JOCHI

Hello, and welcome to my blog. My name is Jochi. I am the eldest son of Genghis Khan. Some scholars doubt if he is really my father because my mother, Borte, was kidnapped by Chilger Bokh shortly after her marriage. This possibility of illegitimacy caused estrangement between my father and I. Despite this, I became well known as a military leader and a key force in the expansion of the empire. In 1207, I conquered the forest people of Siberia, which marked the first time the empire extended it's northern border. I led two missions against the Kyrgz in 1210 and 1218. Additionally, I was put in hcarge of hunting expeditions that helped to train the army. I was also remembered as being kinder and more peaceful than my father. I once pleaded with my father to not execute the son of an enemy chief because his archery skills would be an asset to the army. When I tried to peacefully negotiate with the Khwarezmian capital of Urgench, my brother, Chagatai deemed it unwise. I wanted to keep the town in tact because Genghis promised that I would have it under his control. But, Chagati wanted to destroy the town. This was another added strain on our relationship and the question of who would succeed Genghis. At a kurultai held in 1222, neither Chagatai nor I was given the empire. Because of our quarreling, our brother, Ogedai, was chosen as successor. I was so shaken by this choice that I retreated north of the Aral and Caspian Seas and remained there until my death in 1227, six months before my father. My family was entrusted with the westernmost part of the empire, between the Ural and Irtish rivers.