurred on the edges from the Onon. The combined forces of Kéraït and Mongolian of Genghis Khan were gaining of this confrontation. However, Tayitchi' out had not finished any. They found several allies and became twice more numerous than the faithful ones of Gengis Khan. Toghril came once again to assistance of its ally close to Onon. According to Rashîd Al-Din, during these moments, Toghril realized that Djaqagambou and other Kéraït chiefs conspired to cause his fall. Djaqagambou and its allies fuyèrent at Naïman of north which had remained completely neutral when Naïman of the south had been attacked. According to the Secret History, this incident arrives only later.
1201 and 1202
In 1201, Djamuqa had started again the hostilities towards Gengis Khan. A formed impressive coalition of the tribes Djadjirat, Tayitchi' out, Ikiräs, Qorolas, Saldji' out, Dörbat, Suldus, Qatagin, Bésut, Merkit, Oïrat and finally of Tatar were opposed to Genghis Khan by naming Djamuqa " Universal Khan " (Gur Khan). Toghril decides to join Gengis again. As it is mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the Secret History replaces the treason of Djaqagambou to later. In this book, it is known as that Djamqagambou was at the sides of Toghril in the battle which follows. Toghril and Gengis Khan went in the valley called the Vallée of Kérulèn with about fifteen thousands of men. When they transfer the enemy, they climbed the mounts Khingan because they were in numerical disadvantage vis-a-vis the enemy. Naïman of the south of Gutchugudun had joined the men of Djamuqa. Toghril and Gengis Khan delivered a combat in defensive which was very difficult and perilous. A torrential rain returned the mounts slipping and the men fell from the top of the mounts to finish in cracks and ravines. After the enemy folded up his forces, Toghril left to return to the Toula with its warriors. Gengis benefitted from the escape of its enemies to complete several with back horse of them. Targhoutaï would have been wounded with died following this combat.
the secret history mentions that this battle was delivered in a single combat whereas several other historians claim that two " Battles of Köyitèn " (region-frost) were delivered to the same place in the Khingan mounts, at one year of interval. What follows would be the second part of only and single battle or the second battle of a series of two, all depend on the sources.
Djamuqa had badly appeared during the first attack and Gutchugudun took the command of the armies. Gengis Khan took the initiative to make a massacre at Tatar what reduced their demography dramatically. Gengis and Toghril returned at the Khingan mounts, but this time Ci in the southern portion, and faced the men lately directed by Gutchugudun, among them were Merkit, Naïman of the south, Oïrats and the tribes of Djamuqa. Six tribes had left Djamuqa and it had nothing any more but four of them. Once again, the steep slopes, the trees and various natural obstacles slowed down considerably the enemies of Toghril and Gengis and the combat was gained gradually.
1203
Toghril became very old. It had more than 70 years and did not have any more the same reflexes but in its youth. In 1203, Ilqa took the command of Kéraït and Toghril had a less important role near the tribe. Ilqa was ambitious. Djamuqa, Altan and Qoutchar persuaded it to eliminate Gengis Khan. Ilqa tried to assassinate it, failed, then faced the hordes of Gengis in a fierce combat in which it was wounded. Toghril was present and assumed the command, but it was more or less in condition of fighting itself being given its advanced age and withdrew its men of the combat. Of Kéraït the forces of Gengis Khan joined during and after the combat. After this battle which was called " Battle of Extreme Sands " , Gengis received the assistance of Qonggirat which had faced it during the first battle of Kérulèn for then fleeing Djamuqa. Toghril and Ilqa were however even more numerous. Gengis Khan sent ambassadors to require peace because it wish to join again friendship with Toghril. Ilqa, choosing now for his/her father, refused the application. Other tribes joined Gengis Khan during this year. It was then in possession of eleven tribes which trained the tier of all the population of Mongolia. Whereas the enemy increased of numbers, Djamuqa, Qoutchar and Altan conspired against Toghril but ended up leaving Kéraït to take refuge at Naïman of north. Tayitchi' out, Dörbät, Qatagin and Salji' out followed them.
Died of Toghril
One day favourable, Gengis Khan attacked Kéraït by surprise. 8000 Mongolian riders under the orders of Gengis Khan sank on the enemy. Some Kéraït gave up almost immediately whereas others, more honest, faced the Mongolian warriors during three days but ended up going. Toghril, ashamed and disabled, fuya at Naïman of north but were not recognized by the latter and were assassinated. The majority of Kéraït were combined in Gengis Khan. Gengis Khan then became the most powerful man of the Central Asia. He did not want crockery luxurious of Toghril and distributed it to those which had prevented it attack of Ilqa to Extreme Sands.
Bonds And References
Internal bonds
Gengis KhanAldine Rashîd
References
Dominique Farale, De Gengis Khan in Qoubilaï Khan: Great Mongolian ride ISBN 2-7178-5162-3
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