The Great Khan

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'The Great Khan: He enjoys Flattery, it is Unwise to Outshine Him - and he is extremely clever...'[1]

Möngke Khan, more commonly known as the Great Khan, was the ruler of the Mongol Empire at the time of the Fall of the Fourth City.

Imperial Splendor[edit | edit source]

"'The Great Khan commands the respect of his people; they have enough to eat, they are secure in his spiritual guidance and they trust in his judiciary..."[2]

The Great Khan held court in his capital city of Karakorum. His reign was prosperous and just;[3] he presided fairly over all disputes, sometimes even welcoming the input of foreigners on complex matters,[4] and his people respected him as divine.[5] He championed the preservation and celebration of diverse traditions and religious beliefs[6] within his empire, countering the Western perception of his nomadic people as uncultured.[7] In keeping with this, his hospitality was unparalleled, as he welcomed guests with lavish feasts and generous gifts,[8] and was always eager to hear tales of lands far away.[9]

A leaf from the Silver Tree.

The Great Khan was described as handsome, with a fine mustache and a jovial, charismatic presence.[10] He was an avid scholar;[11] his court was a sanctuary for intellectuals of all kinds,[12] and he maintained a magnificent library.[13] He was especially fascinated by astronomy, visual arts, and tales of immortality, and often discussed these subjects with visiting dignitaries.[11][14] To the Khan, immortality was not to be found in alchemy or myth, but in legacy, empire, enduring customs, and the strength of his lineage.[15] An eager patron of the arts, the Khan famously commissioned the Silver Tree — designed by his daughter Cheren,[16] but credited to the French sculptor William of Paris, who had originally been taken as a captive to the Khan's court.[17]

It has been said that the Khan had "steel at his heart;"[10] behind his welcoming personality, pursuit of wisdom, and curiosity about the lands beyond his empire, he was still the Mongol Khan and had a warrior's resolve to match. Since he was ever conscious of the power of perception, he ensured his great wealth was not spent on vanity, but used as a safeguard against rumors of weakness: an astute strategy, given the looming threat of an invasion from Cathay (China).[18] In keeping with Mongol tradition, the Khan and his court valued their horses greatly, and it was of the utmost importance that visitors respect these trusty steeds alongside their riders.[19][20]

The Khan and His Daughter[edit | edit source]

"'Cheren is wilful, but I do love her above all else,' said the Khan. 'My father is flawed, but I do love him very dearly,' said the Princess."[21]

Cheren, daughter of the Great Khan.

The Khan had many wives and concubines, and many children, but he had only one favorite daughter: Princess Cheren. Though they had an affectionate relationship, neither of them truly understood each other.[22] The Khan was protective of his daughter and perhaps overconcerned for her safety,[23] but showered her with gifts;[24] he took pride in her beauty and often presented her to visiting traders (much to her annoyance).[25] He kept a close eye on her personal life,[26] and deeply disapproved of her growing bond with William of Paris.[27] Though his extended family posed threats of rebellion, it was the Princess's strong personality that caused him more anguish,[28] and they frequently argued over her autonomy.[29]

Cheren would later become known as the Gracious Widow.

The Fall of Karakorum[edit | edit source]

"Buckle the armour, and buckle it tight. Leather and iron scales fit for a khan. He stands below-ground as enemies batter at the gate. Ignore them. Fasten my helmet. Ready my horse to ride. Dust scatters from the rafters, and he bends his bow. My horse. Ready my horse. His daughter weeps. Your horse, great khan, is dead."[30]

A set of Khanate armor.

In 1254, the Khan's long-held fears of an invasion from Cathay were realized. The Khan's brother Kublai Khan served under him as the viceroy and first emperor of Yuan dynasty China, but Kublai's sons grew power-hungry,[28] and Yuan armies descended upon Karakorum. The Great Khan donned his armor and readied his bow — then was told that his horse lay dead, and the enemy was already at the gates.[31] The battle turned swiftly and brutally against the defenders.[32][33]

