Ghazan Khan, the Seventh ruler of the Iran-based Mongol Ilkhanid dynasty

Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz
On November 5, 1271 AD, Ghazan Khan, the 7th ruler of the Iran-based Mongol Ilkhanid dynasty, whose empire included Iraq and parts of the Caucasus, Syria, Turkey and Afghanistan, was born.
He was the son and successor of Arghun Khan, and in his childhood was baptized as a Christian, although his family were Buddhist. On becoming ruler, he embraced the truth of Islam along with over 100,000 Mongols in Iran. He changed his name to Mahmoud and ruled for nine years during which he demolished the temples built by the Buddhist occupiers of Iran and neighbouring Muslim lands.
His principal wife was Kokechin, a Mongol princess sent by Kublai Khan, and escorted to Iran from China by Marco Polo. Military conflicts during Ghazan's reign included war with the Egyptian Mamluks for control of Syria, and battles with the Mongol Chaghatai Khanate for control of Central Asia.
A man of high culture, Ghazan spoke several languages, and reformed many elements of the Ilkhanid realm, especially in the matter of standardizing currency and fiscal policy.