Qi Empress
Encyclopedia
Qi Empress (?–1369/70) was one of empresses of Toghun Temür Khan
of the Yuan Dynasty
and the mother of Ayushiridar
.
Öljei Khutugh was born to Gi Ja-o (奇子敖) in Haengju
(幸州), Goryeo
Korea
. She had an elder brother named Gi Cheol (奇轍). She became a concubine of Toghun Temür and mothered Ayurshiridar. After the primary empress Danashri was overthrown in 1340 because of the rebellion by her brother Tanggisi, Toghun Temür tried to install Öljei Khutugh as the empress. However Bayan
, who held real power, opposed it. When Bayan was purged, Öljei Khutugh became the secondary empress in 1340 (the primary one was Bayan Khutugh of the Khunggirad clan). Her son Ayurshiridar was designated Crown Prince in 1353. Using her Korean eunuch Bak Bulhwa (朴不花) as her agent, she began a campaign to force the emperor to pass the imperial throne to her son Ayurshiridar. However her intententions became known to the emperor and he grew apart from her.
Depending on Öljei Khutugh's position in the imperial capital her brother Gi Cheol (Bayan Bukha) came to threaten the position of the king of Goryeo which was a client state
of the Mongols. King Gongmin exterminated the Gi family in a coup in 1356. Upon this incident in her homeland Öljei Khutugh chose Tash Temür as the new king of Goryeo and dispatched troops to Korea. The Mongol troops were defeated by Goryeo army in crossing the Yalu River
.
Within the Mongol capital a internal strife was fought between supporters and opponents of the Crown Prince. An opposition leader Bolud Temür finally occupied the capital in 1364. Ayurshiridar fled to Köke Temür
who supported him but Öljei Khutugh was imprisoned by Bolud Temür. Bolud Temür was overthrown by Köke Temür the next year. Once again, she tried to install her son as the Khan, with the support of Köke Temür, but in vain. After Bayan Khutugh died, Öljei Khutugh was elevated to the primary empress.
The collapse of the Mongol rule of China
in 1368 forced her to flee to Yingchang
(應昌). In 1370 Toghun Temür Khan died and Ayurshiridar ascended to the throne there. She became Empress Dowager, but soon after that went missing. It is possible that she was captured by the Ming Chinese when Mongol royal family was fleeing. According to the myth, she was pregnant when captured by the Ming army. She possibly married Hongwu and gave birth to the Ming Emperor Yongle.
Ukhaatu Khan
Toghun Temür , also known as Ukhaantu Khan , or Emperor Huizong of Yuan , was a son of Kuśala to rule as Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, and he is considered as the last Khagan of the Mongol Empire...
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 the mother of Ayushiridar
Biligtü Khan
Biligtü Khan, born Ayushiridara , was a ruler of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in Mongolia...
.
Öljei Khutugh was born to Gi Ja-o (奇子敖) in Haengju
Goyang
Goyang is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Goyang includes the new city of Ilsan, which is connected to Seoul via Seoul Subway Line 3. Goyang is bordered by Seoul to the south; walls of the Bukhan Mountain Fortress lie along a small portion of this border.Several institutions of higher...
(幸州), Goryeo
Goryeo
The Goryeo Dynasty or Koryŏ was a Korean dynasty established in 918 by Emperor Taejo. Korea gets its name from this kingdom which came to be pronounced Korea. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392...
Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
. She had an elder brother named Gi Cheol (奇轍). She became a concubine of Toghun Temür and mothered Ayurshiridar. After the primary empress Danashri was overthrown in 1340 because of the rebellion by her brother Tanggisi, Toghun Temür tried to install Öljei Khutugh as the empress. However Bayan
Bayan of the Merkid
Bayan of the Mergid was a Mongol general of the Mergid clan and official in the Yuan Dynasty. At the turn of the 13th/14th centuries he, together with the Turk El Temür, was a member of the group around Qaishan. Qaishan was a nephew of Temür Khan and appointed to defend Mongolia against the...
, who held real power, opposed it. When Bayan was purged, Öljei Khutugh became the secondary empress in 1340 (the primary one was Bayan Khutugh of the Khunggirad clan). Her son Ayurshiridar was designated Crown Prince in 1353. Using her Korean eunuch Bak Bulhwa (朴不花) as her agent, she began a campaign to force the emperor to pass the imperial throne to her son Ayurshiridar. However her intententions became known to the emperor and he grew apart from her.
Depending on Öljei Khutugh's position in the imperial capital her brother Gi Cheol (Bayan Bukha) came to threaten the position of the king of Goryeo which was a client state
Client state
Client state is one of several terms used to describe the economic, political and/or military subordination of one state to a more powerful state in international affairs...
of the Mongols. King Gongmin exterminated the Gi family in a coup in 1356. Upon this incident in her homeland Öljei Khutugh chose Tash Temür as the new king of Goryeo and dispatched troops to Korea. The Mongol troops were defeated by Goryeo army in crossing the Yalu River
Yalu River
The Yalu River or the Amnok River is a river on the border between North Korea and the People's Republic of China....
.
Within the Mongol capital a internal strife was fought between supporters and opponents of the Crown Prince. An opposition leader Bolud Temür finally occupied the capital in 1364. Ayurshiridar fled to Köke Temür
Köke Temür
Köke Temür , also known as Wang Baobao , was a Han-Naiman general of the Yuan Dynasty. His mother was the daughter of a Mongolian prince while his father was an ethnic Han Chinese with the surname Wang. Before he was given the Mongolian name by the Yuan court in the early 1360s, he was known by his...
who supported him but Öljei Khutugh was imprisoned by Bolud Temür. Bolud Temür was overthrown by Köke Temür the next year. Once again, she tried to install her son as the Khan, with the support of Köke Temür, but in vain. After Bayan Khutugh died, Öljei Khutugh was elevated to the primary empress.
The collapse of the Mongol rule of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1368 forced her to flee to Yingchang
Yingchang
Yingchang was one of the important cities in the Yuan Dynasty. It was situated on Lake Taal in modern Inner Mongolia.The city of Yinchang was built by the Qongirat Mongols in 1271. The city was the administrative seat of the Mongol prince of Lu...
(應昌). In 1370 Toghun Temür Khan died and Ayurshiridar ascended to the throne there. She became Empress Dowager, but soon after that went missing. It is possible that she was captured by the Ming Chinese when Mongol royal family was fleeing. According to the myth, she was pregnant when captured by the Ming army. She possibly married Hongwu and gave birth to the Ming Emperor Yongle.
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- List of Goryeo people
- Yuan DynastyYuan DynastyThe 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...