Yesugei

Yesugei or Yesükhei Baghatur ( 1134–1171) was a major chief of the Khamag Mongol confederation and the father of Temüjin, who later became known as Genghis Khan. Yesügei was from the Borjigin family, and his name means "like nine", meaning he had the auspicious qualities of the number nine, a lucky number to the Mongols.

Life Yesügei was the son of Bartan Baghatur, who was the second son of Khabul Khan. Khabul was recognized as a khagan by the Jin Dynasty. Khabul Khan was, in turn, the great-grandson of the Mongol chief Khaidu, the first to try to unite the Mongols. Yesügei abducted his chief wife, Hö'elün, a daughter of the Olkhunut forest people, with the help of his elder brother Negün Taishi and younger brother Daritai Otchigin, from her newlywed husband Chiledu of Merkits. Yesügei abducted Hoelun because of her beauty and indications of fertility.

After the Khamag Mongol confederation khan Hotula died, the confederation had no elected king, but de facto Yesügei ruled the confederation. Yesügei had a bloodbrother, or anda, Toghrul Khan (later known as Wang Khan and Ong Khan). Yesügei helped Toghrul to defeat his uncle Gurkhan. After Yesügei's death, Toghrul initially helped Temüjin in arranging his marriage to Börte and uniting the tribes but later defected to Genghis' anda and rival, Jamukha.

In 1171 Yesügei died when his son Temüjin was nine years old. The Secret History of the Mongols records that Yesügei left Temüjin at the home of Dai Setsen, a noble man of the Khongirad tribe, after Yesügei and Dai Setsen had agreed that their children, Temüjin and Börte, would marry. When Yesügei was on his way home, he noticed an encampment where some Tatars were having a wedding feast. Yesügei wanted to join the celebration, but he knew he could not reveal his identity, since he was known among the Tatars as the person who killed their relative (called Temüjin Uge) in a battle eight years earlier. The Secret History of the Mongols records that Temüjin was named after Temüjin Uge in commemoration of this victory. Yesügei tried his luck, but the Tatars recognized him and poisoned his food. Although ill, Yesügei managed to escape back to his family's camp.

Family Yesügei and Hoelun had four sons Temüjin, (later known as Genghis Khan), Hasar, Hachiun, Temüge and a daughter, Temülen. Yesugei had two sons by his second wife Sochigel: Behter and Belgutei. The Secret History of the Mongols records that in his youth Temüjin killed his brother Behter in a fight for food. His other half-brother, Belgutei, however was a good friend, and later became a general under Genghis.