10.25710/8644-8H48
Jagchid, Sechin
Sechin
Jagchid
The Last Mongol Prince: The Life and Times of Demchugdongrob, 1902-1966
Center for East Asian Studies, Western Washington University
1999
Monograph
The sixty-four years of the life of Prince Demchugdongrob saw the devastation of two world wars. Invasion of Asia by imperialists was gradually checked by the rise of nationalism. Japan’s victory in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904 restored Asian self- confidence. But this victory also created strife within. The founding of the Republic of China in 1912, which ended monarchical rule, and the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 marked the beginning of a new era. The Mongols, roused by these great changes, struggled to establish their own national identity. By the conclusion of World War 11, half of the Mongol people had achieved their independence, at least nominally, but the other half faced harsh and rigorous trials.
Prince Demchugdongrob, born to a highly prestigious Chinggisid family, for a time assumed the position of national leader, but died in the custody of the Chinese Communists. His heroic but tragic life was entwined with the fate of his fellow countrymen, especially those Inner Mongols who struggled for the existence of their nation.