The death of Ögedei Khan in 1241 didn’t just pause the Mongol conquest of Europe—it cracked the empire in half. Subutai turned back from Vienna, Batu circled the steppe like a wolf denied his kill, and cousins prepared to draw blood at the kurultai. This episode delves into the years of betrayal, purges, and near-civil war that followed: Töregene’s ruthless regency, Güyük’s march toward confrontation, the whispers of Sorghaghtani Beki, the bloody purge that crowned Möngke, and the birth of four rival khanates—the Golden Horde, Ilkhanate, Chagatai, and Yuan.
Casualties mount not in foreign fields, but in the empire’s veins: assassinations, purges, aborted campaigns, and civilians crushed under tribute wars. Omens, shamans, and the Spirit Banner weigh as heavily as swords. And for the first time, Mongol banners clash against Mongol banners.
This is the story of the wolves at the table—when empire feasts on itself.
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The Mongol Empire by Timothy May. Audible, 2018.
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Empire of the Steppes: The Mongols (Kings and Generals documentary series, YouTube, 2019–2021).
https://time-nexus-39a4e359.base44.app
https://chronoscape-time-machine-diaries-07f4857c.base44.app
