Quick Facts
Biography
Ahmed Tekuder (Mongolian: Tögöldör/Төгөлдөр, meaning “perfect”), also known as Sultan Ahmad (reigned 1282–1284), was the sultan of the Persian-based Ilkhanate, son of Hulegu and brother of Abaqa. He was eventually succeeded by his nephew Arghun Khan.
Early life
Tekuder was born Nikola (Nicholas) Tekuder Khan, and was baptized in his childhood as a Nestorian Christian. However, Tekuder later converted to Islam and changed his name to Ahmed.
Sultanate
When Tekuder assumed the throne in 1282, he turned the Ilkhanate into a sultanate. Tekuder zealously propagated his new faith and sternly required his ranking officers to do the same. However, his nephew Arghun, the governor of Khorasan, was a Buddhist; and asked Kublai Khan, the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire and the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, for help. Although, Kublai was angry with the situation, Arghun had to overthrow Tekuder himself given that the Great Khan's empire was far away from Persia.
Tekuder sent a friendly letter to the Mamluk sultan and wished for peace. His conversion to Islam and his ties with the Mamluks were poorly viewed by Mongol nobles.
When Arghun received no reply, he declared war against Tekuder. Tekuder requested help from the Mamluk Sultan, but the Mamluks did not fully co-operate with Tekuder. Having a small and inferior army, Tekuder was defeated by Arghun's larger army, and he was eventually executed on August 10, 1284.