The son of
拖雷, he became Great Khan in 1251 and sent his brothers out to conquer:
旭烈兀 to the Middle East and
忽必烈 against the Song. He died in 1259 besieging
钓鱼城 near Chongqing, whether of illness or of a wound is still argued, and the struggle to succeed him pulled Mongol armies back from as far away as Syria.