★ Töregene, wife of Ögedei ★

ISLAMIC, Mongols. Great Khans. temp. Töregene Khatun, regent, AH 639-644 / AD 1241-1246. Dirham (Silver, 18 mm, 2.33 g, 7 h), date and mint illegible. Rev. Legend in Arabic in four lines. Album 1976. Very rare with dog instead of hare below archer. Light scratches. About very fine.

Chingiz Khan, the greatest of all Khans, chose Töregene from the Merkit tribe, to be the second wife of his son and heir Ögedei. When Ögedei Khan died in 1241, Töregene proved to be powerful enough to become Khatun (female counterpart to Khan) and rule the empire until 1246, when she succeeded in getting her son Güyük elected as the third Great Khan.