Jochi

Founder of the Golden Horde, Jochi was a pivotal prince of the early Mongol Empire.

Chronology: 1182-06-06 – 1227-12-28

Origins & Early Life

Jochi (Mongolian: ᠵᠦᠴᠢ; c. 1182 – c. 1225), also spelled Jüchi, was a prince of the early Mongol Empire. His life was marked by controversy over the circumstances of his birth and culminated in his estrangement from his family.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was nevertheless a prominent military commander and the progenitor of the family who ruled over the khanate of the Golden Horde. Jochi was the son of Börte, the first wife of the Mongol leader Temüjin, later known as Genghis Khan. For many months before Jochi's birth, Börte had been a captive of the Merkit tribe, one of whom forcibly married and raped her. Although there was thus considerable doubt over Jochi's parentage, Temüjin considered him his son and treated him accordingly. Many Mongols, most prominently Börte's next son Chagatai, disagreed; these tensions eventually led to both Chagatai and Jochi being excluded from the line of succession to the Mongol throne.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After Temüjin founded the Mongol Empire in 1206 and took the name Genghis Khan, he entrusted Jochi with nine thousand warriors and a large territory in the west of the Mongol heartland; Jochi commanded and participated in numerous campaigns to secure and extend Mongol power in the region. He...

Source: Wikipedia