Ariq Böke
Ariq Böke was the youngest son of Sorghaghtani Beki and Tolui, the youngest son of Genghis Khan. When Genghis died in 1227, the leadership of the Empire passed to Genghis' third son (Ariq Böke's uncle), Ögedei. He peacefully attended the elections of both his uncle, Great Khan Ögedei and Ögedei's successor and eldest son, Güyük. After his eldest brother Möngke was enthroned in 1250, his family became even more powerful among the Chingisids. His mother was Christian and Ariq Böke was also known for being sympathetic towards Christianity; this is known from the account of Franciscan William of Rubruck, an envoy of Louis IX of France who wrote that he observed Ariq Böke make the sign of cross and state that "We know that the Messiah [Jesus] is God". A Confucian tutor was arranged for Ariq Böke, at the behest of his elder brother Kublai Khan, but Ariq Böke did not take to Chinese scholars the way his elder brother had.