The Collection of Chronicles of Rashid ad-Din

Rashid ad-Din. Collection of Chronicles. Vol. I. M.-L., 1952

Rashid ad-Din (1247—1318) was the vizier of several Mongol khans in Iran and had access to their treasury, where the official chronicle of the Mongols was kept. In addition to this source, his informants included experts on Mongolian traditions. The author and his colleagues also drew on data from many books in various languages. "Jami-atu-tawarikh" ("Collection of Chronicles") was completed in 1310—11. 

Translation from Persian by A. A. Getagurov.

Text: The tribes of Bulagachin and Keremuchin. (Both) inhabited the area of Barghudzhin-Tokum and at the very edge of the land of the Kyrgyz. They are close to each other. In this state (Iran), none of them is known; nor is anyone among the emirs or non-emirs of these tribes famous or renowned.

The tribes of Urasut, Telingut, and Kushtemi. These tribes are similar to the Mongols: it is known that they are well-versed in Mongolian medicine and treat using Mongolian methods. They are also called the forest tribe because they inhabit the forests within the land of the Kyrgyz and Kem-Kemjuts.

The Mongols from the forest tribe are numerous, and their diversity misled outsiders because any tribe whose yurts were located in wooded areas was called a forest tribe. Thus, the Taijut tribe was considered a forest tribe because their encampments were between the lands of the Mongols, Kyrgyz, and Barguts.

These tribes (Urasut, Telingut, and Kushtemi) had their land located beyond the Kyrgyz, (about) a month's journey away.

After the Kyrgyz expressed submission but then revolted, Chinggis Khan sent his son Jochi Khan to these aforementioned tribes. He crossed the frozen Selenga and other rivers and captured (the territory of) the Kyrgyz.

Chane are known in most regions of Turkestan and Moghulistan. They are particularly recognized in the areas of Barghudzhin-Tokum (among the tribes): Kori, Kytgyz, Urasut, Telingut, and Tumat, because this method (of movement) is especially used in these areas.

The Kyrgyz tribe. Kypgyz and Kem-Kemjuts (—two adjacent areas; both constitute one possession (mamlakat). Kem-Kemjuts is a large river, one side borders the area of the Mongols (Moghulistan) and one boundary is with the Selenga River, where the Taijut tribes reside; one side borders the basin of the large river called Ankhara-Muren, reaching the limits of the region of Ibiri-Sibir. One side of Kem-Kemjuts borders the lands and mountains where the Nayman tribes reside. The tribes of Kori, Bargu, Tumat, and Bayaut, some of whom are Mongols and inhabit the area of Barghudzhin-Tokum, are also close to this area. Many cities and villages exist in these regions, and the nomads are numerous. The title (of each) of their lord, even if he had another name, is Inal, and the family name of those from this area who are respected and renowned is Idi. Their lord was... (omission). The name of another area is Edi-Orun, and the lord there was called Urusin-al.

In the year of Tolai, which is the year of the rabbit, corresponding to the months of 603 AH, Chinggis Khan sent messengers to these two lords, Altan and Bukra, and summoned (them) to submission. They sent back with them three of their emirs, named: Uruut-Utudju, Elik-Timur, and Atkirak, with a white falcon, as a sign of respect from the younger to the elder, and submitted (to him).

Twelve years later, in the year of the leopard, when one of the Tumat tribes, residing in Barghudzhin-Tokum and Bayluk, revolted, the Mongols, because it was close to the Kyrgyz, demanded troops (charik) from the Kyrgyz, who did not provide them and revolted. Chinggis Khan sent his son Jochi with an army against them. Kurulun was their (the Kyrgyz) leader; (among the Mongols, an emir) named Poka went in the vanguard; he put the Kyrgyz to flight and returned from the eighth river. When Jochi arrived, the ice had already covered the Kem-Kemjuts River. He crossed on the ice and, having conquered and subdued the Kyrgyz, returned.

A narrative about the submission of the emirs of the Kyrgyz and that (their) region.

Text: In the same mentioned year of the rabbit, Chinggis Khan sent two envoys to the Kyrgyz emirs and chiefs (hakims), one named Altai and the other Bura. First, they arrived in the area, the name of which..., and the emir there was called.... After that, they (arrived) in another area, the name of which is Edi-Orun, and the emir there was called Urus-Inal.

Both of these emirs showed full respect to the mentioned envoys, and, sending back with them their two envoys, one named Elik-Timur and the other Atkirak, they sent back with a white falcon (sunkur-i sapid) and submitted to Chinggis Khan. And that’s it!

In this year, due to the fact that the Kashin region revolted again, Chinggis Khan went there with an army and conquered it all. In this same year, he sent envoys to the Kyrgyz (demanding submission from them). They submitted and sent to the feet of Chinggis Khan along with his envoys their envoys with a white falcon as a gift.

Comments and Notes

1 They, the Mongolian tribes, inhabited to the east of the Yenisei Kyrgyz in the area of Barghudzhin-Tokum. In the 17th century, the Bulagach tribe is mentioned in Eastern Turkestan as one of the Kyrgyz clans.
2 Barghudzhin-Tokum, the area of Bargu — possibly this is modern Barguzin — one of the tributaries of Baikal with the Barguzin steppe.
3 The habitat of these tribes was apparently the spaces between the upper reaches of the Ob and Yenisei rivers.
4 In the name of the tribe "Kem-Kemjuts," there is undoubtedly the name Kem — the upper reaches of the Yenisei, formed from the confluence of the rivers Biya-Khem and Ka-Khem.
5 The Taijuts roamed along the banks of the Selenga River.
6 The settlement area of the Barguts, Bargu see above note 2.
7 The Kyrgyz submitted to Chinggis Khan in 1207, and revolted against the Mongols in 1218 or 1219.
8 The Turkic word Chane (Chana) — means "sledge."
9 The territory of modern Khakassia and Tuva.
10 About the Kem-Kedjiut River see above note 4.
11 The Angara River.
12 Ibiri-Sibir — this term in the Middle Ages referred to a remote area of northeastern Asia, corresponding to modern Siberia.
13 The Naymans lived south of the Yenisei Kyrgyz, in Western Mongolia.
14 Inal — the title of the ruler of the Yenisei Kyrgyz.
15 Apparently, the area of Edi-Orun corresponds to the Minusinsk Basin.
18 The year 603 AH (Hijra) began on August 8, 1206 AD and ended on June 27, 1207 AD.
17 That is, "to kneel on the ground, place a hand on the head, and then approach and kiss the knee of the esteemed one."
18 This paragraph briefly repeats the account of the conquest of the Yenisei Kyrgyz by Chinggis Khan.