Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Altan Khan

Role / Field:

Mongolian prince and leader of the Tümed Mongols, patron of the Gelug school.

Born:

1507

Died:

1582

Century / Era:

1507s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Altan Khan (2 January 1508 – 13 January 1582; Mongolian: ᠠᠯᠲᠠᠨ ᠬᠠᠨ, Алтан хан; Chinese: 阿勒坦汗), also known as Anda (Chinese: 俺答; Mongolian: Аньда), was the leader of the Tümed Mongols and the de facto ruler of the Right Wing, or western tribes, of the Mongols. He was the grandson of Dayan Khan (1464–1543), a descendant of Kublai Khan (1215–1294). Altan Khan managed to unite a tribal league between the Khalkha Mongols in the north and the Chahars (Tsakhars) to the east. He later swore allegiance to the Ming dynasty of China as the Shunyi prince and became a patron of the Gelug Tibetan Buddhists.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Borjigin Barsboladiin Altan was the second son of Bars Bolud Jinong and a grandson of Dayan Khan, who had re-unified the Mongolian nobility in an attempt to regain the glory of the Yuan dynasty. After Dayan Khan's time, the Mongol tribes constituted six myriads (tümen), which in turn were divided into a Left Wing and a Right Wing. The Left Wing was ruled by the Great Khan, descendants of grandson and successor Bodi Alagh. The Right Wing was ruled by Altan's father, Bars Bolud, who held the position of Jinong (vice-regent). Altan Khan ruled the Tümed subgroup of Mongols...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1507 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1507
• 1582 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1582

Frequently Asked Questions about Altan Khan