Erdeni Batur

Erdeni Batur
Khong Tayiji
Erdeni batur Khuntaishi, First Khong Tayiji of the Dzungar Khanate. Portrait by Bembya Fedorov[1]
Khong Tayiji of the Dzungar Khanate
Reign1634–1653
Coronation1634?
PredecessorKharkhul (The chief of the Oirat Confederation)
SuccessorSengge
SpouseAmin-Dara
IssueSengge, Galdan
Names
Batur khundtaidji[2]Ba’atur Khongtaiji[3]
HouseChoros
DynastyDzungar Khanate
FatherKharkhul
ReligionTibetan Buddhism

Erdeni Batur (Mongolian: Эрдэнэ Баатар Хунтайж; Chinese: 巴圖爾琿台吉; d. 1653) was a Choros-Oirat prince generally considered to be the founder of the Dzungar Khanate, centered in the Dzungaria region, currently in north-westernmost part of China.

Early life

Erdeni Batur was the son of Kharkhul[3] who was taishi (Mongolian: тайш) of the dominant Choros tribe and the leader of the allied Four Oirat, collectively known as "Dzungars."[4] After the death of his father in 1634, Erdeni Batur assumed his father's position and formed the Dzungar Khanate on the Tarbagatai Mountains, marrying Amin Dara.[3]

In so doing, Erdeni Batur led the Dzungars to several victorious military campaigns over the Kazakhs to his west. To the north in southern Siberia, Erdeni Batur gave Russia access to salt mines, thereby ending a 20-year conflict, in exchange for diplomatic and trade relations. The commercial ties, which remained intact throughout his rule, and the prosperity generated by such ties with Russian outposts further solidified Erdeni Batur's prestige and position among the Oirats and the leaders of the adjacent nations.[4]

Reign

Within the Khanate, Erdeni Batur set out on an ambition campaign of empire building activities. For instance, he established a monastery called Khobak Sari south of Lake Zaisan on the Emil River, near the modern city of Tacheng, and built monasteries throughout Dzungar territory.[5] He also promoted Buddhism to his subjects such as the Clear Script, and encouraged them to resettle to the new capital on the new monastery as new buildings were constructed. [6]

He also assisted Güshi Khan and his brother, Kundulun Ubashi, to move a substantial part of the Khoshut-Oirat tribe from the Lake Zaisan area to the area around Qinghai Lake – what the Mongols call Kokonoor and the Tibetans called Amdo – in 1636, where they soon would establish the Khoshut Khanate.[3] As Combined forces the Dzungars and Khoshuts attack the Khalkha prince, Choghtu Khong Taiyiji at the Battle of the Bloody Hills.[3]

The Fifth Dalai Lama granted Erdeni Batur the title, "Khong Tayiji" for military support he provided Güshi Khan to topple the enemies of the Gelug sect — as well by granting this title, the Fifth Dalai Lama had hoped to have another ally protecting and promoting his Gelug lineage above the others.[7]

War against the Kazakhs

In 1635, Erdeni batur invaded the Kazakh Khanate, and captured Jangir Khan at the Ili river[3] he continued his offensives until 1638 to form a Diplomacy with Mongols, for a pan-Mongolian alliance in 1640. The entente took place inside Dzungar territory at a place called Ulan Buraa, near the Tarbagatai Mountains on the border between what is now the Xinjiang province of China and Kyrgyzstan.[3]

Afterwards, he resumed his campaigns and captured cities and towns on the Syr Darya, including the cities of Tashkent and Turkistan[8] defeating Uzbek relief forces.[9] However his army was soon defeated at the Battle of Orbulaq, facing a large counterinvasion force of 22,600 men,[10] losing heavy casualties of around ten thousand men.[11]

In 1646, he attempted another invasion against the Kazakhs, capturing Sairam and Turkistan as well forcing the Kazakhs and Kyrgyz civilians into a vassalage.[12] But soon Bukharans relieved the captured cities[13] and with another defeat, he requested for Khoshut assistance, with sending Ochirtu Khan's son Galdamba to fight the Kazakhs.[14]

