CHAPTER II. ·Inva Of the Grand Khan Kublai, whose domination exceeded that of -Mag Failure of Attempts to con THE Roman Empire, in its utmost grandeur, under Augustus Cæsar, comprised not near the extent of territory, number of subjects, or riches of this Mongul Emperor; the fruits of less than eighty years*. Kublai was the third son of Tuli, (who was the fourth son of Genghis Khan,) a distinguished general, and treasurer of the army and the royal Kublai was born in the year 1214. camp. * The Roman empire was two thousand miles in breadth from the wall of Antoninus in Britain and the northern limit of Dacia, to mount Atlas, and the Tropic of Cancer. It extendedin length more than three thousand miles, from the Western Ocean to the Euphrates. Gibbon, Chapter I. The Mongul empire was two thousand four hundred miles in breadth from Yunan to latitude sixty: and in length, from the sea of Japan to the Don, upwards of four thousand miles. The comparison is therefore enormously in favour of Genghis's family. CHAP. II. A.D. 1214. 54 CHAP. KUBLAI'S PERSON DESCRIBED. The first pleasure the Emperor enjoyed, on his return to Caracorum, was the sight of some of his grandsons, whom he had not seen for seven years. Among these were two, of whom he had conceived A.D. 1224. great hopes: their names were Kublai and Hulacou; the first, about ten, the other nine years old. They continually employed themselves in hunting, a disposition much admired by the Mongols. The Grand Khan was so extremely pleased at their courage and inclination for this sport, that he gave them employments near him; and took the trouble to instruct them himself. On the march to Tangut, the emperor ordered a flying camp for the instruction of these two favourite grandsons, who became so famous in history. In 1226, Genghis Khan died. The Grand Khan Mangu, some years before his death, appointed Kublai viceroy of the conquered part or northern half of China. When Mangu was killed in China, his brother Kublai was proA.D. 1257. claimed Grand Khan. He is described as of "the middle stature, his limbs well formed, and his whole figure of a just proportion. His complexion is fair and occasionally suffused with red, like the bright tint of the rose, which adds much grace to his countenance. His eyes are black and handsome, his nose is well shaped and prominent*." The youngest brother, Articbouga, opposed Kublai's advancement to the throne of the empire, and set up his standard, at the head of a large army, at Caracorum: he had also a great party in the Chinese provinces, who favoured him. After several battles, in the last Kublai gained a bloody victory. His brother was taken prisoner, closely immured, and died at the end * Marco Polo, p. 281. CONQUEST OF BANGALLA. of a year*. After this war, Kublai resided entirely in China: first, at the capital of Shan-si, and afterwards at Pekin†. CHAP. 55 From 1268, during the whole reign of Kublai, to 1294, he carried A.D. 1268. on a war with his nephew, Kaidu, who was very powerful. The battles were generally fought on the banks of the Irtish ‡. From A.D. 1272. In a great battle with the king of Mien and Bangalla, the Grand Khan's general captured more than two hundred elephants. this period the Grand Khan has always chosen to employ elephants in his armies, which before that time he had not done. By this victory his majesty annexed to his dominions the whole of the territories of the king of Bangalla and Mien §. Mien is a magnificent city ||, the capital of a kingdom, a former monarch of which, when he was near his end, gave orders for erecting, on the place of his interment, two pyramidal towers, ten paces in height, entirely of marble, each terminating with a ball; one of these pyramids was adorned with a plate of gold an inch in thickness. The tomb was covered with a plate partly of gold, partly of silver. Around the balls were suspended small bells of gold and silver, which sounded when put in motion by the wind. * Petis de la Croix, p. 399. Levesque says, Kublai was the youngest brother; but he gives no authority for that assertion. + Pekin is the Chinese name, meaning the northern Court. Khanbalig or Cambalu is the Tartar name, signifying the city of the Khan or sovereign. See Notes to Marco Polo, B. II. Ch. VII. Du. Halde, Vol. I. p. 215. Mr. Bell, chap. XI. says "On the 15th of February, 1721, I took a ride round the walls of the city which I performed at an easy trot in four hours; whereby the compass of Pekin may be nearly computed. The suburbs, especially to the east and south, are very extensive, and, in many places of them, the buildings are equal to those within the walls. See Chapter V. on Siberia. § Marco Polo, p. 441. For some account of the battle, and for the description of this Bangalla, see chapter VII. || Could this city be Ava? see Marco Polo, note 864. 56 CHAP. II. BURMAH.-ZIAMBA.-TRIBUTE OF ELEPHANTS. This sepulchre was respected by the Grand Khan's commands, the Tartars never violating the tombs of the dead. In this country were found many elephants, handsome wild oxen, stags, rhinoceroses, and other animals, in abundance*. Thibet belongs to the Grand Khan, having been conquered and devastated by Mangu Khan. Tigers have multiplied to an astonishing degree. Here are found the musk animals, and wild oxen, extremely large and fierce, both of which are hunted with their immense dogs. There are also laner falcons and sakers, with which the natives have good sport t. Tholoman (Burmah) is subject to the Grand Khan. The people are tall and good looking, their complexions rather brown than fair. They are just in their dealings and brave in war. Many of their towns and castles are upon lofty mountains. They burn their dead. Abundance of gold is found here. They use porcelain shells for the small currency‡. Ziamba, (by Cochin China,) is tributary to the Grand Khan. The king presents to his imperial majesty annually a very large quantity of lignum aloes, (highly esteemed as a perfume for baths and for incense, at funerals), together with twenty of the largest and handsomest elephants to be found in his districts, which abound with those animals §. The countries between China and Bengal, (Pegu, Siam, Tonquin, &c.), where there are abundance of elephants, rhinoceroses, and other beasts, were reduced to the power of the Grand Khan, and paid him tribute ||. See Marco Polo, B. II. Chapters XLVI. XLVII. XLIX. and note 378. SUMATRA-RHINOCEROSES-PIGMIES. In the reduction of Cochin China, the Grand Khan lost vast numbers of troops, by the effects of the climate*. The Grand Khan lays claim to the whole island of Sumatra; Marco Polo visited six of the eight kingdoms in that island; some of which acknowledge the khan's authority. They have many wild elephants; rhinoceroses much inferior in size to the elephants, but their feet are similar, the hide resembles that of a buffalo, and they have a single horn; and goshawks black as ravens. They have certain small apes, in their faces like men, which they put in boxes and preserve with spices. They sell them to merchants, who carry them through the world, showing them for pigmies or little men. When ships pass by, the opportunity is taken to send to the Grand Khan hawks and other curious articles+". CHAP. 57 CONQUEST OF MANJI. WHILE Li-Tsong had only the south provinces of China under his A.D. 1280. dominion; the western Tartars possessed the empire of the north. Their king, Kublai, was skilled in the sciences, and beloved by his subjects for the respect he showed to learned men, and the honour he did to the memory of Confucius. Li-Tsong dying without issue, (1264), was succeeded by Tu-Tsong, a profligate and infamous prince. His ministers seeing no remedy for the misfortunes which were ready to fall on the imperial family, retired to the western Tartars; whose army having overrun the provinces of Yunnan, Se-chuen and Shen-si, entered that of Hu-quang, and most of the cities opened their gates; while the wretched Tu-Tsong, drowned in pleasures, was stripped of * See Grosier's Description of China, Vol I. p. 300. † M. Polo. p. 603. And in Harris's Voyages, p. 620. |