Caroline Icardo
Toregene and Fatima
Illustration
2021
Digital
"Toregene and Fatima” represents the life story of Toregene Khatun. She was taken and gifted as a wife to Ögedei, one of Genghis Khan’s sons, after he conquered her village. She gave birth to 5 sons, and when her incompetent and alcoholic husband was suddenly made Khan, she ran things behind the scenes. Once Ögedei died, she continued her rule, prepared one of her sons to be next in line, and elevated a woman named Fatima to the status of her queen.