This is a meticulously documented historical novel that recounts the story of a Mongol princess named Kokachin—the Blue Sky—only seventeen years of age, radiant in beauty and refined in character. Cast into a succession of terrors and calamities, she witnesses the fall of the mightiest men around her. Through it all, she remains silent, bearing her fate with quiet dignity, her only response the unspoken tears that fall from her eyes—tears of compassion.
(1) The Mongol State
The Mongol State was founded in Central Asia by Genghis Khan (1167–1227), the legendary conqueror whose name reshaped the medieval world. From the heart of the steppes, his armies swept across vast territories, bringing under his dominion all the lands stretching from China to the Black Sea. Between 1206 and 1227, he forged the Mongol Empire, one of the greatest empires in history. Among his most notable conquests was the capture of Beijing, the capital of China, in 1215.
Upon his death in 1227, Genghis Khan left behind an empire of unprecedented scale, which was subsequently divided among his descendants, namely:
a) Kublai Khan (1214–1294):
Emperor of the Mongols and grandson of Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan was the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, a ruling house of pure Mongol lineage in China. Under his reign, the Mongol Empire reached a new phase of administrative sophistication, and Beijing was established as the imperial capital, from which he governed one of the most powerful realms of the age.
b) Batu Khan (1204–1255):
A Mongol prince and grandson of Genghis Khan, Batu Khan extended Mongol dominion westward. In 1242, he founded a Mongol kingdom along the Volga River, encompassing Siberia, southern Russia, and the Volga basin, with its capital at Sarai. This realm became known as the Golden Horde, a formidable power that endured until its decline and eventual dissolution in 1502.
c) Hulagu (1217–1265):
A grandson of Genghis Khan and a formidable Mongol conqueror, Hulagu founded the Ilkhanid State in Persia in 1251. His campaigns subdued the Persian princes and culminated in the destruction of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad in 1258, marking a decisive turning point in Islamic history. He extended his conquests into Syria, yet his forces met a momentous defeat at Ayn Jalut in 1260, where the Mamluks annihilated his army, halting the westward advance of the Mongols.
D) Timur Lenk (Tamerlane), also known as Timur the Lame (1336–1405):
A scion of Genghis Khan, Timur Lenk rose to power in 1370, establishing himself as a formidable ruler of the Mongol legacy. He forged an empire that spanned Persia and vast swathes of Asia, stretching from Delhi to Baghdad, leaving an indelible mark on the political and cultural landscape of the region. The Mongol presence in India, later established by Babur, one of Timur’s descendants, endured from 1526 to 1858. This dynasty was governed by nineteen emperors, the last being Bahadur Shah II, who was ultimately deposed by the British in 1858, marking the end of centuries of Mongol influence in the subcontinent.
(2) Arghun, King of Persia, and the Yuan Dynasty
Arghun (1255–1291), son of Abaqa and grandson of Hulagu, ascended as the fourth ruler of the Ilkhanid State in Persia in 1284. The Ilkhanid dynasty represented a distinguished branch of the Mongol lineage that governed Persia from 654 AH to 736 AH (1256–1335 CE).
Arghun’s marital alliances reflected the intricate web of Mongol and regional nobility. His first marriage was to Qutawuq Khatun, daughter of Tenkikiz Gurkan. Upon her death, he sought to marry the daughter of his nephew Öljaitü, herself the offspring of Sulamish and Tudakaj, though the union remained unconsummated due to her youth. Subsequently, he married Uruk Khatun, daughter of Saruja, sister of Prince Irenjin of the Keraite people; Saruja was also the sister of Toguz Khatun.
Following Uruk Khatun, Arghun wed Seljuq Khatun, daughter of Sultan Rukn al-Din of Rum, and then Bulghan Khatun, formerly the chief consort of Abaqa Khan.
The distinguished heritage of Arghun’s wives underscores their noble lineage. Yet, the king’s principal concern lay with the Yuan dynasty, founded by Kublai Khan in China—a dynasty of pure Mongol blood whose prestige captivated Arghun and influenced his dynastic ambitions.
After the death of Bulghan Khatun, King Arghun resolved to establish a Yuan dynasty of pure Mongol lineage in Persia. He sent a request to Emperor Kublai Khan, the Great Khagan, asking him to select a maiden from his own family to become his wife.
In response, the Great Khagan chose Bulghana, daughter of Utman ibn Atbay Noyan, of Kublai Khan’s own lineage, and entrusted her father with escorting her to Persia. The marriage was solemnized in Persia on Wednesday, the ninth of Rabiʿ al-Awwal, 689 AH, corresponding to 15 September 1290 CE. Bulghana was granted the title of queen.
