Bolad | |
|---|---|
| Great Khan's representative in Ilkhanate | |
| In office 1285–1313 | |
| Appointed by | Kublai Khan |
| Censor of theCensorate | |
| In office 1275–1277 | |
| Succeeded by | Öz Temür (玉昔帖木儿 [zh]) |
| Grand Supervisor of Agriculture | |
| In office 1272–1285 | |
| Preceded by | Zhang Wenqian (张文谦 [zh]) |
| Vice Military Affairs Commissioner | |
| In office c. 1277 - 1285 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1240 Mongolia |
| Died | April 26, 1313(1313-04-26) (aged 72–73) Arran,Ilkhanate |
Bolad (Mongolian:Болад чинсан, Болад ага, Болд,Persian:پولاد,romanized: Pulâd,Chinese:孛羅;pinyin:Bóluó;Wade–Giles:Po-lo, d.1313), was an ethnicMongol minister of theYuan dynasty of China, and later served in theIlkhanate as the representative of theGreat Khan of theMongol Empire and cultural adviser to the Ilkhans.[1] He also provided valuable information toRashid-al-Din Hamadani to write about the Mongols. Mongolists consider him a cultural bridge between East and West. He was ennobled byEmperor Renzong of Yuan asDuke of Ze (澤國公) in 1311 andPrince of Yongfeng (永豐郡王) in 1313, posthumously.[2]
Bolad was born in theDörben (or Dörbet) tribe and his father, Jurghi (Yurki), who was aba'urchi, attached to the palace ofGenghis Khan's wifeBörte. Since his father's title was prestige of honor, and he was explicitly trusted by Genghis Khan, Jurghi commanded a personal thousand of theguards of theKhagan. In 1248, the princeKublai ordered theHan scholar Zhang Dehui (張德輝 [zh]) to tutor Dorji (朵儿只 [zh]), his eldest son, and Bolad, who was probably a child of seven or eight years.[3] So Bolad became fluent in Chinese in addition to his native Mongolian language.[4]
After Kublai ascended to the throne in 1260, Bolad served asba’urchi, inheriting his father's title. In addition, he did oral and written translations for the state affairs as one of the intellectuals of the Mongols. He led a military contingent in 1264 to suppress Chinese rebels inShandong.[4]
Bolad also served as judge in the sensitive case ofAriq Böke (1264). He served as one of the directors of the new Office of State Ceremonial founded in October 1271, where he worked together withLiu Bingzhong,Xu Heng, and Xu Shilong (徐世隆 [zh]) - head of theMinister of Imperial Rites.[4] He later worked in theCensorate as censor in chief from 1275 but was forced to resign in 1277 in favor of more older Öz Temür (玉昔帖木儿 [zh]).
While a member of Censorate, he also helped to establish the Office of Supervisors of Agriculture (Chinese:司農司;pinyin:Sīnóngsī) in March 1270 with Zhang Wenqian (张文谦 [zh]) as its director. Bolad later succeeded him in 1271 under the orders of Kublai, to which appointmentAntong protested, claiming censorate and directorate are incompatible posts, to which Kublai didn't listen.
By 1277, he held multiple offices including Censor-in-Chief, Grand Supervisor of Agriculture, Director of Imperial Household Provisions, a member of Ministry of Imperial Rites, Vice Military Affairs Commissioner (the post was held by heir-apparent of khagan, thus he was also de factoShumishi).[5] In the latter capacity, he was instrumental in consolidation Mongol rule inJiangnan during theMongol conquest of Song.[4] He accompanied Nomughan (son of Kublai), Toghon (脱欢 (札剌儿氏) [zh]) and Urughtai (忽魯歹 [Wikidata]) - grandson of Külgen, 6th son of Genghis Khan) in thecampaign against Kaidu, however the operation failed and Bolad returned to capital in 1279. Same year he interrogated Song loyalistWen Tianxiang, who didn't agree to submit Mongols.
Later Bolad was appointed to investigateAhmad Fanakati same year. However, Fanakati was killed in 1282, which turned the fraud investigation into murder investigation. Bolad informed Kublai of Ahmad's misdeeds, which paved the way for execution of Ahmad's associates.
He was sent to theIlkhanate inPersia soon afterArghun enthroned in 1285. He gave imperial seal,jarlig (imperial order) and crown to the newIlkhan. Bolad could not return toYuan dynasty due to the conflicts between the Yuan and theChagatai Khanate headed byKaidu, while his companion Isa (Chinese:愛寫;pinyin:Àixiě) made it toDadu 2 years later. Arghun appointed him a commander of hiskheshig and assigned him of certain tasks inKhurasan. Although he had a family (his wife and two sons) left inMongolia, Bolad was given a former concubine ofAbaqa Khan named Shirin, thus starting a new life in the Middle East.[2] His sons served the Yuan government while he had a big influence in Ilkhanate court. He was instrumental in appointing his favoriteAfrasiab I asHazaraspidatabeg ofLuristan instead of his elder brotherAhmad in 1288, as well as execution of Malik Jalal al-Din, an associate ofBuqa in 1289.
Facing difficulties to finance the coffers of the empty imperial treasury,Gaykhatu, summoned Bolad to advise him about the use of paper money then circulating in the Yuan. After taking consultation, the Ilkhan's court issuedjiaochao in Iran in 1294. Although it proved to be a failure owing to the resistance of local population, this was the first time, the paper money was issued in thehistory of Iran.
Bolad also intermediated betweenBaydu andGhazan, when the latter became the new Ilkhan in 1295. Although, his reputation may have been little diminished during Ghazan's reign, Ghazan respected Bolad. Seeing Mongol commoners selling their children as damaging the Mongol nation, similar to Kublai, Ghazan budgeted funds to redeem Mongol slaves and made Bolad the commander of thetumen which consisted of Mongol slave boys.
It is claimed that Bolad assistedRashid-al-Din Hamadani to writeUniversal History because he knewMongolian history very well. UnderÖljeitü (1304–16), Bolad achieved great influence aschingsang andagha. According toKashani, he ranked behindChupan andKutlushah who served the Ilkhan as main advisors.[2] He was responsible for logistical support system during the Gilan campaign in 1307.[6]
Bolad was awarded the Duke of Ze (Chinese:澤國公) byAyurbarwada Khan of the Yuan on 6 July 1311. Bolad died on 26 April 1313 inArran (modernRepublic of Azerbaijan). He was posthumously created Prince of Yongfeng (永豐郡王) by Ayurbarwada. He had a son in Ilkhanate, named "Pir Hamid".[2]
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