Surrounded and outmatched, the Khan accepted a bargain with Mr Wines,[34] who alongside its fellow Masters of the Bazaar had taken an interest in the love between Cheren and William the Sculptor.[35] Karakorum was sold to the Echo Bazaar,[36] and became the Fourth City. In the quiet after its Fall, Mr Wines (or possibly another Master) sat with the gravely wounded Great Khan, and offered him stilted words of comfort.[37][38] He took a final drink of airag, a lingering memory of his empire,[39] before breathing his last.[40]

Historical Inspirations[edit | edit source]

Möngke Khan (1208-1259), a grandson of Genghis Khan, was proclaimed the fourth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire in 1251. His reign was marked by significant administrative reforms; he began a comprehensive census of his empire, curbed the extravagant spending of the nobility, imposed taxes on merchants, and ensured accountability so that generals and princes (including his own son) would not plunder or make unauthorized demands upon civilians.​

Under Möngke's leadership, his capital of Karakorum flourished, becoming a cosmopolitan hub that featured Chinese, European, and Persian influences in its architecture. According to the account of William of Rubruck (who serves as the player character in The Silver Tree), the Khan commissioned the Parisian goldsmith Guillaume Boucher to create "a great silver tree," lined with pipes that dispensed a variety of drinks[41] and complete with a signaling system to refill it.[42] Möngke was known for his benevolence and continued the policy of universal tolerance toward all religions, fostering an environment where multiple faiths coexisted.

Möngke was a great military leader as well, who led successful campaigns against the Song Dynasty in China and expanded Mongol influence into Vietnam. His brother Hulegu Khan, under Möngke's orders, expanded the empire westward by destroying Baghdad and toppling the Abbasid Caliphate. Another of Möngke's brothers was Kublai Khan, who conquered and held power over China in a campaign that also began under Möngke's supervision.

