Berke Son of Jochi; after his brother Batu Khan, he became the khan over Russia from 1257 to 1267. He fought with his cousins in the Ilkhanate and refused to recognize Khubilai as Great Khan.
Boorchu Early companion of Temujin, later a major general in the Mongol army.
Borijin Genghis Khan’s clan name.
Borte First and primary wife of Temujin. Born around 1160; died around 1222.
Burkhan Khaldun “God Mountain,” located in the Khentii range.
busgui Male; literally, “beltless.”
Cathay Early European spelling for the Khitan, relatives of the Mongols and rulers of northern China during the period 907–1125, called the Liao dynasty by the Chinese.
Chaghatai Second son of Genghis Khan and Borte (1183–1242); his descendents ruled most of central Asia and eventually became the Moghul dynasty of India.
Chiledu Merkid tribesman, first husband of Hoelun before her kidnapping by Yesugei.
deel traditional Mongolian robe worn by men and women.
Genghis Khan Title given to Temujin in 1206, although he may have also used it as early as 1189, when he first became khan.
ger Portable home made of felt over a latticework frame, called a yurt by outsiders.
Guchlug Son of Tayang Khan of the Naiman, later ruler of the Black Khitan Kingdom.
Gur-khan Ancient title meaning supreme khan.
Guyuk Great Khan of the Mongol Empire (1246–1248); son of Ogodei.
Hoelun Mother of Genghis Khan. Around the year 1161, she was kidnapped from Chiledu of the Merkid by Yesugei, with whom she had four sons and a daughter.
Hulegu Conqueror of Baghdad, and founder of the Ilkhanate over Persia. Died in 1265.
Ikh Khorig The Great Taboo, name applied to the area around Genghis Khan’s burial site.
Jadaran clan Descended from the first son born after Bodonchar the Fool kidnapped a pregnant wife. (The Borijin clan descended from the last son born to her.)
Jamuka Anda of Genghis Khan, and for a brief time Gur-khan of the Mongols until executed by Genghis Khan.
Jochi Eldest son of Genghis Khan and Borte, but his legitimacy was not acknowledged by his brothers. He died in 1227, the same year as his father; his descendants became the Golden Horde of Russia.
Jurched Manchurian tribes that ruled in northern China. Also known as the Jin (Chin) dynasty, 1115–1234; ruled by the Golden Khan.
Jurkin Lineage closely related to Genghis Khan.
Karakorum Also known as Kharkhorin; second capital of the Mongol Empire (from 1235 until 1260). It was built by Ogodei on the Orkhon River in central Mongolia in the land that had once belonged to Ong Khan of the Kereyid.
Kereyid Tribe or collection of tribes of central Mongolia, along rich pasturelands of the Orkhon and Tuul Rivers; ruled by Torghil, the Ong Khan.
Khaidu Grandson of Toregene and Ogodei (1236–1301); khan over much of central Asia and rival to his cousin Khubilai Khan.
Khan Chief or king. Steppe titles can be very confusing. In addition to khan, the most common designation for the emperor in the dynasty of Genghis Khan was the title that is written in modern Mongolian as khaan or is transliterated from classical Mongolian as kha’an, khagan, qahan, qaghan, or qa’an. To avoid confusion between the Mongolian titles of khan and khaan in this book, only khan is used with names, as in Khubilai Khan or Batu Khan, and Great Khan is used instead of emperor or khaan. For example, “Genghis Khan’s son Ogodei was elected Great Khan in 1229.”
Khanbalik Mongol capital built by Khubilai and now the city of Beijing. In the Mongol era, it was also known as Da-Du or Ta-Tu to the Chinese; previously, it had been Zhongdu when it served as the Jurched capital.
Khasar Brother next in age to Genghis Khan; he was both a strongman and a marksman.
khatun Mongol queen.
Kherlen River One of the three rivers that flows from Burkhan Khaldun. Temujin lived on this river when Borte was taken by the Merkid, and he later made his base camp farther downstream at Avarga.
Khitan Tribe closely related to Mongols. They ruled northern China as the Liao dynasty (907–1125), but were defeated and replaced by the Jurched. The Mongols used this name for all of northern China, and Marco Polo picked it up with the word Cathay.
Khodoe Aral Name used for the area around Avarga, near the confluence of the Kherlen and Tsenker Rivers.
khubi Share of booty, hunt, or loot.
Khubilai Khan Grandson of Genghis Khan (1215–1294); claimed the title of Great Khan and established the Yuan dynasty over China.
khuriltai An official council or meeting, usually summoned to confirm elections or make major decisions such as whether to go to war.
Kipchak Turkic tribe in southern Russia.
Merkid Tribe along the Selenge River, modern border of Mongolia and Siberia.
Mongke Khan Eldest son of Tolui, Great Khan from 1251 to 1259.
morin huur Horsehead fiddle.
naadam Celebration involving wrestling, archery, and horse racing.
Naiman Tribe of western Mongolia, ruled by Tayang Khan until defeated by Genghis Khan in 1205.
nerge Line used to enclose the animals at the start of a group hunt.
Oghul Ghaimish Wife of Guyuk; as his widow, she tried to rule as regent of the Mongol Empire but was defeated by Sorkhokhtani and her sons.
Ogodei Third son of Genghis Khan and Borte, Great Khan of the Mongol Empire from 1229 to 1241.