Teguder Khan "the Just" (1239-) was the Khan of the Ilkhanate from 1265, succeeding Hulegu Khan. Teguder was a Nestorian Christian unlike most of the Mongol nobility, which had converted to Orthodox Christianity under the rule of his father Hulegu. He had to deal with some internal threats such as plots to gain independence and repeated Sunni uprisings, but his foreign policy was successful, as he conquered Syria from the Qutuzid Sultanate.
Biography[]
Teguder Khan was born in 1239 to Hulegu Khan, a Tengri member of the Borjigin dynasty of Mongols. Teguder, unlike his father, adhered to Nestorian Christianity, as did his brother Chief Abaga of Rayy. In 1260, he refused to convert to Orthodox Christianity like his father and brothers did, and when Teguder became the new khan on his father's death in 1265, he had to rule over an empire that was now mostly Orthodox. Teguder promoted several Nestorians to noble titles, and convinced several Orthodox Christians, Tengris, and Muslims to also convert.
Teguder succeeded his father after he fell into a steadfast sleep on 22 April 1265, and Teguder and his wife Khatun Al-Alta of the Ilkhanate ruled the empire. Teguder ordered his stepmother, the former Khatun Oghul of the Ilkhanate, to take the vows, making her a nun. He replaced all of his father's council members with Nestorians, rearranging the empire. Teguder's spiritual leader was Patriarch of the East Makkikha II, and he implemented Nestorianism as the state religion.
Hulegu Khan did well in taking care of several threats to his son's rule before he died, assassinating the powerful High Chief al-Muwahhid Abdallah Taqi al-Din of Edessa by poisoning, but Teguder had to fight against Davud of Sunni Uprising's Kurdish rebels. On 27 June 1265 Teguder's uncle Ariq Boke crushed the rebels at the Battle of Shikhlar, and he conquered the County of Syunik by August before defeating Azad of Sunni Uprising's rebellion in November. He became known as "the Just" for his destruction of the rebels. In 1266, Teguder Khan led an invasion of the remaining Qutuzid lands in Syria, but while this happened, strange events occurred back home. His son Prince Taghai of the Ilkhanate was rumored to be "demon spawn", and a mysterious woman named Agathe arrived at the court and became his nanny. She had impressive skills, so Teguder made her Designated Regent. Teguder conquered Syria and distributed the new demesne titles to new vassals, and he later plotted to assassinate Chief Altan of Irbid, a vassal who led the "independence" faction. His brother High Chief Hyaxemet of Mosul arranged for him to be killed when the supports on his balcony collapsed, which would let him fall to his death.
Personal life[]
Teguder Khan was married to Khatun Al-Alta of the Ilkhanate, and had a few children with her:
- Prince Taghai of the Ilkhanate (1263-)
- Prince Alagh of the Ilkhanate (14 April 1265-)
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