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Qi Empress Wikipedia

Qi Empress (奇皇后; Mongolian language|Mongolian name: ?ljei Khutugh 完者忽都) (?-1369/1370|70) was one of empresses of Ukhaatu Khan|Toghun Tem?r Khan of the Yuan Dynasty and the mother of Biligt? Khan|Ayushiridar.

She was born to Gi Ja-o (奇子敖) in Haeng Prefecture (幸州), Korea. She had an elder brother named Gi Cheol (奇轍). She became a concubine of Toghun Tem?r and mothered Ayurshiridar. After the primary empress Danashri was overthrown in 1340 because of the rebellion by his brother Tanggisi, Toghun Tem?r try to install ?ljei Khutugh as an empress, Bayan, who held real power, opposed it. When Bayan was purged, she became the secondary empress in 1340 (the primary one was Bayan Khutugh of the Khunggirad clan). Her son Ayurshiridar became Crown Prince in 1353. Using his Korean eunuch Bak Bukha (朴不花), she began the campaign to force the Emperor to pass the throne to Ayurshiridar. It became known to the emperor and he grew apart from her.

Her family wielded tremendous power in Goryeo Dynasty|Goryeo. Since her brother Bayan Bukha (Ki Cheol) came to threaten the position of the king, Bayan Tem?r (King Gongmin of Goryeo|King Gongmin) exterminated the Gi family in a coup in 1356. In 1364 she fielded Tash Tem?r as the king of Goryeo and dispatched troops to Korea, but they were defeated by Goryeo army in crossing the Yalu River.

At that time the internal strife was fought between supporters and opponents of the Crown Prince. A opposition leader Bolud Tem?r finally occupied the capital in 1364. Ayurshiridar fled to K?ke Tem?r, a supporter of him, but Qi Empress was imprisoned by Bolud Tem?r. Bolud Tem?r was overthrown by K?ke Tem?r the next year. Once again, she tried to install her son as the Khan, with the support of K?ke Tem?r, but in vain. After Bayan Khutugh died, ?ljei Khutugh was elevated to the primary empress.

The collapse of Mongol rule of China in 1368 forced her to flee to Yingchang (應昌). In 1370 Toghun Tem?r Khan died and Ayurshiridar ascended to the throne there. She became Empress Dowager, but soon after that went missing.

Last Modified:   2005-04-13