Tolui

Tolui.
Tolui (c. 1191 – 1232) was a prominent general and prince of the early Mongol Empire. The fourth son of Genghis Khan and his first wife Börte, Tolui came to prominence in 1221 during the Mongol invasion of the Khwarazmian Empire—contemporary chroniclers claimed that his army killed more than three million people while capturing Merv and Nishapur in Khorasan. While modern historians consider this figure exaggerated, Tolui's campaign was undoubtedly brutal. A candidate to inherit his father's empire, Tolui was passed over in favour of his brother Ögedei; Tolui served as regent between Genghis's death in 1227 and Ögedei's coronation in 1229. He was instrumental in subduing the Chinese Jin dynasty, before dying in mysterious circumstances in 1232—explanations range from his self-sacrifice in a shamanic ritual to being poisoned by Ögedei. Led by his wife Sorghaghtani Beki, Tolui's family would become very influential—their sons Möngke and Kublai both acceded to the Mongol throne.