(Redirected from Külüg Khan)
'Külüg Khan' (
Classical Mongolian: Külüg qaγan,
Khalkha Mongolian: Хѳлѳг хаан ''Hölög haan''), born 'Khayishan', was the seventh grand-khan of the
Mongol Empire (Dai-ön Ulus/
Yuan Dynasty).
He was the eldest son of
Darmabala and
Dagi of the influential
Khunggirad clan, and the full brother of
Ayurbarwada. Since his uncle
Temür Khan did not have the legitimate heir, he was considered a major candidate for the grand-khan. In 1299 he was sent to
Mongolia to assume an army that defended the western front of the
ulus against
Kaidu and other princes of
Central Asia under him. In 1301 he defeated Kaidu, who died from a battle wound. In recognition of the great victory, Külüg Khan was given the title of Prince Huanning in 1304. In 1306 he forced
Melig Temür to accept a surrender in the
Altai Mountains. For these military achievements he gained a high reputation among Mongol princes and non-Mongol corps.
In 1307 when Temür Khan died, he returned eastward to
Khara Khorum and watched the situation. Temür's widow
Bulghan of the
Bayaud tribe had kept away the Khunggirad-mothered brothers of Khayishan and Ayurbarwada and attempted to set up
Ananda, a cousin of Temür. The Khunggirad faction arrested Ananda and Bulghan by coup and recalled Ayurbarwada and Dagi from Henan. Then Khayishan decided to hold the coronation ceremony in
Shangdu just as his great-grandfather
Khubilai Khan did, and advanced southward with the most part of his army. He was welcomed by Ayurbarwada, who gave up khanship, and ascended to the throne. He had executed Ananda and Bulghan before succession.
The Khayishan administration was founded on the unstable balance between Khayishan, his younger brother Ayurbarwada and their mother Dagi of the Khunggirad clan. Khayishan appointed Ayurbarwada as Crown Prince on the condition that he would pass the status to Khayishan's son after succession. He generously gave bonus to imperial princes and Mongol aristocrats, and enjoyed popularity among them. Meanwhile he was plagued by financial difficulties which was caused by free-spending policies and longstanding military spending. So he brought back the department of Shangshusheng for financial affairs in parallel with the Zhongshusheng for administrative affairs. He changed branch offices of Zhongshusheng to those of Shangshusheng to strengthen monopoly in salt and other goods. He issued new bills called Zhida-yinchao to replace Zhiyuan-chao. His anti-inflation plans did not achieve adequate results in his short reign, and dissatisfied Chinese officers and commoners.
He gave key posts to his retainers who had followed him since he had been stationed in Mongolia. He favored non-Mongol corps including the
Qïpchaq, the
Asud and the
Qanglï. In contrast, he did not reward abundantly the Khunggirad faction who had carried out a coup against Bulghan.
Immediately after Khayishan died and Ayurbarwada succeeded in 1311, the unsatisfactory Khunggirad faction came together under his mother Dagi and purged pro-Khayishan officials. It also broke Ayurbarwada's promise to appoint Khayishan's son as Crown Prince. It drove Khayishan's sons
Kuśala and
Tugh Temür out of the central government. Pro-Khayishan generals cherished grievances until they managed to set up Tugh Temür in 1323.