1. Berke Khan was a grandson of Genghis Khan from his son Jochi and a Mongol military commander and ruler of the Golden Horde, a division of the Mongol Empire, who effectively consolidated the power of the Blue Horde and White Horde from 1257 to 1266.
Berke succeeded his brother Batu Khan of the Blue Horde, and was responsible for the first official establishment of Islam in a khanate of the Mongol Empire.
Berke supported Ariq Boke against Kublai in the Toluid Civil War, but did not intervene militarily in the war because he was occupied in his own war against Hulagu and the Ilkhanate.
Berke is a name used by both Turkic peoples and Mongols.
Berke was born to Jochi, the eldest son of Genghis Khan.
However, contemporary Persian chronicler Juzjani claims that Berke was born during the Mongol conquest of Khwarezmia, which took place between 1219 and 1221.
The latter claim was used to support the argument of historian Jean Richard that Berke's mother was Khan-Sultan, the captured daughter of Muhammad II of Khwarazm.
Berke was present, with several of his brothers, at the inauguration of his uncle Ogedei as Great Khan in 1229.
Berke further served under his brother during the invasion of Europe, fighting at the Battle of the Mohi, where the Hungarian army was decimated.
Berke Khan converted to Islam in the city of Bukhara in 1252.
When he was at Saray-Juk, Berke met a caravan from Bukhara and questioned them about their faith.
Berke was impressed with their faith and decided to convert to Islam.
Berke then persuaded his brother Tukh-timur to become a Muslim as well.
That is why Berke conducted the kurultai in 1251 and had Mongke enthroned.
When Batu died in 1255, he was briefly succeeded by his sons Sartaq Khan and Ulaghchi, before Berke assumed leadership in 1257.
Berke was an able ruler and succeeded in maintaining and stabilizing the Golden Horde, the western khanate of the Mongol Empire.
Berke's conversion resulted in the Blue Horde becoming predominantly Muslim, although there were still animists and Buddhists among them.
Berke was angered by Hulagu's destruction of Baghdad and was determined to deal with Hulagu Khan, who had murdered the Caliph Al-Musta'sim, and whose territorial ambitions in Syria and Egypt threatened Berke's fellow Muslims.
Berke Khan had promised such a defeat in his rage after Hulagu's sack of Baghdad.
Berke and massacred each other's ortoq merchants in the Golden Horde and Iran.
Berke supported Great Khan claimant Ariq Boke in the Toluid Civil War, and he minted coins in the name of Ariq Boke.
Kublai called both Hulagu and Berke to discuss Ariq Boke.