c. 1240s–1252Reputable sourceWell documented
Sorghaghtani Beki, Mother of Khans
On the timeline · around c. 1240s–1252 ·
What happened
Sorghaghtani Beki, the widow of Genghis Khan's youngest son Tolui, was among the most capable politicians of the age. A Nestorian Christian who patronized many faiths and prized education, she groomed her four sons for power and, through skillful alliance-building, engineered the transfer of supreme rule to her line.
Why it matters
Sorghaghtani was the mother of four rulers — the Great Khans Möngke and Kublai, the Ilkhan Hülegü, and Ariq Böke — arguably the most influential woman in Mongol history, whose maneuvering reshaped the entire empire's future.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Möngke Khan · Reputable source