Ilkhanid queen (B.? – D. 1335). She is the wife of Ebu Sait, heir of
Genghis Khan, the last ruler of Ilkhanid state, and the daughter of Emir Çoban.
She is famous with her beauty and intelligence. When Ebu Sait came to the throne he was
twelve years old and because of this the command of the army was under control
of Emir Çoban. In 1330 Sultan Bahadır Han saw Bağdat Hatun who was married at
that time, fell in love with her and sent Togay, his right hand, to Bağdat
Hatun as an ambassador and made him asked for her hand from her father and
husband. The father Emir Çoban first opposed this but the “Law of Genghis” was
in effect. According to this law the Mongol ruler Genghis Khan made up laws to
his benefit and imposed these with a declaration. The ruler had the right to
take any woman he liked even if she was married. Thus all women in this city or
in the country belonged to the ruler.
Sultan
Bahadır Han in the beginning of his rule executed Fazullah Reşidüddin, the
scholar and vizier, upon the intrigues of Emir Çoban. Emir Çoban who was
married to the sister of Ebu Sait, Sati Beg, thus became the most powerful
person of the country. Çoban defeated an army commanded by the Altın Ordu Khan
Muhammad Uzbek in 1325 and invaded his territory.
Ebu Sait saw Bağdat Hatun and fell in love with her. He separated
her from her husband Hasan Buzurg who was an influent person by using force and married her
himself. Bağdat Hatun using her husband’s love
often started to interfere in state affairs. However Ebu Sait without leaving any heir
and assigning a successor passed away in 1335. After the death of Ebu Sait,
Arpe Keun from the dynasty of Toluy Khan captured the rule.
Bağdat Hatun was granted the nickname “Hünkar” because
she was influent in state affairs. Some claimed that she was killed because she
had poisoned her husband. When her desire to share the throne with Bahadır
Han and to rule the state became stronger, Bağdat Hatun used all advantages of
being a woman. However when the end was closer, different surprises awaited
her. In the end she faced an unexpected event and this
was her end. Arpe Han executed Bağdat Hatun claiming that she killed her
husband Hakan Ebu Sait.
