Güyük Khan: 3rd Khagan of the Mongol Empire

Güyük, the Mongol Empire's third Khagan-Emperor, was the oldest son of Ögedei Khan and a grandson of Genghis Khan. From 1246 until 1248, he was king.

Güyük was of "middle size, exceedingly cautious and highly clever, and solemn and staid in his manners," according to Giovanni da Pian del Carpine.

Güyük acquired military training and served as an officer under Genghis Khan's grandfather and then his father, Ögedei Khan (after the death of Genghis in 1227). He married the Merkit clan's Oghul Qaimish. In a few months in 1233, Güyük, his maternal cousin Alchidai, and the Mongol general Tangghud defeated the short-lived Dongxia Kingdom of Puxian Wannu, a dissident Jin official. Güyük's uncle Tolui died, and Ögedei recommended that Sorghaghtani, Tolui's widow, marry his son Güyük. Sorghaghtani rejected, citing her primary obligation as a mother to her two kids. Güyük, along with other Mongol rulers such as his cousin Batu and half-brother Kadan, invaded Eastern and Central Europe in 1236–1241. He was in charge of his corps during the Siege of Ryazan and the long siege of Maghas, the Ossetian capital. During the conquest, Güyük fought furiously with Batu at the triumph dinner, yelling at him, "Batu is merely an old lady with a quiver!" Güyük and Büri, Chagatai's grandson, rushed out of the feast, screaming and yelling as they rode away. They were recalled to Mongolia for a while when word reached the Great Khan. Güyük, Ögedei's son, was threatened with execution if he refused to visit them. Güyük was ultimately permitted inside Ögedei's ger when Ögedei calmed down. Güyük was chastised by Ögedei. However, Ögedei scolded his son severely for fighting between himself and mistreating his men. As a result, Güyük was sent to Europe once more. Meanwhile, Ögedei had died (in 1241), and his wife Töregene had assumed the role of regent, a position of enormous power and influence that she utilized to advocate for her son Güyük. Batu retreated from Europe to have a say in succession, but Töregene managed to have Güyük chosen Khan in 1246 despite Batu's stalling tactics. When Genghis Khan's younger brother, Temüge, attempted to steal the throne by threatening the Great Khatun Toregene, Güyük travelled to Mongolia from Emil to take his place.

Güyük's enthronement, which took place near the Mongol capital of Karakorum on August 24, 1246, was attended by a large number of foreign ambassadors, including the Franciscan friar and envoy of Pope Innocent IV, John of Plano Carpini and Benedict of Poland; Grand Duke Yaroslav II of Vladimir; the incumbents for the throne of Georgia; the brother of the king of Armenia and historian, Sempad the Constable; and the Güyük's formal election in a large kurultai, or tribes' diet, took place when his troop was in a camp named Sira Orda, or "Yellow Pavilion," with 3,000 to 4,000 visitors from all across Asia and Eastern Europe bearing respect, tribute, and gifts, according to John of Plano Carpini. They next saw the emperor's official enthronement in another nearby camp known as the "Golden Ordu," after which they were delivered to him. Mosul bowed to him and dispatched envoys to the assembly. When the papal envoy John of Plano Carpini condemned Mongol attacks on European Catholic countries, Güyük responded that these people had killed Mongol envoys under the reigns of Genghis Khan and OÖgedei Khan. He also stated that "from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun, all the territories have been brought subservient to the Great Khan," implying a world conquest philosophy. The Khagan sent a letter to Pope Innocent IV on the Church's relations with the Mongols "'We will be your subjects; we will give you our power,' you must declare with sincerity. You must personally come with all of your monarchs, all at once, to give us service and pay us honour. We will only acknowledge your submission after that. And if you disobey God's command and go against our commands, we shall consider you an enemy." Despite Toregene's participation in Güyük's accession, the relationship between Güyük and Toregene had deteriorated substantially by this time. Güyük had Toregene's favourite, Fatima, imprisoned, tortured, and murdered against Toregene's desires for seducing his brother Koden (Khuden), and Abd-ur-Rahman was decapitated for corruption. Only the Oirat official Arghun Aqa survived of the provincial authorities appointed under Toregene. Later, Toregene died, possibly on Güyük's instructions. Güyük had Orda Khan and Möngke examine Temüge's case, and they killed him. To preserve his status, Güyük supplanted the Chagatai Khanate's young Khan Qara Hülgü with his favoured relative Yesü Möngke. He also reinstated Mahmud Yalavach, Masud Beg, and Chinqai, his father's officers in the provinces.

