16 Facts About Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq was the son of Yesunto'a and a great-grandson of Chagatai Khan.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq's family had moved to China following his father's exile by the Great Khan Mongke Khan for his support of the house of Ogedei Khan.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq grew up in the camp of Kublai Khan and gained distinction there.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq removed Kublai's representative of Chinese Turkestan, replacing him with one of his own governors.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq fled to Samarkand, then Bukhara, plundering the cities along the way in an attempt to rebuild his army.

Peace was therefore proposed, and Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq was pressured by the governors of the sedentary areas of the khanate, Mas'ud Beg and Daifu, to accept.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq did, and peace was declared, although sources conflict on the time and location.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq was displeased with the agreement; when Kaidu was preoccupied with Mengu-Timur's attempt to take his portion of Transoxiana, Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq sent troops to reoccupy Bukhara in violation of the truce.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq later attempted to plunder both Samarkand and Bukhara, and Mas'ud Beg was hard-pressed to prevent this.

Qipchaq, who had been the one to initially approach Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq requesting peace, and Chabat, a grandson of Guyuk Khan, were among the representatives of Kaidu within Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq's army.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq persuaded a Chaghadaid commander under the service of Abaqa, Teguder, to revolt, and himself defeated the Ilkhan's forces in Khurasan.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq sent his brother, and later Jalayirtai, to recover Qipchaq, but without success.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq sent a letter to Kaidu, blaming Qipchaq and Chabat for his loss and requesting assistance.

When Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq's lieutenants had neutralized the rebels, he wrote that the assistance was no longer necessary, but Kaidu's force continued to approach, with the intention of destroying the power of the Chaghadaids.

Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq's army surrounded Baraq's camp, but upon reaching the camp realized that Baraq had died during the previous night.

Wassaf, in contrast, claims that Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq's generals had abandoned him while he was alive, and that Ghiyas-ud-din Baraq had no choice to submit to Kaidu, who poisoned him.