The Mongol Empire's Forgotten Civil War: Ariq Böke vs Kublai

In this episode, Lucas and Luna revisit the pivotal succession crisis after Möngke Khan's death in 1259, focusing on the bitter war between Kublai and his younger brother Ariq Böke. They explore how this conflict shattered the unity of the Mongol Empire, pitting the traditionalist steppe faction against Kublai's Sinicized court. Key figures include Ariq Böke, supported by the conservative Mongol nobles and regent Alantu; Kublai, backed by his Chinese advisors and Khubilai's wife Chabi; and the decisive role of Kaidu, who emerged as a lasting rebel. The episode covers the battles of the Xiliao River, Karakorum's fall, and the 1264 surrender. It also examines the Yassa's interpretation, the kurultai's legitimacy, and how the war set the stage for the empire's fragmentation into the Yuan, Ilkhanate, Golden Horde, and Chagatai Khanate. #MongolEmpire #KublaiKhan #AriqBKe #SuccessionCrisis #MongolCivilWar #YuanDynasty #Karakorum #Kaidu #Chabi #Alantu #Yassa #Kurultai #XiliaoRiver #1264 #MongolHistory #SteppePolitics #HistoryPodcast #FexingoHistory #GenghisKhan #GoldenHorde Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo