Bolad
Encyclopedia
Bolad, also known as Bolad chingsang (Mongolian
:, Persian
:Pulad chinksank, , "Chancellor Bolad", d. 1313), was a Mongol minister of the Yuan Dynasty
, and later served in the Ilkhanate
as an ambassador of the Yuan emperor and adviser to the Ilkhans. He also provided valuable information to Rashid-al-Din Hamadani to write about the Mongols.
's wife Börte
. Since his father's title was prestige of honor, and he was explicitly trusted by Genghis Khan, Yurki commanded a personal thousand of the guards of the Khagan
.
In 1248, Khubilai ordered the Chinese scholar, Chang te-hui, to tutor his eldest son, Dorji, and Bolad who was probably a child of seven or eight years. The former was an attentive pupil with a talent if languages.
In 1260, when Khubilai claimed and took the title of Khagan of the Mongol Empire
, Bolad was made officer in a new imperial guard. In addition, he has done oral and written translations for the state affairs as one of intellectuals of the Mongols.
Bolad was appointment as a Chancellor
(chingsang) of Kublai's Yuan Dynasty
, and judged cases of Ariq Boke
and Ahmad Fanakati
. He was sent to the Ilkhanate
in Persia soon after Arghun
enthroned in 1285. He gave imperial seal, yarlik (зарлиг) and crown to the Ilkhan. Bolad could not return to the Yuan Dynasty
due to the conflicts between Kublai and the Chagatai Khanate
under Kaidu
. Arghun appointed him a commander in Khurasan
.
Bolad suggested Gaykhatu
, who was extravagant, to issue paper money
Chao
in 1294. But the Ilkhan's efforts faded away as people were devouted to Muslim custom. Bolad was called as Bolad agha (Bolad the elder brother) at the time. He became a cultural advisor of the Mongol court in Persia. He married a former concubine of Abagha.
Ghazan became new Ilkhan in 1295. He respected Bolad and made him a general of a tumen
which was consisted of Mongol-Tatar slave boys. It is claimed that Bolad helped Rashid-al-Din Hamadani to write Universal History
because he knew Mongolian history very well. Oljeitu consulted with Chupan
, Kutlushah
and Bolad closely after his accession. He commanded one division of the Ilkhanid army during the Gilan campaign in 1307. In 1311 Bolad was awarded the title of the Duke of State of Tse by the Khagan Ayurbarwada. Bolad died in 1313. Even today Chinese people
remember him as a cultural bridge between East and West, however, he was a Mongol.
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
:, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
:Pulad chinksank, , "Chancellor Bolad", d. 1313), was a Mongol minister of the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
, and later served in the Ilkhanate
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
as an ambassador of the Yuan emperor and adviser to the Ilkhans. He also provided valuable information to Rashid-al-Din Hamadani to write about the Mongols.
Early life
Bolad was born in the Dörben tribe (possibly Dörbet) family and his father, Yurki, who was a steward, attached to the palace of Genghis KhanGenghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
's wife Börte
Börte
Börte was the first wife of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. Börte became the head of the first Court of Genghis Khan, and Grand Empress of his Empire. Little is known about the details of her early life, but she was betrothed to him at a young age, married at 17, and then...
. Since his father's title was prestige of honor, and he was explicitly trusted by Genghis Khan, Yurki commanded a personal thousand of the guards of the Khagan
Khagan
Khagan or qagan , alternatively spelled kagan, khaghan, qaghan, or chagan, is a title of imperial rank in the Mongolian and Turkic languages equal to the status of emperor and someone who rules a khaganate...
.
In 1248, Khubilai ordered the Chinese scholar, Chang te-hui, to tutor his eldest son, Dorji, and Bolad who was probably a child of seven or eight years. The former was an attentive pupil with a talent if languages.
In 1260, when Khubilai claimed and took the title of Khagan of the Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
, Bolad was made officer in a new imperial guard. In addition, he has done oral and written translations for the state affairs as one of intellectuals of the Mongols.
Bolad was appointment as a Chancellor
Chancellor of China
The Chancellor , variously translated as Prime Minister, Chancellor of State, Premier or Chief Councillor, was a generic name given to the highest-ranking official in the imperial government in ancient China...
