Ahmad Fanakati
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Ahmad Fanākatī or Banākatī (
Life and career
Ahmad Fanākatī came from Fanākat (or Banākat), a town on the upper Syr Darya in Central Asia, under the rule of the Qara Khitai until they were conquered by the Mongol Empire.[2][3][4]
Ahmad obtained employment under Kublai through Empress Jamui Khatun, who had known him before her marriage. To her court he was originally attached but we find him already in high financial office in 1264.[1]
Trusted by
Ahmad's tax system gained a bad reputation from the Chinese because it was ruthlessly operated and considerably differed from traditional Chinese systems. Ahmad was reputed for his rapaciousness.[5] He abused his position to gather riches for himself.[6]
Marco Polo recorded his name as "Bailo Acmat (Achmac)".[7] He mentions that Ahmad had 25 sons and accumulated great wealth.[8]
In 1271, the Department of State Affairs was absorbed into the Central Secretariat. While holding the financial affairs, he started intervening in state administration. It heightened tension with the rival faction that included
Although Ahmad's assassins were executed, after Kublai Khan heard all the complaints about Ahmad's corruption from his enemies, Kublai then ordered Ahmad's body to be taken from his tomb and desecrated by being eaten by dogs, and then using chariot wheels to smash the bones to pieces.[9][10]
Kublai also ordered Ahmad's sons to be put to death.[11]
Influence
Ahmad is usually portrayed as an evil bureaucrat in traditional Chinese records: his
In popular culture
Ahmad Fanakati was portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the RAI mini-series Marco Polo during the 1980s, and by Mahesh Jadu as a primary antagonist in the second season of the Netflix series Marco Polo. He holds an influential role and is further described in the Jami al-Tawarikh.
References
- ^ a b Sir Henry Yule (1903). The book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian: Concerning the Kingdoms and Marvels of the East. Vol. 1. London. p. 421.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ ISBN 978-9814459723. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ISBN 7508503805. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ISBN 978-0-8047-8854-0. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ISBN 019979880X. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ^ ISBN 0-231-03351-6. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ISBN 0-295-97644-6.
- ISBN 7508503805. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ISBN 0-295-80055-0. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
- ^ Atwood, Christopher P. (2004). "Ahmad Fanakati". Encyclopedia of Mongolia and the Mongol Empire. Ancient and Medieval History Online. New York: Facts On File. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
Further reading
- Rossabi, Morris (1988). Khubilai Khan : His Life and Times. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 179–184, 190–195, 205, 212. ISBN 0-520-05913-1.