Khutulun

Khutulun (dem born her around 1260 – she die around 1306), people still sabi her with other names like Aigiarne, Aiyurug, Khotol Tsagaan or Ay Yaruq (wey mean 'Moonlight'). She be one strong woman wey come from one big family for Mongolia. Her papa name na Kaidu, and Kaidu na cousin to one big ruler wey dem call Kublai Khan. Even two important people — Marco Polo and Rashid al-Din Hamadani — dem write about her for their book dem.

Her life story

Khutulun born around 1260. By di time e reach 1280, her papa Kaidu don turn di biggest oga for Central Asia. Di land wey Kaidu control big well well — e stretch from western Mongolia reach near India side.

Di way dem take write about Khutulun for olden days story book show say she be warrior princess — strong woman wey sabi fight well well. She follow her papa and di Mongol army fight plenty war for Central Asia side. From small pikin time, dem teach her how to shoot arrow, how to fight for wrestling, and how to ride horse well.

When she don grow, she strong sotey no man fit beat her for wrestling. Even di best warriors for her papa army no fit win her. Because of her strength and skill, different story-teller don talk about her, including Marco Polo.

Husband matter

Di story about who she marry no too clear. Some people talk say she marry one fine man wey dem catch because e try to kill her papa. Other people say she marry one of her papa trusted friend from Choros clan.

One writer wey name be Rashid al-Din talk say Khutulun like one prince for Persia wey dem call Ghazan. But some other story talk say she no even marry at all — she just dey challenge any man wey wan marry her to wrestling fight. Any man wey lose, she go collect di man horse. At di end, dem say she get like 10,000 horses because no man fit beat her.

Apart from di sweet story wey Marco Polo talk, some other history writer mention her husband name — some call am Abtaqul, some call am Itqul. Sadly, some of her family people kill her husband and her two sons — dem throw dem inside water make dem drown.

Out of all her papa pikin dem, na Khutulun be di one wey her papa like pass. E even dey always ask her for advice anytime e get wahala. Some people even talk say her papa wan give her di whole kingdom before e die, but di other men for di family no gree, say woman no fit rule.

When her papa Kaidu die for 1301, na Khutulun and her brother Orus guard di papa grave. But her other brothers no gree with her, dem wan collect power from her hand. One of di brothers wey wan fight her name na Chapar, and one of di family wey join fight her name na Duwa. After plenty wahala, Khutulun die for 1306.

Her story for Books, Film and TV

Plenty story about Khutulun dey different culture. For Mongol people, dem sabi her as strong wrestler and warrior. But for western story dem, dem turn her story to different thing — dem say she be proud woman wey no wan marry, until love catch her.

One French writer, François Pétis de la Croix, write one story for 1710 where dem call her Turandot — dat name mean "Daughter from Central Asia". For dat story, instead of wrestling, she dey ask men three strong questions (riddles), and if dem no fit answer, dem go kill di man.

Another writer wey name be Carlo Gozzi write play about her 50 years later — for dat one, dem talk say she be "wicked woman wey too proud." One German writer, Friedrich Schiller, even translate di play to German language for 1801.

Di most popular version of her story na di opera wey one Italian man, Giacomo Puccini, start to work on before e die for 1924. Di opera name na Turandot.

Apart from di foreign stories, plenty Mongolian writers don write about her too. Writers like Purev Sanj, Ch. Janchivdorj, Oyungerel Tsedevdamba, Batjargal Sanjaa, and B. Shuudertsetseg all write books and novels about her.

For Netflix series Marco Polo, one actress wey her name be Claudia Kim act as Khutulun.

One popular racehorse for Australia (2011-2019) wey win plenty money na Khutulun dem name am. Di horse win near 500,000 Australian dollars after dem buy am for just 16,000 dollars.

Film about her life

On 3 December 2021, one Mongolian company wey dem call Shuuder Productions, plus Voo Broadcasting, release one film about her life. Di film title na Princess Khutulun, and e base on one novel wey Baatarsuren Shuudertsetseg write. Actress wey act as Khutulun for di film na Tsedoo Munkhbat.