Khutulun

Timeline

1. c. 1260–1275Kaidu's ulus (Zhetysu–Ili region) · IliKhutulun grew up on the Central Asian steppe under Kaidu's control, practicing horsemanship, archery, and wrestling from childhood. Persian and Latin sources both stress her physical prowess and martial spirit, but these are retrospective accounts of her adulthood; there is no chronological record of her specific childhood experiences.
2. c. 1276–1301Frontier from north of the Tianshan to the northern steppe · North of the TianshanMarco Polo calls her Aiyaruq and says she could seize enemies on the battlefield and hand them to her father; Rashid al-Din also records Khutulun campaigning with her father. She is one of the few named female commanders in Kaidu's wars against Kublai and Yuan suzerainty. The story of choosing a husband by wrestling—'if he loses he pays the bride price, if he wins he takes a horse'—comes from these same accounts, and its details are anecdotal.
3. 1301–1306Camp of the Ögedei-line remnants · ZhetysuAfter Kaidu's death, Khutulun is recorded as supporting one of his brothers in the succession contest, clashing with Duwa and other factions. She herself died around 1306. Claims that she married at this time or remained unmarried for life contradict each other and can only be preserved as disputed records.