As time passed, King Arghun awaited an heir. The queen bore a daughter, Dalanji, who sadly died shortly after birth. Later, Queen Bulghana requested permission to travel to China via the Silk Road, accompanied by her father, so that she might see her mother. King Arghun granted her request. Upon her journey, Queen Bulghana reached Cathay in northern China.
It was during this period that Queen Bulghana, wife of King Arghun, Lord of the East, passed from this world. In her will, she expressed her wish that no wife should succeed or replace her as Arghun’s consort unless she came from her own family.
To fulfil this wish, King Arghun dispatched three of his barons—Olatay, Abusqa, and Kojay—as envoys to the Great Khagan. They traveled with a magnificent retinue, tasked with returning to Persia with a lady from the family of the late queen to become Arghun’s new consort.
Upon reaching the court of the Great Khagan, the three barons presented their letter explaining the purpose of their visit. The Khagan received them with the highest honors and extended to them the finest hospitality.
The Great Khagan then ordered that a young maiden named Kokachin—“Blue Sky”—be brought forth. She was of the same noble family as the late Queen Bulghana, seventeen years of age, gifted with extraordinary beauty and gentle character.
When presented at court, Kokachin was shown to the three barons as the chosen maiden in accordance with their request. They declared that she met every expectation, and that she entirely fulfilled the hopes of King Arghun.
(3) Princess Kokachin on Her Journey to Persia
The Great Khagan granted the three barons sent by King Arghun of Persia a grand and imposing escort to accompany the bride, Princess Kokachin, to Persia. Once all preparations were complete, the barons departed from the Khagan’s court, following the same path they had taken—the storied Silk Road.
Yet their journey soon took a perilous turn. They travelled for seven or eight months when war erupted among the Tatar kings. The roads became impassable, and further progress was impossible. Reluctantly, the three barons were forced to return to the Great Khagan and report the unfortunate circumstances.
Throughout these trials, Princess Kokachin remained composed, shedding tears of compassion while uttering not a word.
At that time, Marco Polo had returned from India, having traversed strange seas and countless lands, recounting the marvels of distant realms. The arrival of the three Latins—Messer Niccolò, Messer Maffeo, and their nephew Messer Marco Polo—marked a turning point:
In 1260 CE, they had embarked on a commercial venture to Crimea. Their successive successes carried them far along the Volga River, onward to Bukhara, and eventually to the court of the Great Khagan Kublai Khan in the Far East, reaching the borders of Cathay in northern China around May 1275 CE.
Kublai Khan received the Venetian travellers with utmost warmth and spoke kindly to the young Marco Polo. Observing the youth’s remarkable intelligence and aptitude, the Khagan soon employed him in public service.
When the three barons first encountered Messer Niccolò, Messer Maffeo, and Marco Polo, they remarked among themselves: “How fitting it would be for these men to accompany us by sea!”
The three barons petitioned the Great Khagan, appealing to his favor and generosity, and requested that the Latin travellers—Niccolò, Maffeo, and Marco Polo—be allowed to accompany them by sea. The Great Khagan consented, albeit reluctantly, for he held the three men in great esteem and would grant permission only with careful consideration.
The Silk Road was closed due to ongoing conflicts among the Mongol branches—the Qa’anites, Kipchaks, and Ilkhanids—during the late thirteenth century. Consequently, the Great Khagan decreed that the princess should travel by maritime route, accompanied by the three Latins along with the three barons.
To ensure a safe passage, the Khagan ordered the preparation of fourteen ships, each with four masts, some carrying as many as twelve sails. Among them, at least four or five ships were manned by crews numbering two hundred and fifty to two hundred and sixty sailors each.
When the fleet was ready, the three barons departed with the three Latins, boarding the ships together with Princess Kokachin, her four maidservants, and a large retinue. The Khagan had generously supplied them with clothing and provisions sufficient for two years.
They set sail, navigating the seas for no less than three months until reaching a large southern island known as Java. From there, they continued their voyage, reporting that they had crossed the Indian Ocean for a total of eighteen months.
The three-month segment of the journey aligns plausibly with the monsoon wind routes of the Indian Ocean, while the eighteen-month duration likely includes extended stops at multiple ports, accounting for the prolonged maritime expedition.
The journey to Hormuz spanned two years, from 1291 to 1293 CE, and unfolded along the following course:
According to Marco Polo, the ships set sail from southern China and proceeded via:
1- Zaitun (modern Quanzhou).
2- Crossing the South China Sea.
3- Stopping in the Philippines and Vietnam.
4- Landing in Sumatra and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), where they remained for an extended period due to the monsoon winds.
5- Sailing along the coasts of India.
6- Passing through the Sea of Sindh.
7- Finally arriving at the Sea of Oman.
