Güyük Khan

Born around March 1206, eldest son of Ögedei Khan and great-grandson of Genghis, Güyük cut his teeth on the conquest of Eastern Xia and rode west into Europe. When Ögedei died, the throne sat contested until 1246, when Güyük was finally enthroned as Khagan. He moved quickly: rolled back edicts his mother had imposed during the interregnum, ordered a census spanning the empire's reach, and installed Andrey II as grand prince of Vladimir, asserting Mongol sway over the Russian principalities. He died in April 1248, not yet 43, his reign a brief correction between longer rules.