Hoelun
Encyclopedia
Hoelun was the mother of Genghis Khan
and the wife of his father Yesugei
, the chief of the Khamag Mongol
confederation.
tribe. She later was engaged to a member of the Mergid
confederation, but was abducted by Yesugei on her way back to the Mergid camp around 1159AD. Yesugei made Hoelun his chief wife. This was an honor, since only the chief wife could give birth to his heirs.
n steppe
s by herself with little support from others. According to Mongolian legend, Hoelun taught Genghis and his brothers the basics of unity and support for one another, even though Temüjin murdered his stepbrother in a disagreement which his stepbrother started over hunting spoils. She and her children managed to survive due to her skill at gathering food, hunting at Khentii Mountains
and fishing in Onon River
. Mother Hoelun was considered as a person with a very strong personality because of her hardships of raising all of her children alone without little or no support in the harsh Mongolian steppes.
, Hoelun was counted as one of the most trusted advisors of Genghis Khan. She also undertook the care of war orphans under the orders of her son, adopting them and bringing them into the family as a part of an inclusionist policy aimed at creating loyalty among conquered tribes.
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....
and the wife of his father Yesugei
Yesugei
Yesügei Baghatur , was major chief of the Kiyad-Borjigin clan and the father of Temüjin , Hasar, Hachiun, Temüge, Temülen, Behter, and Belgutei. Yesügei was the son of Bartan Baghatur, who was the son of Khabul Khan, who was recognized as a khagan by the Jin Dynasty...
, the chief of the Khamag Mongol
Khamag Mongol
Khamag Mongol was a major tribal confederation in Mongolian plateau in 12th century. It is sometimes also considered a predecessor state to the Mongol Empire....
confederation.
Early life
Hoelun was born to the OlkhunutOlkhunut
Olkhunut was the tribe of Hoelun, the mother of Temüjin, more widely known as Genghis Khan. They helped Genghis to defeat the Naimans. The Olkhunut people were very closely related to the Khunggirad clan. Their descendants still live in Khovd Province of Mongolia and in Inner Mongolia....
tribe. She later was engaged to a member of the Mergid
Merkit
The Mergid was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in the 12th century.The Mergids inhabited in basins of the Selenge River and lower Orkhon River...
confederation, but was abducted by Yesugei on her way back to the Mergid camp around 1159AD. Yesugei made Hoelun his chief wife. This was an honor, since only the chief wife could give birth to his heirs.
Widowhood
After Yesugei's death, Yesugei's Khiyad tribe abandoned Hoelun and her sons, including Genghis Khan (Temüjin by birth). She raised Temujin and others in the harsh environment of the MongoliaMongolia
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...
n steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
s by herself with little support from others. According to Mongolian legend, Hoelun taught Genghis and his brothers the basics of unity and support for one another, even though Temüjin murdered his stepbrother in a disagreement which his stepbrother started over hunting spoils. She and her children managed to survive due to her skill at gathering food, hunting at Khentii Mountains
Khentii Mountains
The Khentii Mountains are a mountain range in the Töv and Khentii Provinces in northern Mongolia. The chain overlaps the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area and includes Mongolia's sacred mountain, Burkhan Khaldun, which is associated with the origin of Genghis Khan.The range forms the watershed...
and fishing in Onon River
Onon River
The Onon is a river in Mongolia and Russia of length 818 km and watershed 94,010 km². It originates at the eastern slope of the Khentii Mountains. For 298 km it flows within Mongolia...
. Mother Hoelun was considered as a person with a very strong personality because of her hardships of raising all of her children alone without little or no support in the harsh Mongolian steppes.
Life with Temüjin
Together with his wife BörteBörte
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...
, Hoelun was counted as one of the most trusted advisors of Genghis Khan. She also undertook the care of war orphans under the orders of her son, adopting them and bringing them into the family as a part of an inclusionist policy aimed at creating loyalty among conquered tribes.