4. Succession after Chingis Khan
Despite his many successes, Chingis failed to arrange a proper succession to the khanate. According to a Mongolian tradition, the youngest son would inherit his fathers herds and pastures and other forms of wealth. One other tradition gave the eldest son the leadership over the clan or tribe and the youngest son would inherit the properties. Yet another tradition followed the kinship, which meant that the younger brother to the deceased leader took precedence over the deceased’s sons. However, these rules appear not to have been followed when it came to the succession of the khanate.They gathered the most powerful and the most prominent leaders for a khuriltai where they would choose the new khan on the base of the candidate’s prowess. They decided in a collective judgment if this candidate really was the most competent for the position as the Khaghan. Because of these proceedings, the succession was often unpredictable. When a khuriltai could not agree, it happened that these were followed by violent and bloody battles for the power. It took two years after Chingis death before a new khan could seize the power. In the year of 1229 CE, the four sons of Chingis made a compromise, this led to the first dividing of the Mongol territories. They divided their domains in the following manner: Chingis first son, Batu, (1207-1257), became Khan over the Golden Horde which meant the western countries of the Mongol Empire and would also in time include Russia. Chingis second son, Chaghadai, (1185-1242), got the area around Central Asia.
The fourth and youngest son and the father of Khubilai, Tolui, (1190-1232), a harsh military man, (and with a strong affection to alcohol), got areas in northern China and Mongolia. Partly because of his flexibility, his knowledge as a negotiator and his tolerance against foreigners and foreign ideas, the third son, Ögödei, (1186-1241), became the Khaghan, the almighty ruler over the Mongol Empire. Ögödei continued with his fathers expanding politics. Through the following years, he expanded the Mongol Empire further.
Just like his father, Ögödei did not limit himself to just expand his empire. The rule under Ögödei became more firmly organized by the establishing of four offices, a Uighur office that was the most superior, a Chinese office, a Persian office, and a Tangutian office. Further more, the beginning of a postal service was formed, (yam), with permanent post offices, through which the Khaghans orders could be sent to various parts of the empire. In connection with this, the Mongolians also began working on a road network across Central Asia. He also recruited a counselor, whom in the Chinese sources of history had the name Yeh-lü Ch’u-ts’ai, to help Ögödei to govern his recently conquered areas in northern China.
Yeh-lü knew that some Mongolians wanted to remake the arable fields into pastureland, but Yeh-lü meant it would be more profit from farming than what the pasture would give since the land was not suitable as grazing lands.
He also started a recurrent, regulated tax system to replace the irregular and often heavy taxes that the Mongolians forced upon their subjects. The fiscal system was arranged in such manners that the permanent residents (Chinese, Persians, Turks) paid taxes in silver, grains and silk, if the Mongolians gave a tenth of their livestock.
Yeh-lü’s Mongolian and Turkish opponents tried to convince Ögödei that Yeh-lü’s plans were less profitable than their own plans. These plans meant that they would collect the taxes themselves. Since the merchants got a part of the taxes that they collected it was in their own interest to collect as much taxes as possible from the Chinese people. All in all Ögödei thought the same as the Mongolian and Turkish merchants. However, he did not ignore Yeh-lü’s tax reform all together. Yeh-lü also recommended building a capitol, in which Ögödei recognized the importance of.
As his empire grew, the need for an administrative center that could take care of the administrative chores also grew. He chose to build his capitol, which went by the name of Ordu-Baligh, (City of the Court), which was on the same place as Karakorum, (Black sand), in the valley of the Orchon river. To build and maintain this new city would demand an enormous import of trading goods and building material. The city would not be able to provide for a larger population since the city was situated a long way from the usual trading routes; moreover, it was also a long way to the necessary raw materials that was needed.
A contemporary traveler reveals that 500 wagons loaded with trading goods rolled into Karakorum each day. The maintenance of buildings like Ögödei’s palace put even more importance on that the wagons kept on rolling into the city. To guarantee this Ögödei began a policy that favored merchants and supported the trade that was required for the survival of the city. This policy would later be followed by his successors, including Khubilai Khan.
Ögödei expanded his empire and sent his brothers on a conquest. The Mongolians cruel onslaught seemed unstoppable. On April 9th, 1241 CE, they hit Poland. After a bloody battle in the city of Liegnitz the legend tells us that the Mongolians had cut of an ear form each enemy they had defeated, all in all 9 sacks. It did not take them long to conquer the rest of Poland, they then continued onward against Hungary. In the end of 1241 CE, Batu Khan had taken Pesth and Buda, but early in 1242 CE, Batu pulled back his troops because Ögödei had died on the 11th of December 1241 CE. To select a new Khaghan the Khans had to return to Mongolia for a new khuriltai. There is no question about it that Ögödei’s death was very fortunate for Europe, since Europe now could escape from the devastating rampage of the Mongolians.