How to Pronounce Tolui

Meaning and Context

Tolui, born c. 1191, was the fourth and youngest son of Genghis Khan and his primary wife, Börte, positioning him at the very heart of the Mongol Empire's founding dynasty. Following the death of his father in 1227, Tolui served as regent for two years, a critical period of transition where his adept military and administrative stewardship ensured stability before the formal ascension of his brother Ögedei Khan. His most renowned contribution was his pivotal role as a master strategist and field commander during the Mongol conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire, where his armies executed devastatingly effective campaigns across Persia and Afghanistan. Beyond his battlefield prowess, Tolui is historically significant as the progenitor of the Toluid line, which through his sons Möngke, Kublai, and Hulagu, would produce the Great Khans and founders of the Yuan Dynasty in China and the Ilkhanate in Persia, fundamentally shaping the empire's later governance and cultural legacy.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The name "Tolui" is the most standardized and accepted Romanization from the Mongolian, though variations in spelling occur due to different transliteration systems and historical sources. Common alternative spellings include "Toluy," seen in some older academic texts, and "Tului." A frequent typo or misspelling involves the transposition of letters, resulting in "Touli" or "Toliu." In certain Persian and Arabic chronicles, the name may be rendered as "Tūlī" to reflect long vowel sounds. It is also occasionally confused with or misspelled as "Temüjin," his father's personal name, or "Töregene," the name of his sister-in-law, highlighting the importance of context when referencing figures from the complex Mongol kinship network.

Example Sentences

As regent, Tolui demonstrated unwavering loyalty to his father's legacy, meticulously overseeing the empire until the kurultai could formally elect Ögedei as the next Great Khan.

Historians often note that Tolui's military campaigns in Khorasan were characterized by their shocking speed and ruthless efficiency, crippling the resistance of the Shah's forces.

Through his wife Sorghaghtani Beki, Tolui fathered a line of rulers, including Kublai Khan, who would establish the Yuan Dynasty, making Tolui's indirect influence on world history profound.

Despite his own eligibility, Tolui never sought the supreme title for himself, a decision that cemented his reputation for political acumen and familial duty within the Mongol Empire.

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