Legends of Historical Events
The legends of the past events in Mongolian history and of renowned people in history belong to the legends of historical events. Those legends were transmitted through oral and written forms to us. There are many legends of Chinggis Khan, of his generals, of Mandukhai the wise queen, of Chingünjav and Amarsanaa. The written legends are the Secret History of Mongols, the Altan tovch, Sudryn chuulgan, and others. One of the most ancient legends is the legend of Ambagai Khan.
The Legend of Ambaghai Khan
Ambagaj Qahan was the son of Sorgogdühi chono and grandson of Charhai Lyankhua. When he was a lord of the Taichuud aimag, he wanted to find a girl who might suit his inclinations and become his wife. So he went to the Tatar aimag. The Taichuud people questioned why he needed to find a girl from their aimag. They deemed it a humiliation and arrested him with military force. They sent him out to the Altan Khan of the Zürchid people. The reason is that those people were under the rule of the Altan uls. According to the law of the Altan uls, they bound the Ambaghai Qahan to the wooden donkey and killed him. Ambaghai Qahan contrived a means of shrewdness and sent his servant who was called Bulgachin. He conveyed the message of Ambagai Qahan to the Altan khan. It says, “You did not catch me by the valor of the doughty warrior but another person arrested me and took me to you. You decided to kill me with great torture. Your action can stir up revenge among my kindredheaded by Khadaan taish , Hotol han, Tuda and Esükhei baatar’s sons and the Mongolian people. It is inevitable that they will avenge my capture and death. So your killing of me is dangerous.” Altan han ignored it. He said derisively that the messenger Bulgachin should go and give this to your people.
Altan khan killed Ambaghai Qahan and gave Bulgachin the message to spread out the information about the death of Ambaghai Qahan. Bulgachin, the messenger, reached four aimags and spread out the information. The messenger asked for the replacement of a horse. They didn’t supply him with a replacement horse. He, therefore, said, “If our side can not bring our troops as strong as the mountains and as abundant as a flood here tomorrow, I will not be a man. In that case you will regret this.”
They did not care for his words. Bulgachin’s horse was exhausted. Then Bulgachin had to go on foot. He went and came to Hadaan taish, his son Tuda, former lord of this ajmag Hotol khan and Ambaghai Qahan’s cousin Esükhei baatar. Bulgachin told them of Ambagai Qahan’s death and other information. Since then the Mongolians have believed that the fierce spirit of Ambaghai Qahan sank into the black banner of the Mongolian wars. This is why the black banner became an object of Mongolian worship.