Overview
Kuchlug, son of the Naiman ruler Tayang Khan, was the last ruler of the Kara Khitai. He ruled in the name of the Great Liao, but his harsh rule drove the oasis cities to welcome the Mongols as liberators.
Rise to Power
After the Naimans were defeated by Temüjin in 1204, he fled west and in 1208 reached the Kara Khitai, where Zhilugu received him and gave him his daughter. In 1210 he rebelled, and in 1211 he captured Zhilugu and took power.
Rule and Achievements
- Took Kashgar and Khotan, burning their harvests until they submitted
- Persecuted Muslims, according to Juvaini, forcing them to choose between conversion and Khitan dress, and had the imam of Khotan crucified
- Fought the Khwarazmshah Muhammad over the former Karakhanid lands
Legacy
In 1216 Genghis Khan sent Jebe against him. Jebe defeated his army near Balasagun and promised the towns freedom of worship; Kashgar rose against Kuchlug, who fled into the Pamirs. In 1218 hunters caught him on the border of Badakhshan and handed him to the Mongols, who beheaded him.