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Ögödei, Chinggis Khan's son and successor, presided
over the greatest expansion of the Mongol empire.
During Ögödei's twelve year reign (1229-1241),
the Mongols dramatically increased the territories
under their control, moving from Central Asia into Russia
in the 1230s and absorbing much of Russian territory. They
also occupied Georgia and Armenia, and by 1234 they had destroyed
the Jin dynasty of North China and occupied all of China north
of the Yangtze river. They'd also moved into parts of Western
Asia, particularly the eastern sections of Persia.
Among other accomplishments, Ögödei is credited
with:
• building the first Mongol capital city at Khara
Khorum
• devising the first regular and orderly system of taxation
in the newly subjugated territories
• recruiting Muslims to assist in the financial administration
of the empire
Persian historian Rashid al-Din portrays Ögödei
as an easy-going, fun-loving, and bibulous ruler whose policies
were supportive of trade, merchants, and crafts.
The Successors of Genghis Khan, translated from the
Persian by John Andrew Boyle (New York: Columbia University
Press, 1972).
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