Consort Profile: Empress Chabi of the Yuan

Although not an absolute rule, it was the tradition for Mongol emperors to have four wives and each of them had their own household with minor wives and concubines. We know very little about most of them, many of their names are not even recorded unless one was especially favored or exerted some influence on her husband or children. In fact, not even all the names of the children of the emperors are recorded. However, one who is well known is the favorite consort of the great Kublai Khan, his second wife, a Mongol princess named Chabi. She was a remarkable woman and of the 12 sons of Kublai Khan it was only those born of Chabi who gained prominence.

Other than his mother, no other woman held such a prominent position in the Yuan Empire as Chabi did and, like the mother of Kublai (a Nestorian Christian), her influence was especially felt in dealing with religion. Chabi was a devout Tibetan Buddhist and it was partly through her influence that Tibetan Buddhism became the most prominent religion in the Yuan court, though the policy of religious freedom was always maintained. Chabi also set an example in promoting a smooth transition of power when the Mongols first conquered China by taking in hand the empresses of the defeated Song dynasty when they were brought to Peking. She took care of them and ensured that they were treated with dignity and respect.

Chabi did a lot of little things to help her husband. Always practical, she was something of a fashion designer, coming up with a new style of wide-brimmed hat sleeveless tunics for Mongol troops serving in warmer, southern climates which the Mongols, used to the frozen steppes of the north, were not accustomed to. She never lost her habits as the daughter of a nomadic people who had to make efficient use of scant resources. An example of this is her organizing the ladies of the Mongol court to spin used bow strings into cloth rather than see them go to waste.

Kublai Khan was very devoted to Chabi and when she died in 1281 he was really never the same. A distant cousin of her's, Nambi, took over the position she had previously occupied but no one could replace her in the heart of the Great Khan. After the death of Chabi Kublai was often depressed, lacked the focus and energy of early years and his overindulgence in food and drink thereafter took a toll on his health which eventually led to his own passing in 1295.

Historic Day for Far East Monarchy

It was on this day in 1271 that Khublai Khan of Mongolia founded the Great Yuan Empire, establishing the Mongol dynasty that was the first time all of modern China had been conquered and ruled by a foreign nation. As Emperor, Khublai was a wise and tolerant ruler and along with military strength the economy improved and Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Daoism all lived together peacefully in his far-reaching and cosmopolitan realm. The Mongols would continue to rule China as part of the Great Yuan Empire until roughly 1368 when they were overthrown and replaced by the Ming dynasty, the last native Han dynasty to rule Imperial China.

Monarch Profile: Kublai Khan

Although overshadowed by his famous grandfather Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan could probably be considered one of the great monarchs of world history. He came to power in 1260 upon the death of his older brother Mongke Khan as ruler of the vast Mongol empire. He is probably most famous for completing the conquest of China (making him the only foreigner to ever conquer all of China) and founding the Yuan dynasty which ruled Imperial China from 1271 to 1368. Although the realm under his actual control was 'limited' to roughly what is now China, Mongolia and southeast Siberia, as the Great Khan of the Mongols he was the titular but influential ruler of the largest land empire in history, covering one-fifth of the earth's surface. He learned the ropes of statesmanship as viceroy of northern China and through the influence of his wise and formidable mother adopted the policies there that he would later use to great success in the governing of his vast realm.

Kublai's mother was Sorghaghtani Beki, a Nestorian Christian, and it was she who ensured that he grew up to be religiously tolerant, learned in administration as well as military conquest and that he would work within the Chinese framework of government rather than trying to rule through occupation and plunder. Trade and agruculture would yield a better long-term economy than the traditional method of simple plundering. Kublai Khan emerged victorious from a small civil war for leadership and in a brilliant campaign completed the conquest of China and laid out the modern capital of Beijing. Kublai protected Confucian scholars and kept Confucianism as the ideal civic model as well as making use of Chinese talent. However, his was also a famously cosmopolitan empire and he employed many foreign experts and advisors. Christianity, Islam, Daoism and Buddhism were all fairly widespread and he entertained envoys from Venice, Flanders, France, Papal Rome and Persia. He improved communications and the agricultural infrastructure in China as well as extending the famously efficient Mongol postal system across the whole country.

Trade, traditionally a despised profession in China, became widespread and resulted in a new, prosperous middle class as well as greater ties with far flung countries. Tibetan Buddhism also experienced a period of growth through the influence of Kublai's favorite wife Chabi, who was herself quite an exceptional woman. Over time Kublai began to suffer the ill-effects of good living and became extremely overweight and suffered many health problems because of it. When Chabi and her son, Kublai's heir, died in 1285 the Khan fell into a dark mood that never left him. He lashed out in efforts to conquer Japan and Vietnam but these were defeated and his health and grown so bad that when he had to confront an uprising in Mongolia he could no longer walk (though the campaign was successful). He died in 1294 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Mongolia as was the custom.