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Sorghaghtani Beki

Type Figure Region Mongolian Plateau Time c. 1190–1252 Also known as Kereite princess

Principal wife of Tolui in the Mongol Empire, of Kereite origin; she managed Tolui's household, aided Ögedei, and backed Möngke's accession, making h…

Timeline

  1. c. 1200–1220Mongolian Plateau · Mongolian PlateauOf Kereite origin, she married Genghis Khan's youngest son Tolui as his principal wife, managing the household and coordinating the consorts in the steppe prince's establishment, gradually establishing a core position within the Tolui line.
  2. 1221–1230Mongol Empire heartland · Mongolian PlateauFrom 1221–1230 she oversaw the upbringing of Möngke, Kublai, Hulegu and others in Tolui's household, keeping the establishment running amid the empire's western and southern campaigns; after Genghis Khan's death in 1227 Tolui briefly served as regent, and she assisted from within the inner court to stabilize the Tolui line's power.
  3. 1232–1251Karakorum · Mongolian PlateauAfter Tolui's death in 1232 she retained real power in the inner court under Ögedei; in the 1240s, after Güyük's death, she mediated among the warring princes and ultimately secured Möngke's accession in 1251, regarded as one of the most influential women in 13th-century Mongol politics.

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