Budashiri

Who is Budashiri?

Budashiri Khatun, or in Sinicized form Putashali was a regent of the Yuan Dynasty between 1332 and 1333. She was the wife of Tugh Temur Khan, or Emperor Wenzong of Yuan, and came from the Khunggirat clan. The Guide to Women Leaders ambiguously appears to list her full name as Khanum Regnant Putashali of The Khagans, with a reference to Yuan in China.

Budashiri accused Kusala's wife, Babukhan, of the coup, and had her executed. In addition, she sent Toghan Temur to Korea and then to Henan. Although Tugh Temür had a son named El Tegüs when he died in 1332, it is said that on his deathbed the Khagan expressed remorse for what he had done to his elder brother and his intention to pass the throne to Toghan Temur, Kusala's eldest son, instead of his own son. The grand councilor El Temür resisted letting Kuśala's eldest son Toghun Temür accede to the throne since he was suspected of having poisoned his father Kuśala. When Tugh Temur's widow and El Tegüs's mother Budashiri Khatun respected Tugh Temür's will of making Kuśala's son succeed the throne, the 6 year old Rinchinbal was chosen. While Toghun Temür was kept far away from the capital Dadu, Rinchinbal was in Dadu and had become favored by Tugh Temür. Rinchinbal enthroned as the new emperor on 13 October 1332, but he died two months or 53 days later. El Temur again asked Budashiri to enthrone El Tegus, but she refused.