The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 06: (From Barbarossa to Dante)
Philosophy
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 06: (From Barbarossa to Dante)
World history
He had scarcely said so when down it came. This was too much for the
robbers, who dared not measure themselves against such marksmanship.
The Merkits had recently made a raid upon his territory, and carried
off his favorite wife, Burte Judjin. It was after her return from her
captivity that she gave birth to her elder son, Juji, about whose
legitimacy there seems to have been some doubt in his father's mind.
It was to revenge this that he now (1197) marched against them, and
defeated them near the river Mundsheh (a river "Mandzin" is still to
be found in the canton Karas Muren). He abandoned all the booty to
Wang Khan. The latter, through the influence of Temudjin, once more
regained his throne, and the following year (1198) he headed an
expedition on his own account against the Merkits, and beat them at a
place named Buker Gehesh, but he did not reciprocate the generosity of
his ally.
In 1199 the two friends made a joint expedition against the Naimans.
This tribe was now divided between two brothers who had quarrelled
about their father's concubine. One of them, named Buyuruk, had
retired with a body of the people to the Kiziltash mountains. The
other, called Baibuka--but generally referred to by his Chinese title
of Taiwang, or Tayang--remained in his own proper country. It was the
latter who was now attacked by the two allies, and forced to escape to
the country of Kem Kemdjut--_i.e._, toward the sources of the
Yenissei. Chamuka, the chief of the Jadjerats, well named Satchan, or
"the Crafty," still retained his hatred for Temudjin. He now whispered
in the ear of Wang Khan that his ally was only a fair-weather friend.
Like the wild goose, he flew away in winter, while he himself, like
the snowbird, was constant under all circumstances. These and other
suggestions aroused the jealousy of Wang Khan, who suddenly withdrew
his forces, and left Temudjin in the enemy's country. The latter was
thereupon forced to retire also. He went to the river Sali or Sari.
Gugsu Seirak, the Naiman general, went in pursuit, defeated Wang Khan
in his own territory, and captured much booty. Wang Khan was hard
pressed, and was perhaps only saved by the timely succor sent by
Temudjin, which drove away the Naimans. Once more did the latter
abandon the captured booty to his treacherous ally. After the victory,
he held a Kuriltai, on the plains of Sari or Sali, to which Wang Khan
was invited, and at which it was resolved to renew the war against the
Taidshuts in the following year. The latter were in alliance with the
Merkits, whose chief, Tukta, had sent a contingent, commanded by his
brothers, to their help. The two friends attacked them on the banks of
the river Onon. Raschid says in the country of Onon, _i.e._, the great
desert of Mongolia. The confederates were beaten. Terkutai Kiriltuk
and Kuduhar, the two leaders of the Taidshuts, were pursued and
overtaken at Lengut Nuramen, where they were both killed. Another of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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