Yesün Temür (Yuan dynasty)

Yesün Temür (Mongolian: Есөн Төмөр ᠶᠢᠰᠦᠨ ᠲᠡᠮᠦᠷ; Chinese: 也孫鐵木兒, 1293 – August 15, 1328) was a great-grandson of Kublai Khan and an emperor of the Yuan dynasty of China from 1323 to 1328.

Yesün Temür was born in Mongolia in 1293[2][3] to Gammala, the eldest son of Zhenjin, who was presumed heir to his father Kublai Khan.

[2] In 1323 when Shidebala Gegeen Khan (Emperor Yingzong) was assassinated by Grand Censor Tegshi and Esen Temur, the rebellious group welcomed Yesün Temür since his mother was Buyan Kelmish of the Khunggirad clan.

According to the official history of the Yuan, Yesün Temür caused Tegshi's envoy Walus to be seized and sent notice of the plot to Shidebala Khan, but the messengers arrived too late.

Upon learning that he would incur suspicion as a party to the murders, he suddenly reversed his policy and ordered Tegshi, Esen Temur, and others to be put to death.

Under the leadership of Chang Kuei, the late Khagan's officials sent a letter to Yesün Temür urging him to accept the throne and to punish the conspirators.

[11] Yesün Temür Khan denounced the extravagance of the court in buying costly precious stones, imported by foreign merchants, and sold for ten times their value, while the poor were starving.

[13] Yesün Temür left the empire's governance to his Muslim aide Dawlat Shah and Khatun Babukhan when he suddenly died in Shangdu on August 15, 1328.