Decline and death

Erdeni Batur continued to consolidate his power, preparing the Dzungar Khanate for its attack upon the Qing for control over Central Asia. Upon his death in 1653, Erdeni Batur was succeeded by his third son, Sengge.[3]

References

  1. ^"Rulers and Heroes of the Oirat-Kalmyks of the 13th-18th Centuries" by Bembya Fedorov
  2. ^Audrey, Burton (1997). The Bukharans A Dynastic, Diplomatic and Commercial History 1550-1702. Curzon Press, Audrey Burton. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-7007-0417-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  3. ^ abcdefghAdle, Chahryar (2003). History of Civilizations of Central Asia (5th ed.). UNESCO, Adle Chahrayar. p. 147. ISBN 978-8120820463.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^ abAdle, Chahryar (2003). History of Civilizations of Central Asia (5th ed.). UNESCO, Adle Chahrayar. p. 146. ISBN 978-8120820463.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ^Adle, Chahryar (2003). History of Civilizations of Central Asia (5th ed.). UNESCO, Adle Chahrayar. p. 148. ISBN 978-8120820463.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ^Adle, Chahryar (2003). History of Civilizations of Central Asia (5th ed.). UNESCO, Adle Chahrayar. p. 157. ISBN 978-8120820463.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  7. ^Karmay, 2009, pp. 504-517
  8. ^ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd Lāhaurī, Pādshāh-nāmah, Vol. II (Calcutta: Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1867), p. 438; Материалы по истории русско-монгольских отношений. 1636–1654. Том II (Москва: Издательство Академии наук СССР, 1959), p. 237.
  9. ^Дела о сношениях с калмыцкими тайшами [Matters Regarding Relations with Kalmyk Taishas], Фонд 134, Опись 1 (in Russian), Москва: Центральный государственный архив древних актов (ЦГАДА), 1641, pp. лл. 142–143
  10. ^Baytasov, Rakhmetolla (11 May 2022). Notes on ancient and modern ethnic groups. Litres. ISBN 978-5-04-441122-7.
  11. ^"Submission from the Tobolsk governor G.S. Kurakin to the Siberian order about the stay of the Tobolsk servicemen G. Ilyin and K. Kucheev in the Erdeni Batur-huntaiji ulus, about the arrival of the Dzungar ambassadors Dolgi and Urgudai with letters to Tobolsk and about permission to release the Oirat ambassadors to Moscow". www.vostlit.info. Retrieved 12 February 2024..
  12. ^Материалы по истории русско-монгольских отношений. 1636–1654. Том II [Materials on the History of Russian-Mongolian Relations. 1636–1654. Volume II] (in Russian). Москва: Издательство Академии наук СССР. 1959. p. 276.
  13. ^Burton, Audrey (1997). The Bukharans;A Dynastic, Diplomatic and Commercial History 1550-1702. Audrey Burton. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-7007-0417-0.
  14. ^Altangerel, Chulunbatyn. Дэлхийн талыг эзгэн үе эрхшээсэн түүхт Монголын зэвсэг, дайн, хил хамгаалалтын толь [A look at the weapons, warfare, and border defenses of the historical Mongols, who conquered half the world] (in Mongolian). Chulunbatyn Altangerel. p. 107.
  • Bawden, Charles R. The Modern History OF Mongolia, The Praeger Asia-Africa Series, Frederick A. Praeger Publishers, New York, NY (1968).
  • Bergholz, Fred W. The Partition of the Steppe: The Struggle of the Russians, Manchus, and the Zunghar Mongols for Empire in Central Asia, 1619–1758: A Study in Power Politics, American University Studies, Series IX, History, Vol. 109, Peter Lang Publishing, New York, NY (1993).
  • Grousset, René. The Empire of the Steppes: a History of Central Asia, Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ (1970).
  • Haines, R Spencer. "The Physical Remains of the Zunghar Legacy in Central Eurasia: Some Notes from the Field", Paper presented at the Social and Environmental Changes on the Mongolian Plateau Workshop, Canberra, ACT, Australia (2016).
  • Perdue, Peter C. China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA (2005).
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