Overview
Babu, the fifth son of Sholoi, the first Setsen Khan, held the title from 1655 to 1683. His reign fell in the decades after the Manchus conquered China in 1644, when the Qing dynasty steadily extended its reach over the Mongol world and the independent Khalkha khanates faced a powerful new neighbour on their eastern border. Sources record little of his own acts.
Rise to Power
He succeeded to the Setsen Khan title in 1655, in his father's line.
Rule and Achievements
- Held the Setsen Khan title for twenty-eight years, from 1655 to 1683
- Ruled the easternmost Khalkha khanate during the consolidation of Qing power in China and Inner Mongolia
- Passed the title to his third son, Norov, who ruled until the Dzungar invasion of 1688
Legacy
Babu's long reign was the last generation of full Khalkha independence. Within five years of his death, the Dzungar invasion of 1688 drove the Khalkha khans to seek Qing protection, and in 1691 his house submitted to the Kangxi Emperor at Dolonnuur.