Güyük overturned numerous unpopular regent edicts and established himself as a remarkably effective khan, assigning Eljigidei to Persia to prepare for an invasion of Baghdad and the Ismailis and pursue the Song Dynasty's war. Nonetheless, he was insecure, and he earned the wrath of his citizens by assassinating numerous high-ranking officials from the former administration for treason. The Seljuk princes fought tooth and nail for the Sultanate of Rum's crown. Finally, Rukn ad-Din Kilij Arslan IV, despised by Izz-ad-Din, arrived in Mongolia. Rukn ad-Din was enthroned in Iz-ad-Din Kaykaus II's stead by Güyük. A darughachi with 2,000 Mongol warriors was dispatched to execute this decision. When Güyük called both David Narin and David Ulu to the Karakorum, he made David Ulu the senior king and partitioned Georgia between them. After the Mongols and Cilician Armenia signed a contract in 1243, King Hetoum dispatched his brother Sempad to the Mongol court in the Karakorum. They signed a formal agreement in 1247, making Cilician Armenia a vassal state of the Mongol Empire.

Sempad acquired a Mongol wife due to Armenia's peaceful submission, and Sempad spared his Mongol overseers and taxes. Güyük requested the Abbasids and Ismailis submit completely. Güyük Khan blamed Baiju for the Abbasid Caliphate's fierce resistance. Güyük ordered a census of the entire empire. In 1246, the mandate of Güyük levied taxes ranging from 130 to 110 per cent of the value of everything and a hefty head tax of 60 silver drams on males in Georgia and Armenia. The post of great darughachi was separated from that of chief scribe by the Great Khan. Güyük snatched up half of his father's kheshig and kept it for himself. The Uyghur authorities grew in power during his leadership, pushing the North Chinese and Muslims out. Güyük was a disciplined and educated man, but he was sad and ill, and his poor drinking habit worsened his health.

In July 1247, Güyük dispatched Amuqan to Korea, and the Mongols camped at Yiom-ju. Amuqan's troops pillaged the Korean Peninsula until 1250, when King Gojong of Goryeo refused to relocate his capital from Ganghwa Island to Songdo. Despite his opposition to Güyük's election, Batu regarded the Great Khan as a conservative and, following their father's death in 1247, dispatched Andrey and Alexander Nevsky to the Karakorum in Mongolia. Güyük appointed Andrey Grand Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal and Alexander Prince of Kiev. In 1248, he asked that Batu travel to Mongolia to meet him, which some observers saw as a pretext for Batu's imprisonment. Batu approached the order, carrying a strong army with him. Sorghaghtani informed Batu that Güyük might target the Jochids as he advanced westward. Güyük died en way in modern-day Qinghe County, Xinjiang, China. Thus the showdown never transpired. Although some modern historians believe Güyük was poisoned, others believe he died of natural reasons as his health worsened. He was murdered in a fierce brawl with Shiban, according to William of Rubruck. His widow, Oghul Qaimish, became regent, although she could not maintain the line of succession within her family. In 1251, Möngke took over as Khan.

It was usual for prominent Mongol men to have many wives and concubines, but Güyük's number of wives and concubines remains unclear.

Alcoholism plagued Genghis Khan's sons and descendants, a vice that Genghis himself despised. Despite this, Genghis himself once said that expecting a guy not to become drunk sometimes was unrealistic. Güyük's death had a significant impact on world history. Güyük wished to turn Mongol strength against Europe, but his untimely death stopped Mongol armies from further infiltrating Western Europe. Following Güyük's death, Mongol family politics shifted the focus of the Mongol endeavour to southern China, and position finally conquered it under Kublai Khan's reign. The break between Batu's line, the descendants of Jöchi, and the rest of the family was the fatal fault in the Mongol Empire's unity during Güyük's rule. After Batu and Möngke completed the family revolution, Oghul Qaimish, whom Möngke had termed "more despicable than a bitch" to a European visitor, was killed. Güyük Khan was officially recorded as Dingzong when Kublai Khan created the Yuan Dynasty in 1271.