Orghana
Encyclopedia
Orghana was an Oirat princess of the Mongol Empire
and Empress of the Chagatai Khanate
. She was a descendant of Qutuqi Beki, chief of the Oirats and Chechigyen, daughter of Genghis Khan
.
She married Qara Hulegu
, a grandson of Chagatai Khan
. Her husband enthroned as Chagatayid Khan in 1242 after deaths of both Ogedei and Chagatai. However, Guyuk Khan
replaced Qara Hulegu with his uncle Yesu Mongke
in 1246.
When the Tolui
d family overthrew the Ogedeids, Qara Hulegu supported Mongke Khan
in 1251. Mongke reappointed Qara Hulegu khan of the Chagatai Khanate
and executed Yesu Mongke. However, he died on the way and Mongke permitted Orghana to serve as regent
in the name of her infant son. She ruled the Khanate from 1252-1261. According to Rashid al-Din, she organized banquet for Hulegu when his army marching through Central Asia
to Iran
in 1255.
In 1260, the civil war broke out in the Mongol Empire with the death of Mongke, and Arik Boke dispatched Alghu
to Beshbalik to consolidate his power. Alghu removed Orghana from power and she fled to Mongolia
. Taking advantage of the struggle between Arik Boke and Kublai, Alghu acted as an autonomous khan who sided with Kublai and killed Arik Boke's officials. After several battles, Arik Boke sent Masud Beg and Orghana to Alghu to negotiate peace. Alghu married beautiful, wise and discerning princess Orghana and appointed Masud viceroy in Central Asia
.
After the death of Alghu in 1266, Orghana nominated his son Mubarak Shah
by his first husband, Qara Hulegu as khan
of the Chagatai Khanate
. The Great Khan Kublai was infuriated and sent Baraq
to take power in the Chagatai Khanate. After few months, he usurped the throne from Mubarak Shah with the assistance of the Mongol noblemen. Orghana apparently died by that time.
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
and Empress of 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...
. She was a descendant of Qutuqi Beki, chief of the Oirats and Chechigyen, daughter of Genghis Khan
Genghis 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....
.
She married Qara Hulegu
Qara Hülëgü
Qara Hülëgü was head of the ulus of the Chagatai Khanate . He was the son of Mö'etüken, and a grandson of Chagatai Khan....
, a grandson of Chagatai Khan
Chagatai Khan
Chagatai Khan was the second son of Genghis Khan and first khan and origin of the names of the Chagatai Khanate, Chagatai language and Chagatai Turks....
. Her husband enthroned as Chagatayid Khan in 1242 after deaths of both Ogedei and Chagatai. However, Guyuk Khan
Güyük Khan
Güyük was the third Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. As the eldest son of Ögedei Khan and a grandson of Genghis Khan, he reigned from 1246 to 1248...
replaced Qara Hulegu with his uncle Yesu Mongke
Yesü Möngke
Yesü Möngke was head of the ulus of the Chagatai Khanate . He was the son of Chagatai Khan.In or around 1246, he was appointed as khan of the Chagatai Khanate by his cousin the Great Khan Güyük Khan, whom he was friends with, following the deposition of Qara Hülëgü...
in 1246.
When the Tolui
Tolui
Tolui, was the youngest son of Genghis Khan by his chief khatun Börte...
d family overthrew the Ogedeids, Qara Hulegu supported Mongke Khan
Möngke Khan
Möngke Khan , born Möngke, , was the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from July 1, 1251 – August 11, 1259. He was the first Great Khan from the Toluid line, and made significant reforms to improve the administration of the Empire during his reign...
in 1251. Mongke reappointed Qara Hulegu khan of 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...
and executed Yesu Mongke. However, he died on the way and Mongke permitted Orghana to serve as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
in the name of her infant son. She ruled the Khanate from 1252-1261. According to Rashid al-Din, she organized banquet for Hulegu when his army marching through Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
in 1255.
In 1260, the civil war broke out in the Mongol Empire with the death of Mongke, and Arik Boke dispatched Alghu
Alghu
Alghu was a khan of the Chagatai Khanate . He was the son of Baidar and the grandson of Chagatai Khan.In 1260 he was appointed as head of the ulus of the Chagatai Khanate by the Great Khan claimant Ariq Böke, in opposition to the child khan Mubarak Shah and his mother Orghina...
to Beshbalik to consolidate his power. Alghu removed Orghana from power and she fled to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. Taking advantage of the struggle between Arik Boke and Kublai, Alghu acted as an autonomous khan who sided with Kublai and killed Arik Boke's officials. After several battles, Arik Boke sent Masud Beg and Orghana to Alghu to negotiate peace. Alghu married beautiful, wise and discerning princess Orghana and appointed Masud viceroy in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
.
After the death of Alghu in 1266, Orghana nominated his son Mubarak Shah
Mubarak Shah
Mubarak Shah was head of the Chagatai Khanate . He was the son of Qara Hülëgü and Ergene Khatun, of the Mongol empire....
by his first husband, Qara Hulegu as khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
of 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...
. The Great Khan Kublai was infuriated and sent Baraq
Baraq (Chagatai Khan)
Baraq was a khan of the Chagatai Khanate. He was the son of Yesünto'a, and a grandson of Chagatai Khan. A convert to Islam, he took the name Ghiyas-ud-din.-Background:...
to take power in the Chagatai Khanate. After few months, he usurped the throne from Mubarak Shah with the assistance of the Mongol noblemen. Orghana apparently died by that time.