Antong


Antong was a prominent official of Kublai Khan, founder of the Yuan dynasty and the Great Khan of the Mongols. As a great-grand son of Muqali of the Jalayir clan, one of the greatest generals under Genghis Khan, he became an influential administrator in the administration of the Yuan dynasty.
He was well educated in Confucian, and had accompanied Kublai since he was still a boy. After the enthronement of Kublai Khan in 1260, he was appointed the supreme leader of the imperial guards. In 1265, he was again appointed as the grand chancellor of the Central Secretariat, and actively supported Kublai Khan to adopt and honor Confucianism and Chinese court rituals, and opposed the influence of Ahmad Fanakati.
In 1275, he was dispatched to assist Nomokhan, a son of Kublai Khan, to confront the attacks of Kaidu from Central Asia. Unfortunately, he was captured due to the insurgency of his own underlings, and was given to the Mengu-Timur, khan of the Golden Horde, who in turn passed him on to Kaidu. He was not allowed to return to the Yuan Dynasty until 1284. However, he gradually lost the trust of Kublai Khan upon return, and died in 1293. After the enthronement of Temur, he was granted the title of the Prince of Dongping Zhongxian in 1303.