Möngke Khan's tenure as Great Khan was prosperous and highly successful, but his death in 1259 marked the end of an era of relative unity, and the Mongol Empire fractured into four different khanates. Kublai ruled and continued to expand Yuan China, and Hulegu's swath of the Middle and Near East became known as the Ilkhanate. The leaders of the Chagatai Khanate and Golden Horde (who were previously vassals of their distant cousin Möngke) had territories that encompassed eastern Europe, a swath of what is now southern Russia, the Caucasus, and the bulk of central Asia.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ The Great Khan, The Silver Tree
  2. ↑ The Khan's reputation, The Silver Tree
  3. ↑ The Khan's reputation, The Silver Tree "'The Great Khan commands the respect of his people; they have enough to eat, they are secure in his spiritual guidance and they trust in his judiciary...'"
  4. ↑ A tricky judgement, The Silver Tree '"The Great Khan dispenses justice while in the capital. This afternoon, he asked for my opinion on a thorny dispute. Two men claimed ownership of the same herd, and there was no obvious answer...'"
  5. ↑ The Khan's reputation, The Silver Tree "'The people look up to their leader as to a God, fearing his great wrath even as they praise his immense wisdom and justice. Like Solomon himself...'"
  6. ↑ The Ambitions of Empire, The Silver Tree "The Khan was passionate. 'We are not Christians, insistent that all the world share our religion. We conquer with might, but we are not barbarians. [...] Yes, domination by religion is too dangerous, [...] I want to bring harmony to the world, by preserving its differences. It's the right way to create empire. I believe this very deeply.'"
  7. ↑ The Great Khan, The Silver Tree "One of the first things we discussed was scholarship. He was proud to describe his great library to me, and keen that I not judge their nomadic life as ill-educated or lacking in culture. Indeed, nothing could be further from the truth. And he was always so generous, showering me with gifts."
  8. ↑ Ceremonial meats, The Silver Tree "Perhaps the Khan thought I had slighted his hospitality. I intended no such thing, but he insisted I sample everything at his table. I rolled away hours later, full to bursting, and carrying a string of sausages for tomorrow."
  9. ↑ Concerning agriculture, The Silver Tree "'The Mongols receive tributes of rice, millet and rye but they had no knowledge of wheat. They gathered around me closely as I described the wheat-fields of Flanders and the pastry shops of Paris. I could see the Khan himself licking his lips at my description of an apple tart...'"
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Great Khan, The Silver Tree "'The Great Khan is a handsome fellow, with a fine moustache. He is jovial and good-natured, but there is steel at his heart...'"
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Art and scholarship, The Silver Tree "'Like many great men, the Khan wished to appear scholarly in all things. We discussed the painting techniques of our nations under the open sky...'"
  12. ↑ Prayer and Observation, The Silver Tree "'The Great Khan surrounds himself with astrologers and soothsayers, for the people here set great store by the alignment of the planets [...].'"
  13. ↑ Scholarly Lessons, The Silver Tree "'I have been asked to contribute to the Khan's library. This is a great honour...'"
  14. ↑ Being an audience, The Silver Tree "'The history of immortality is a long one,' said the Khan. 'The peoples of Cathay have their jiangshi, terrible living corpses; the Persians have the blood-drinking children of Lilith. My brothers tell me that you Europeans have them too - succubi that steal the life from the living. Such widespread beliefs must be based in fact, no? [...]'"
  15. ↑ Being an audience, The Silver Tree "'For me,' he continued, taking a deep gulp from his cup, 'immortality is the empire, My deeds will live forever, and my family will never die out.'"
  16. ↑ The Story of the Fountain, The Silver Tree ’’The Princess had designed the Silver Tree. [...]’’
  17. ↑ The Sculptor's Story, The Silver Tree "'I was still in the castle when Khan Batu's army arrived. The city did not stand a chance. [...] I woke up days later, already halfway back to Mongolia. I was a valuable prize. The Khan's men had paid handsomely for me. So here I am, still building trinkets for his nephews and grandchildren...'"
  18. ↑ Flattery?, The Silver Tree "The Khan wasn't pleased at my description of his wealth. He snapped at me that those to the East needed to know his coffers were limitless. Was he afraid of someone? Was there a war coming?"
  19. ↑ The Khan's horses, The Silver Tree "An obvious way to curry favour with the Khan was to compliment his beloved horses."
  20. ↑ The Khan's horses, The Silver Tree "'I quickly learned that it would be rude for a foreigner to pass comment on the herd of a great Khan. So I asked the men of the Khan's court to educate me on the virtues of horses. A dozen journals could not contain all that they had to say on the matter.'"
  21. ↑ The ending for the Khan and his daughter, The Silver Tree
  22. ↑ The ending for the Khan and his daughter, The Silver Tree "'Cheren is wilful, but I do love her above all else,' said the Khan. 'My father is flawed, but I do love him very dearly,' said the Princess. If their troubled relationship hadn't been endangering the city, it wouldn't matter. But it was."
  23. ↑ 'My status made me a suitable choice for chaperone...', The Silver Tree "'He taught me to ride when I was a child; he knows I am a better hunter than any of his horsemen. Yet he insists on sending a foreigner to chaperone me in our own territory!'"
  24. ↑ The etiquette of gifts, The Silver Tree 'He is sure to shower her with presents this evening. Everything that the town has to offer and anything traders have brought through the gates. There is something so sad about this, isn't there? But she does love him, and she will take pity on him. At least for a while longer.'
