Godan Khan

Godan Khan, also romanized as Koden Khan and Khodan Khan, (1206 – 1251) was a grandson of Genghis Khan, and was administrator over much of China before Kublai Khan came to power. He was the second son of Ögedei Khan and Töregene Khatun and a brother of Güyük Khan.

Godan ordered the invasion of Tibet, which was carried about by Doorta in 1240.

In 1247 at the request of Godan, Sakya Pandita and his two nephews served as delegates of Tibet's political leadership at the suggestion of the Abbot of Reting Monastery, and when Sakya Pandita arrived at Godans court he cured Godan of an illness, and Godan then became his disciple and converted to Buddhism and learned the Tantras; thus began their special relationship that made the Pandita's rulers of Tibet. In addition, Sakya Pandita with the aid of his nephew Drogön Chögyal Phagpa were encouraged by Godan Khan to invent a Mongolian script called 'Phags-pa script named after its inventor.