Börte

He set out to find a girl from Temüjin's mother's people, the Olqunu'ut, but along the way ran into Börte's father, Dei-Sechen.

[4] He explained that the women of his people, the Onggirat, were known for having beautiful girls; and stated that his daughter Börte, who was then 10, would make a good wife for Temüjin.

[citation needed] On his return from this trip, Yesügei encountered some Tatars having a feast and decided to join them, whereupon they poisoned his food.

Here, Börte's dowry, a black sable coat, was gifted to Yesügei's old friend Ong Qan, reestablishing a friendship between the two families.

[7] Soon after her marriage to Temüjin was made official, the Burgi Escarpment was attacked by the Three Merkit, who were a confederation of three tribes inhabiting the basin of the Selenga and Orkhon Rivers.

[8] The Three Merkit believed their raid victorious as they had planned it in retaliation for the abduction of Hö'elün, Temüjin's mother, from their people many years before.

[citation needed] Temüjin was distressed by the abduction of his wife and remarked that his bed "was made empty" and his breast was "torn apart".

[9] Eight months later the pair led a charge into the Barqujin territory, and upon their arrival the Merkit people fled in numbers down the Selengge River.

[12] Additionally, Börte managed pan-Asian trade routes, and acted as advisor to officials and merchants traveling these roads.

In one particular instance, she had successfully advised Temüjin to cut ties with Jamqua, a military leader, once she had deemed that the alliance was no longer mutually beneficial.

Before Genghis Khan could say anything, Börte "sat up in bed, covering her breasts with the edge of the blanket" and described the cruelty of the Qongqotan.

[10] Sons Daughters Börte and Temüjin placed great faith (and territory) unto their children, also supplying them with considerable wealth and positions to inherit.

[16] Throughout history, the Onggiard would use political marriages to ensure amicable relations between the parties involved, with the daughters acting as "intercessors".

In this manner, Börte acted both as an advisor to her husband and as a trainer to her daughters, cultivating them to believe in their mission as "representatives, diplomats, and active participants in affairs of state".

The actresses who have portrayed her include Susan Hayward in The Conqueror, Françoise Dorléac in Genghis Khan and Chuluuny Khulan in the 2007 Oscar nominated Russian film Mongol.

[17] She has also appeared as a playable character in the video game Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast, created by the popular metal band of the same name.