  25. ↑ Royal silks, The Silver Tree "'My father likes me to look beautiful. I am a credit to him, he says. He drives a hard bargain, when he deals with the traders. But he never asks if this is what I want, to be caparisoned like a prized horse...'"
  26. ↑ The Khan's eyes, The Silver Tree "'Khan watches Princess closely, especially when near William. [...] They forget I'm there, now. Khan saw her watching W. and his eyes narrowed. Angry with her, though, or him? Assume obvious - that there is suspicion of a love affair, or an unrequited passion on W's side? But then again Khan must be very used to his daughter being admired...'"
  27. ↑ The Khan's eyes, The Silver Tree "[...] I remember, even now, the way the Khan's knuckles whitened as he gripped his goblet of airag and the way the Princess's cheeks dimpled as she glanced at the Sculptor. [...]"
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Quiet conversation with the Emperor, The Silver Tree "He sighed. 'My family is large and troublesome; my brothers' sons, with their armies spread all over the world, are all keen to challenge me for leadership of the Empire. And yet my daughter causes me more sleepless nights than any of them.'"
  29. ↑ A disagreement, The Silver Tree "A disagreement about the best way to set traps for wolves led to the Khan striding off in a temper. 'Little does he know,' said the Princess to me. 'I have a strength that more than matches his. All the more so for being forced to stay silent so long.' She glared after him, but then her face softened. 'Sometimes, I think he does know,' she added. 'And that's the part he can't understand.'"
  30. ↑ My Kingdom For A Pig, Fallen London
  31. ↑ My Kingdom For A Pig, Fallen London "Buckle the armour, and buckle it tight. Leather and iron scales fit for a khan. He stands below-ground as enemies batter at the gate. Ignore them. Fasten my helmet. Ready my horse to ride. Dust scatters from the rafters, and he bends his bow. My horse. Ready my horse. His daughter weeps. Your horse, great khan, is dead."
  32. ↑ My Kingdom For A Pig, Fallen London "A field where every flower is an arrow-shaft. They stick where they have landed, stabbed through dead bodies and dirt. Another volley launches. Generals thunder commands. And now the horses join the fray as storm-clouds roll across the sky; and soldiers charge soldiers, and pray they will not be the first to die."
  33. ↑ My Kingdom For A Pig, Fallen London "Fires, fires in the dark, leaping across the land. Crane your neck. Watch the inferno rise. Above the walls, into the dark, until the stars are embers and the heat has lashed and lashed your face again. Crackled and cooked. Listen, and you may hear screams before the fire's roar engulfs them too."
  34. ↑ The Fate of the City: I threw my lot in with the Emissary, The Silver Tree "In fact, you may call me by my name from now on. Address me as Mr Wines, if you please." [Editor's note: "Mr" is anachronistic and used for the reader's convenience, but I cannot confirm whether William of Rubruck (The Silver Tree's player character) would have used the Old French Sire or Seignur, or the Middle Dutch Mijnhere.]
  35. ↑ The Emissary's Secrets: Ambush, Silver Tree "'My cohorts and I would buy this city. We want to take it somewhere it would live forever. The story of the Princess, the Sculptor, and their love is delicious.'"
  36. ↑ My Kingdom For A Pig, Fallen London "You have no time. We have the paperwork. Can you not hear them knocking down the walls? Soon everything you know and love will fall. But every fall is not alike, great khan. Remember, please remember, above all, that there are worse fates, far worse fates for a city, than selling it to the Bazaar."
  37. ↑ The end of battles, Fallen London "Lie down. Here with us, where the air is velvet. Set aside your sword, there. My servant has your horse. We will care for her. And you. We will care for you. What is your desire?"
  38. ↑ Experience, Fallen London "Of course, great one, you have seen all the world can offer; you have taken or trampled it as you chose. But we can give you marvels. Look here. And here. And here. This was old in the days of the Third [...] This carries its own light. This has a tiny song. This is nothing... well, if you must, great one. Look closely [...] Is it difficult to look away? No great matter. Rest here. It will not be very much longer."
  39. ↑ Wisdom, Fallen London "The wind passes over, and the sun is still. The earth is freshly turned. The cup has fallen from your hand. Let it lie still." [This option gives you airag.]
  40. ↑ Truth, Fallen London "I know, I know. It can be hard at first. Be at peace. You need never move from this place. Yes, this red rock. The grass will cover you. Your ribs will give rest. We will raise stones to honour you, who saw the sky."
  41. ↑ William of Rubruck's Account of the Mongols, University of Washington "[...] master William the Parisian had made for him a great silver tree, and at its roots are four lions of silver [...] all belching forth white milk of mares. And four conduits are led inside the tree to its tops [...] from one of these pipes flows wine, from another [...] clarified mare's milk, from another [...] a drink made with honey, and from another rice mead [...] there are branches of silver on the tree, and leaves and fruit. "
  42. ↑ William of Rubruck's Account of the Mongols, University of Washington "[...] in the top, he made an angel holding a trumpet, and underneath the tree he made a vault in which a man can be hid. [...] Outside the palace is a cellar in which the liquors are stored, and there are servants all ready to pour them out [...] When [...] drink is wanted, the head butler cries to the angel to blow his trumpet. Then he who is concealed in the vault [...] blows with all his might in the pipe leading to the angel [...] Then the servants who are in the cellar [...] pour the different liquors into the proper conduits [...] the butlers draw it and carry it to the palace [...]"
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