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Ghazan Khan was ruler of the Ilkhanate from 1295 to 1305.
He was born in 1271 to Arghun and a Christian mother as a Christian. As a youth, together with his brother Oljeitu, they both converted to Buddhism. He annexed power from Baidu in 1295. Later, in 1296-7, under the advice of the Rashid-al-Din, who softened his harsh heart which he inherited from his Buddhist grandfather Abaqa father and Argun, he converted to Sunni Islam. After that, he mercilessly destroyed Buddhist temples and chased Buddhists out of his country or converted them to Islam. The Christians were affected too. Despite his conversion, he encouraged the original archaic Mongol culture to flourish. He tolerated the Shiites as well.
Ghazan died in 1305 and was succeeded by his brother Oljeitu, and later by his nephew Abu' Said and niece Sati Beg.
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