Doquz Khatun
Doquz Khatun (also spelled Dokuz Khatun) (d. 1265) was a Turkic Kereit princess of the 13th century, who was married to the Mongol ruler Hulagu.[1] Their son Abaqa succeeded Hulagu upon his death.
She was known to accompany Hulagu on campaigns. At the Sack of Baghdad in 1258, the Mongols massacred tens of thousands of inhabitants, but through the influence of Doquz, the Christians were spared.[2]
Doquz Khatun was a Christian in the Church of the East, and is often mentioned as a great benefactor of the Christian faith. When Mongol envoys were sent to Europe, they also tried to use Doquz's Christianity to advantage, by claiming that Mongol princesses such as Doquz and Sorghaghtani Beki were daughters of the legendary Prester John.[3]
She died in 1265, the same year as her husband.
See also
References
Bibliography
- "A history of the Crusades", Steven Runciman, ISBN 978-0-14-013705-7
- Peter Jackson, Mongols and the West, 2005