Toktoghan
Encyclopedia
Toktoghan also called "The Great Historian Tuotuo", was a Yuan Dynasty
official historian and high minister of the Yuan emperor. With the purge and murder of him, the Yuan court might have lost its last chance to defeat the Red Turban Rebellion
, which started in the early 1350s.
noble, Chuan, in 1314. His uncle was Bayan
(d.1340), who had raised to the first minister office during the reign of Toghan Temur (r.1333-1370), the last Yuan emperor.
Fearing that his uncle's ambitious character would harm their family, Toktoghan and his father, allied with the Emperor, organized a plot to overthrow Bayan. In 1340, they closed the gates of the palace while Bayan was hunting in the countryside. They refused to have him come in and arrested him. Bayan was sent into exile and Toktoghan toppled him.
Toktoghan's father became the first minister in 1341, after that he succeeded the office. When the Red Turban Rebellion
broke out in South China
, he was ordered to march against them and led one of the main imperial armies in 1353-54. Toktoghan, who had was accused and pardoned before, left his duty to his protege Hama. He was successful in defeating the rebels. However, Hama and the heir apparent
, Ayushiridara, and the Emperor's Korean consort Öljei Khutugh
falsely accused him of corruption and induced the Khagan to strip him of his dignities in 1354. Although, Toktoghan had a vast number of troops, he quickly accepted the Emperor's order and gave instructions to his soldiers that they must respect their new commander who had come to replace him. Because of his popularity, many of the troops under his command refused to serve under a new commander and left the army or joined the rebels. While he was in exile, he was murdered by Hama's assassins.
(1271-1368), Toktoghan led a team of officials to quickly compile Dynastic Histories of the preceding Liao
, Jin and Song
Dynasties. The immense work was done within a relatively short period (a few years), which caused a lack of proofreading and textual criticism. The three works produced were:
At the time some Chinese scholars argued that the Khitans, being former non-Chinese barbarians, their Liao Dynasty did not deserve a compiled standard official history. Due to the dispute over whether Liao Dynasty should be considered a legitimate dynasty, the Liao Shi was not officially compiled until 1342-1343, when Toktoghan finally decided to treat the Liao, Jin, and Song dynasties all as legitimate dynasties in Chinese history. The compilation of the Liao Shi was finished in one year by highly skilled imperial historians, but without elaborate proofreading and textual criticism. Because of this double time and lack of supporting context, the Liao Shi is known for its technical errors, naiveness, lack of precision and over-lapsing. It has been argued the compilation team did not have suitable contextual material to provide an in depth analysis, and audacious comments.
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...
official historian and high minister of the Yuan emperor. With the purge and murder of him, the Yuan court might have lost its last chance to defeat the Red Turban Rebellion
Red Turban Rebellion
The Red Turban Rebellion was an uprising much influenced by the White Lotus Society members that targeted the ruling Yuan Dynasty.- Causes :...
, which started in the early 1350s.
Biography
Toktoghan was born to the Mongolian MergidMerkid
Merkid may refer to:*Merkit, a clan or a tribe of the Mongols*Flag of the Faroe Islands...
noble, Chuan, in 1314. His uncle was 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...
(d.1340), who had raised to the first minister office during the reign of Toghan Temur (r.1333-1370), the last Yuan emperor.
Fearing that his uncle's ambitious character would harm their family, Toktoghan and his father, allied with the Emperor, organized a plot to overthrow Bayan. In 1340, they closed the gates of the palace while Bayan was hunting in the countryside. They refused to have him come in and arrested him. Bayan was sent into exile and Toktoghan toppled him.
Toktoghan's father became the first minister in 1341, after that he succeeded the office. When the Red Turban Rebellion
Red Turban Rebellion
The Red Turban Rebellion was an uprising much influenced by the White Lotus Society members that targeted the ruling Yuan Dynasty.- Causes :...
broke out in South China
Northern and southern China
Northern China and southern China are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions has never been precisely defined...
, he was ordered to march against them and led one of the main imperial armies in 1353-54. Toktoghan, who had was accused and pardoned before, left his duty to his protege Hama. He was successful in defeating the rebels. However, Hama and the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
, Ayushiridara, and the Emperor's Korean consort Öljei Khutugh
Qi Empress
Qi Empress was one of empresses of Toghun Temür Khan of the Yuan Dynasty and the mother of Ayushiridar....
falsely accused him of corruption and induced the Khagan to strip him of his dignities in 1354. Although, Toktoghan had a vast number of troops, he quickly accepted the Emperor's order and gave instructions to his soldiers that they must respect their new commander who had come to replace him. Because of his popularity, many of the troops under his command refused to serve under a new commander and left the army or joined the rebels. While he was in exile, he was murdered by Hama's assassins.
Historian
In the late years of the Yuan DynastyYuan 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...
(1271-1368), Toktoghan led a team of officials to quickly compile Dynastic Histories of the preceding Liao
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
, Jin and Song
Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
Dynasties. The immense work was done within a relatively short period (a few years), which caused a lack of proofreading and textual criticism. The three works produced were:
- The History of LiaoHistory of LiaoHistory of Liao, or Liao Shi is a Chinese historical book compiled officially in the Yuan Dynasty founded by the Mongols, under the direction of the great historian Tuotuo, and finalized in 1343...
, or Liao Shi , finalized in 1343. - The History of Jin, or Jin Shi
- The History of SongHistory of SongThe History of Song or Song Shi is one of the official Chinese historical works known as the Twenty-Four Histories of China that records the history of the Song Dynasty...
, or Song Shi
At the time some Chinese scholars argued that the Khitans, being former non-Chinese barbarians, their Liao Dynasty did not deserve a compiled standard official history. Due to the dispute over whether Liao Dynasty should be considered a legitimate dynasty, the Liao Shi was not officially compiled until 1342-1343, when Toktoghan finally decided to treat the Liao, Jin, and Song dynasties all as legitimate dynasties in Chinese history. The compilation of the Liao Shi was finished in one year by highly skilled imperial historians, but without elaborate proofreading and textual criticism. Because of this double time and lack of supporting context, the Liao Shi is known for its technical errors, naiveness, lack of precision and over-lapsing. It has been argued the compilation team did not have suitable contextual material to provide an in depth analysis, and audacious comments.
See also
- LiaoLiao DynastyThe Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
& Liao Shi - Jin & Jin Shi
- SongSong DynastyThe Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
& Song Shi - 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...