Remarkable Young Women: The True Story of Börte Üjin
Part of the Onggirat people in ancient Mongolia, Börte was recognized for her intelligence even as a young child. When she was ten years old, her father Dei-Sechen met Yesügei, a powerful Mongol warlord who was travelling with his nine-year-old son, Temüjin. Yesügei informed Dei-Sechen that he was looking for a young girl to become betrothed to his son. Dai-Sechen recounted a dream that he had had the previous night about a warlord arriving with his son, believing it to be a good omen. Dai-Sechen then suggested his own ten-year-old daughter, Börte, as a future wife for Temüjin. Yesügei was intrigued, and agreed to meet Börte in person. Arriving at her family’s home, the warlord was struck by the young girl, who he described as someone “who had light in her face, who had fire in her eyes”. The next morning, Yesügei asked Börte’s father for permission for her hand in marriage for his son. Dai-Sechen agreed, on the condition that Temüjin would remain with Börte’s family until they were old enough to wed.
However, things were about to change quickly for Börte. On his return trip home, the warlord was poisoned. Though he continued on his journey home as quickly as possible, Yesügei knew that he was dying. He insisted that his son be returned home to his family, to take care of his younger siblings. Temüjin left to return home, and the warlord did indeed pass away soon after.
Seven more years passed, and when Börte was about seventeen and Temüjin about eighteen, Temüjin returned to Börte’s village to find her. The two were reunited and quickly wed, finally fulfilling the promise of their fathers. They established a home near the Keuren River, though their tranquility was not to last long. Soon after their marriage, their village was attacked by a rival tribe. In the chaos, Temüjin and Börte were separated. Temüjin managed to escape on horseback, but Börte was not so lucky. A servant tried to hide Börte in an old cart, which he hitched to oxen and drove upstream to escape. In a tragic event, the cart broke and, though the servant tried to pull the cart himself, they were surrounded by soldiers who discovered Börte’s hiding place. They were captured.
Hearing the news of her capture, Temüjin was devastated, mourning the loss of his wife from his bed and declaring that his heart was “torn apart.” Determined to reclaim his wife, Temüjin hatched a plot with his closest advisors. For eight long months Börte remained in captivity while her husband put all of the necessary pieces into place for his attempted rescue. But Temüjin was not the only one looking for an opportunity.
Amassing a group of soldiers, Temüjin attacked the village where Börte was held captive, pillaging and plundering as he sought out his wife. Börte recognized her opportunity to escape and, in the confusion of the chaos, had broken out and boarded a cart, frantically searching for a way back to her husband.As the legend goes, Temüjin quickly moved through the throngs of people desperately calling out his wife’s name. In the midst of her own escape, Börte distantly heard a voice calling her name over the din of the crowd. Immediately recognizing her husbands voice, she was overjoyed. As the history books record, “She heard the voice of Temüjin and, recognizing it, she got off the cart and came running towards him. Although it was still night, Lady Börte… recognized Temüjin's reins and tether and grabbed them. It was moonlight; he looked at them, recognized Lady Börte, and they fell into each other's arms."
Börte returned home and reclaimed her place as co-ruler by her husband’s side. Shrewd and intellectual, Börte took on many responsibilities as ruler, including managing pan-Asian trade routes, advising officials and merchants, managing military alliances, and interceding on religious affairs. Temüjin both respected his wife’s insight and appreciated her penchant for politics. In turn, Börte encouraged her husband’s ambitions for expanding the Mongol empire. Temüjin would later become the greatest Mongol emperor in history, known now by his later title, Genghis Khan.
Artist credit: Suhyeon Hwang
