1229Reputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
Ögedei Khan and Karakorum
On the timeline · around 1229 ·
What happened
When Genghis Khan died in 1227, the empire passed not to a single heir but to his family, with his son Ögedei elected Great Khan in 1229. Ögedei pressed the conquests forward on every front and built a fixed capital at Karakorum in the Mongolian heartland — a cosmopolitan city drawing merchants, craftsmen, and envoys from across Eurasia, with churches, mosques, and temples side by side.
Why it matters
Ögedei turned his father's conquests into a governed empire with a capital, an administration, and the yam relay network. It was his death in 1241 that halted the Mongol advance into Europe, as commanders rushed home to choose a successor.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Ögedei Khan · Reputable source
- World History Encyclopedia. Karakorum · Reputable source