(chingsang) of Kublai's Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
, and judged cases of Ariq Boke
Ariq Boke
Ariq Böke , the components of his name also spelled Arigh, Arik, Bukha, Buka , was the youngest son of Tolui , a son of Genghis Khan. After the death of his brother the Great Khan Mongke, Ariq Boke briefly took power while his brothers Kublai and Hulagu were absent...
and Ahmad Fanakati
Ahmad Fanakati
Ahmad Fanākatī was a Muslim financial minister of Kublai Khan's Yuan Dynasty.-History:He came from Fanakat , a town on the upper Syr Darya in Central Asia. Trusted by Chabui Khatun, Kublai's favorite wife, he was entrusted with state finances in 1262...
. He was sent to the Ilkhanate
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
in Persia soon after Arghun
Arghun
Arghun Khan aka Argon was the fourth ruler of the Mongol empire's Ilkhanate, from 1284 to 1291. He was the son of Abaqa Khan, and like his father, was a devout Buddhist...
enthroned in 1285. He gave imperial seal, yarlik (зарлиг) and crown to the Ilkhan. Bolad could not return to the Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
due to the conflicts between Kublai and the Chagatai Khanate
Chagatai Khanate
The Chagatai Khanate was a Turko-Mongol khanate that comprised the lands ruled by Chagatai Khan , second son of the Great Khan Genghis Khan, and his descendents and successors...
under Kaidu
Kaidu
Kaidu was the leader of the House of Ogedei and the de facto khan of the Chagatai Khanate. He ruled part of modern-day Xinjiang and Central Asia during the 13th century, and actively opposed his uncle, Kublai Khan, who established the Yuan Dynasty in China until his death in 1301...
. Arghun appointed him a commander in Khurasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
.
Bolad suggested Gaykhatu
Gaykhatu
Gaykhatu was the fifth Ilkhanate ruler in Iran. He reigned from 1291 to 1295. During his reign, Gaykhatu was a noted dissolute who was addicted to wine, women, and sodomy...
, who was extravagant, to issue paper money
Paper Money
Paper Money is the second album by the band Montrose. It was released in 1974 and was the band's last album to feature Sammy Hagar as lead vocalist.-History:...
Chao
Chao (currency)
The Chao , was the official banknote of the Yuan Dynasty in China. Unlike the earlier paper money such as Jiaozi, it was the first paper currency to be used as the predominant circulating medium in the history of China....
in 1294. But the Ilkhan's efforts faded away as people were devouted to Muslim custom. Bolad was called as Bolad agha (Bolad the elder brother) at the time. He became a cultural advisor of the Mongol court in Persia. He married a former concubine of Abagha.
Ghazan became new Ilkhan in 1295. He respected Bolad and made him a general of a tumen
Tumen
Tumen or Tümen was a part of the decimal system used by Turkic and Mongol peoples to organize their armies. Tumen is an army unit of 10,000 soldiers...
which was consisted of Mongol-Tatar slave boys. It is claimed that Bolad helped Rashid-al-Din Hamadani to write Universal History
Universal history
Universal history is basic to the Western tradition of historiography, especially the Abrahamic wellspring of that tradition. Simply stated, universal history is the presentation of the history of humankind as a whole, as a coherent unit.-Ancient authors:...
because he knew Mongolian history very well. Oljeitu consulted with Chupan
Chupan
Amir Chupan, also known as Choban or Coban , , was a Chupanid noble of the Ilkhanate, and nominal general of the Mongol Empire. His father was named Malek of Mongol Suldus clan...
, Kutlushah
Kutlushah
Kutlushah, Kutluka , , was a general under the Mongol Ilkhanate ruler Ghazan at the end the 13th century...
and Bolad closely after his accession. He commanded one division of the Ilkhanid army during the Gilan campaign in 1307. In 1311 Bolad was awarded the title of the Duke of State of Tse by the Khagan Ayurbarwada. Bolad died in 1313. Even today Chinese people
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
remember him as a cultural bridge between East and West, however, he was a Mongol.
Further reading
- A COMPENDIUM OF CHRONICLES: Rashid al-Din's Illustrated History of the World (The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art, VOL XXVII) ISBN 019727627X
- Rene Grousset - The Empire of Steppes: A History Central Asia, ISBN 0813513049 Rutgers University Press (January 1988)