Altan Khan was the grandson of Dayan Khan, a descendant of Kublai Khan, who had managed to unite a tribal league between the Khalkha Mongols in the north and the Chahars to the south.
18 Facts About Altan Khan
2.
Altan Khan's name means "Golden Khan" in the Mongolian language.
3.
Borjigin Barsboladiin Altan was the second son of Bars Bolud Jinong, and a grandson of Batumongke Dayan Khan who had re-unified the Mongolian nobility in an attempt to regain the glory of the Yuan dynasty.
4.
Altan Khan ruled the Tumed and belonged to the Right Wing of the Mongols along with his elder brother Gun Bilig, who ruled the Ordos.
5.
When Bodi Alagh Khan, the Khagan of the Mongols from the Chahar, died in 1547, Altan forced Bodi Alagh's successor Darayisung Kudeng Khan to flee eastward.
6.
Altan Khan, who controlled the Ordos tumen of the Huang He or Yellow River was well placed to keep pressure on the Chinese and the Oirat Mongols in Tibet while developing both agriculture and trade.
7.
Altan Khan founded the city of Koke Khota, now the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.
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Altan Khan is particularly remembered for establishing ties between Mongolia and the religious leaders of the Tibetan Gelug order.
9.
Altan Khan first invited 3rd Dalai Lama to Tumed in 1569, but apparently he refused to go and sent a disciple instead, who reported back to him about the great opportunity to spread Buddhist teachings throughout Mongolia.
10.
In 1571, Altan Khan got the title "Prince of Shunyi" from the Longqing Emperor, the 12th emperor of China.
11.
In 1573, Altan Khan took some Tibetan Buddhist monks prisoner.
12.
Altan Khan later had Thegchen Chonkhor, Mongolia's first monastery, built at the place of the meeting.
13.
Sonam Gyatso publicly announced that he was a reincarnation of the Tibetan Sakya monk Drogon Chogyal Phagpa who converted Kublai Khan, while Altan Khan was a reincarnation of Kublai Khan, the famous ruler of the Mongol Empire and Emperor of China, and that they had come together again to cooperate in propagating the Buddhist religion.
14.
Altan Khan secured an edict abolishing the Mongol custom of blood-sacrifices.
15.
Altan Khan led raids into the Ming dynasty in 1529,1530 and 1542 returning with plunder and livestock.
16.
In 1552 Altan Khan gained control of the remains of Karakorum, the old Mongol capital.
17.
Altan Khan was granted the title Prince Shunyi from the emperor.
18.
Altan Khan died in 1582, only four years after meeting with the Third Dalai Lama.