Ela Botur ( Chechen: "''Эла Ботур''" = "Prince Botur", also known as "''Ele Badur''" in historical sources) was a Chechen feudal lord and king of Boturcha who led a pro-Mongol administration of newly established state. His later life and reign correspond to the historical personality mentioned in the Chinese chronicle Yuan-Shi–"''Ele Badur"''

Family

Esirat (niece of botur)

Early reign

Botur was the ruler of the village Boturcha (subject to the Kingdom of Alania), which, according to Suleymanov, was named after him. Before the

Mongol invasions of Durdzuketi Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, the ancestors of the Vainakh people, the Durdzuks, among different states and factions, waged a brutal and fierce defensive wars against the Mongol Empire, who sought to occupy the lands of the Vainakh. De ...

, Botur (along with several other Alan feudal lords) conducted secret negotiations with the

Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire was the List of largest empires, largest contiguous empire in human history, history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Euro ...

, in which an independent state under his rule after the invasion of

Alania Alania was a medieval kingdom of the Iranian Alans ( Proto-Ossetians) that flourished between the 9th–13th centuries in the Northern Caucasus, roughly in the location of the latter-day Circassia, Chechnya, Ingushetia, and modern North Ossetia ...

and Durdzuketi was discussed.

Boturcha rebellion

With the start of the main Mongol campaign in 1238, he, accompanied by his two brothers Matarsha and Utszorbu Khan as well as his son Illes and grandson Yuvashi, met with

Möngke Khan Möngke Khan (also Möngke Khagan or Möngke; 11 January 120911 August 1259) was the fourth khagan of the Mongol Empire, ruling from 1 July 1251 to 11 August 1259. He was the first Khagan from the Toluid line, and made significant reforms to im ...

and expressed his obedience, thus declaring a rebellion against Khasi I, after which he sent an army, mainly led by his brother Matarsha (among the army were also his other family members) to

Maghas Maghas or Maas, more properly, Mags or Maks, was the capital city of Alania, a medieval kingdom in the Greater Caucasus. It is known from Islamic and Chinese sources, but its location is uncertain, with some authors favouring North Ossetia and o ...

in order to help the Mongols in besieging the city as well as support their campaign across all of

and Durdzuketi. This decision was supported by most of the Dishniy clan, especially Botur's family. His reign however was also opposed by his niece and the wife of Khour I, Esirat, who supported the resistance.

Mongol invasions of Durdzuketi and Alania

Among the besiegers of

were the Chinese, Mongols as well as the Dishniy army led by Matarsha and other relatives of Botur. Esirat, who opposed Botur's regime, was also trapped in

, where she expected a child. She managed to escape the city through a secret passage into the Cheberloy region, Southeast

Chechnya Chechnya, officially the Chechen Republic, is a Republics of Russia, republic of Russia. It is situated in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe, between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea. The republic forms a part of the North Caucasian Federa ...

, where she gave birth to Khour I's only son, Ela Chakh/Chakhig. According to Chinese sources, the Alan feudal lord "Matarsh" played a crucial role in the capture of

. The fall of the city also marked the capitulation of Khasi I and the start of the pro-Mongol administration of the region, as well as the start of the insurgency in Durdzuketi. With the execution of Khasi I in 1241, Durdzuketi was split up between Botur and

Ors Ors () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is located on the Sambre–Oise Canal, in a small wood called Bois l'Évêque. History The commune was an area of intense fighting in November 1918 for control of the canal. ...

. Botur was gifted the lowlands of today's

, as well as the cities Aldy and

Vedeno Vedeno (; , ''Vedana'') is a rural locality (a '' selo'') and the administrative center of Vedensky District, Chechnya. Administrative and municipal status Municipally, Vedeno is incorporated into Vedenskoye rural settlement. It is the adm ...

, which had previously belonged to the Sado-Orsoy dynasty of Chechnya. The resistance, led by Khour I, led to the persecution of the Sado-Orsoy dynasty, further strengthening Botur's authority. In 1252, allied with

, Navraz and other pro-Mongol rulers of vassal

, Botur decisively defeated the resistance fighters led by Khour I during the Battle of Sadoy-Lam, putting a final end to the insurgency in Durdzuketi. Khour was soon later betrayed by Georgian princes, leading to his capture and murder.

Later life

Following the end of Khour's insurgency, the Mongols successfully provoked armed conflicts between the pro-Mongol administrators in order to weaken their influence. The same happened with Botur, who now engaged in conflicts with the administration of

Ors Ela Ors ( Chechen: ''Ors Ela''–Орс Эла or ''Ars-Ela''–Арс Эла, in historical sources referred to as "''Ars-Alan''") was a Chechen feudal lord from the Sado-Orsoy dynasty of Chechnya and the leader of the pro-Mongol Durdzuk administrat ...

as well as other Durdzuk feudal lords. "Ele Badur", together with his son and grandson, Illes and Esutayer respectively, died during the Mongol conquest of southern

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

.Ангуни, Амин: Государственность Народа Нохчий, page 42

References