Baydu

Baydu, also spelled Baidu, (died in 1295), was the sixth ruler of the Mongol empire's Ilkhanate division in Iran. He succeeded his cousin Gaykhatu as "khan" of the Ilkhanate state in 1295.

Gaykhatu had been killed by a group of conspirators led by Taghachar, a commander in the Mongol army, who then placed Baydu in power. Baydu was considered easygoing and controllable, and under him, the Ilkhanate was divided among the co-conspirators. [Atwood, p. 525]

Baydu had strong sympathies to Christianity, [Jackson, p. 176] but was required to act outwardly as a Muslim. [Atwood, p. 253] According to Saunders in "Mongol Conquests", Baydu allowed churches on his "ordu" and wore a cross around his neck. [Saunders, p. 135] He was urged by his followers to rid himself of Ghazan, but Baydu refused due to affection. However, his followers gradually deserted him, in part because of the intrigues of Emir Nauruz. Baydu attempted to escape and flee from Azerbaijan to Georgia, but was taken prisoner near Nakhichevan. ["Steppes", pp. 377-378] After only five months in power, he was executed on October 5, 1295, during the civil war with his successor Mahmud Ghazan.

Notes

References

* Atwood, Christopher P. (2004). "The Encyclopedia of Mongolia and the Mongol Empire". Facts on File, Inc. ISBN 0-8160-4671-9.
*cite book |last=Jackson |first=Peter |authorlink=Peter Jackson (historian) |coauthors= |title=The Mongols and the West, 1221-1410 |year=2005 |publisher=Longman |id=ISBN 0582368960
* Saunders, J.J., "The History of the Mongol Conquests"
* Grousset, Rene, "Empire of the Steppes"