
ChoghtuKhongTayiji,bornTümengken(1581-1637),wasaruleroftheKhalkhaMongols.HeexpandedintoAmdo(present-dayQinghai)tohelptheKarmasectofTibetanBuddhismbutwasoverthrownbyGüüshiKhan,whosupportedtherivalGeluksect.<br/> HeestablishedabaseontheTulariver.KnownasanintellectualheembracedtheKarmasectandbuiltmonasteriesandcastles.<br/> HesubmittedhimselftoLingdanKhan,lastgrandkhanoftheMongols.HetookpartinLingdan'scampaigntoTibettohelptheKarmasectalthoughLingdanKhandiedin1634beforetheyjoinedtogether.Buthepursuedthecampaign.InthesameyearheconqueredtheTümedaroundKokonor(QinghaiLake)andmovedhisbasethere.ByrequestfromShamarRabjampahesentanarmyunderhissonArslantocentralTibetin1635.However,ArslanattackedhisallyTsangarmy.HemetthefifthDalaiLamaandpaidhomagetoGelukpamonasteriesinsteadofdestructingthem.ArslanwaseventuallyassassinatedbyChoghtu'sorder.<br/> TheGeluksectaskedforhelpTörüBayikhu(GüüshiKhan),theleaderoftheKhoshuudtribeoftheOiratconfederation.In1636TöröBayikhuledtheKhoshuudandtheDzungarstoTibet.InthenextyearadecisivewarbetweenChoghtuKhongTayijiandTörüBayikhuendedinthelatter'svictoryandChoghtwaskilled.<br/> DescendantsofSutaiYeldeng,Choghtu'sgrandson,succeededthejasaghofabannerinSayinNoyanAyimagh.<br/> HehastraditionallybeenportrayedasevilbytheGeluksect.Ontheotherhand,theMongolianmovie"Tsogttayj"(1945)treatedhimasanationalhero.Itreflectedthecommunistregime'sattitudetowardTibetanBuddhism.