Upon reaching their intended destination, the island of Hormuz, having traversed lands filled with countless marvels, they received the grave news that King Arghun had passed away.
It became evident that when the fleet had embarked from China, their numbers had exceeded six hundred, not counting the sailors. Tragically, nearly all perished, leaving only eighteen survivors. Of the three envoys sent by Arghun, only Kojay survived. Among the ladies and maidservants who had accompanied Princess Kokachin, only one remained alive.
Throughout these calamities, Princess Kokachin wept tears of compassion, yet remained silent, her sorrow unspoken but profoundly felt.
(4) The End of the Tears of Compassion
As the ships from China reached the island of Hormuz, then ruled by the Kings of Hormuz, the mournful news of King Arghun’s death reached them. He had passed away on Saturday, the seventh of Rabiʿ al-Awwal, 690 AH, corresponding to 5 September 1291 CE. The kingdom was thrown into turmoil, and disorder spread among the people. Throughout this upheaval, Princess Kokachin wept tears of compassion, yet remained silent, her grief unspoken.
The delegation accompanying the princess transferred her from Hormuz to the mainland, traveling along the Lar road toward Shiraz. Their path wound through mountain ravines, towering peaks, and deep valleys, until they reached the capital, which was heavily guarded under the command of Gaykhatu.
Following King Arghun’s death, Gaykhatu assumed power. Princess Kokachin was placed under his protection, and the late king’s wish was fulfilled: she was to be married to his son, Ghazan.
Gaykhatu commanded that the princess be delivered to Ghazan, ruler of a region in Persia near the “Tree of the Sun,” between Khorasan and Kerman. Ghazan commanded sixty thousand horsemen, engaged in battles for the throne. Queen Kokachin was kept in a private chamber, moved carefully from place to place in accordance with the progress of the campaigns.
Meanwhile, Messer Niccolò, Messer Maffeo, and Messer Marco Polo returned to Gaykhatu, who received them with warm hospitality. Having fulfilled all duties regarding the princess and delivered the messages entrusted by the Great Khagan, they requested permission to depart and left Persia.
As for Queen Kokachin, she remained alone in these distant lands, suspended between fear and the memories of the palace of the Great Khagan Kublai Khan, where princes and princesses once gathered. With her beauty and gentle disposition, she had enchanted many princes.
They had all gathered around her in those former days, and now she recalled them one by one, until the image of her beloved appeared in her mind. Torn from her homeland and handed over to a man she had never seen, she shed her silent tears of compassion, mourning a past that could not be reclaimed.
The Final Fate of Queen Kokachin
Gaykhatu advanced toward the capital, Shiraz, intending initially to enthrone Baydu, one of the Ilkhanid princes. Yet the decision was soon made to place Gaykhatu himself on the throne. Meanwhile, Ghazan Khan remained engaged in battles on multiple fronts, entirely absorbed by warfare and absent from his bride.
Thus, Queen Kokachin was left utterly alone. Of the four maidservants who had accompanied her across the seas, three had perished, and the fourth remained behind in Shiraz, ill and unable to endure any longer. Overcome by grief and despair, Queen Kokachin finally burst into bitter weeping—tears of compassion—and collapsed face down.
When she was lifted, it was discovered that she had passed away, leaving the world at the tender age of twenty-two.
Her life, marked by beauty, gentleness, and endurance through unimaginable hardships, came to a sorrowful end—a poignant testament to the fragility of human fate amidst the sweep of history.
Sources
* Forman, W., & Burland, C. A. (Eds.). Marco Polo. Paris, France: Les Éditions Braun, pp. 143–147.
* Polo, M. (1818). The Travels of Marco Polo (W. Marsden, Trans., pp. 26–40, 94–100, 556–745). London, England: Cox and Baylis.
* Polo, M. (1871). The Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East (H. Yule, C.B., Trans. & Ed.; Vol. I, pp. 29–37). London, England: John Murray.
* Polo, M. (1903). The Book of Sir Marco Polo, the Venetian Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East (H. Yule, Trans.; 3rd ed., Vol. I, pp. 15–22). London, England: John Murray.
* Polo, M. (1931). The Travels of Marco Polo (L. F. Benedetto, Trans.; A. Ricci, Ed., pp. 14–18). London, England: George Routledge & Sons Ltd.
* Rashid al-Din Fadlallah al-Hamadani. (1960). Jāmiʿ al-Tawārīkh (M. S. Nash’at & F. A. al-Sayyad, Trans.; Y. al-Khashab, Review) (Vol. II, Part II, pp. 124–125). Arab Republic of Egypt: Ministry of Culture and National Guidance, General Directorate of Culture.
*Sykes, P. (1936). The Quest for Cathay (pp. 185–200). London, England: A. & C. Black Ltd.