Ögedei Khan

Ögedei Khan (c. 1186–11 December 1241), third son of Genghis Khan, was the second khan of the Mongol Empire, extending Mongol conquests into northern China and Europe. At Gurganj in 1221 Genghis made him sole commander; later quarrels among his brothers confirmed him as heir. After Genghis's 1227 death and Tolui's regency, he was elected khan in 1229.

He destroyed the Jin in 1234; in 1233 Yelü Chucai talked him out of Subutai's plan to sack Kaifeng. With Yelü he fixed taxation and founded Karakorum; his armies beat Poles and Hungarians in 1241.

A notorious drinker, he let Chagatai set a watcher over his cups, and the story goes he had cups made twice the size. He died at dawn on 11 December 1241 after a night's drinking, nobles blaming his lack of self-control. His widow Töregene ruled as regent for five years before his son Güyük was elected.