Abby Connolly
If you love stories of fierce, powerful female warriors that came centuries before us, you should know who Khutulun is.
If you weren’t already aware, Khutulun was one of the most iconic Mongolian princesses and an incredible warrior and wrestler who lived during the 13th century.
Khutulun was born around 1260. She was the great-great-granddaughter of Genghis Khan, and her father, Kaidu, was one of the most powerful rulers of Central Asia. Her name is inspired by ‘moonlight,’ and she is also sometimes referred to as Aiyurug or Aijaruc.
She was a very powerful woman with a strong physical build. Khutulun had 14 brothers and was raised very similarly to them, always proving herself to be just as strong and valuable.
Khutulun was passionate about sports and physical activity growing up, learning valuable skills like horseback riding and archery as a child.
However, she impressively shined in hand-to-hand fighting and became one of the best Mongolian wrestlers, which, as you can probably guess, was unusual for princesses.
As Khutulun grew older, she became an incredible warrior and even joined her father on military campaigns.
Together, they fought against the Yuan dynasty and maintained their status as some of the most powerful political and military figures in Western Mongolia and China.
It is said that Khutulun was reluctant to marry but once stated that a man who could beat her in a hand-to-hand fighting competition could marry her. Any man who wished to enter the competition had to give up 10 horses, which would become hers if she won.
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