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Kushluk is the main antagonist of the second scenario of the Genghis Khan campaign in Age of Empires II, and the player must kill him to win the scenario. Kushluk is also available in the Scenario Editor.

Prior to the Definitive Edition, Kushluk used to be represented by a Cavalier model with superior stats and a unique icon. In the Definitive Edition, he has a unique model as well. As a hero, he cannot be converted and can regenerate health (since The Conquerors). Technologies and civilization bonuses that benefit cavalry also benefit Kushluk.

In later updates of the Definitive Edition, Kushluk receives a unique sprite that looks like a Steppe Lancer but is armed with a sword instead of a lance. This sword is a curved saber like that of Attila the Hun.

Appearances in later campaigns[]

History[]

Kushluk (or Kuchlug, d. 1218) was a Naiman prince and an early enemy of Genghis Khan who usurped the leadership of the Kara-Khitai from their Khan, in a coup d'etat in 1211. Kushluk seized control of the Kara-Khitai by marrying their Khan's daughter, then seized the capital while the Khan was campaigning against the Khwarazmians and forced him to abdicate.

The Naimans were a confederation of possibly Turkic-speaking (or Mongolized Turkic) nomadic tribes residing in the region that now encompasses parts of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Western China. In the early 13th century, the Khwarazmian Empire was weakened by the Mongol invasions. Seizing this opportunity, Kushluk emerged as a self-proclaimed leader of the Naimans and sought to establish his authority over neighboring territories, including the Kara Khitai (Western Liao) and the remaining parts of the Khwarazmian Empire.

Like other Naimans, Kushluk was a Nestorian Christian but he converted to Buddhism after fleeing to the Kara-Khitai. He spent most of his later leadership persecuting his own Muslim subjects and forcing them to convert to either Buddhism or Christianity. This led Kushluk to his downfall after the Muslim Turkic city of Almaliq asked Genghis Khan for help. The Mongols used their religious tolerance to present themselves as liberators and encourage revolts against Kushluk. Eventually, Kushluk was captured or killed by local hunters in Badakshan, and his decapitated head was paraded by the Mongols around his former realm.

Trivia[]

  • According to the fifth Design Document of Ensemble Studios (dated 17 July 1998), the early plan for A Life of Revenge was to defeat Kushluk first (as Genghis Khan did in 1208), make him flee to the Kara-Khitai, and then take him out by triggering a Kara-Khitai revolt against him (somehow).
  • The Age of Kings does not mention Kushluk's Naiman origin despite the Naimans' appearance in Crucible, nor his seizure of the Kara-Khitai leadership (only that he sows discord among them). The former is changed in the Definitive Edition, which now identifies Kushluk as a Naiman in the cutscenes, and changes the Naimans's purple color in Crucible to Kushluk's green.
  • The claim that Kushluk disputes the leadership of the Mongols with Genghis Khan is likely taken from Genghis Khan's earlier rival Jamukha (d. 1206), who is not mentioned in the game.

Gallery[]

Heroes in Age of Empires II
AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings
Non-military Monk hero aoe2DE Archbishop ยท Empbarrel aoe2DE Emperor in a Barrel ยท Monk hero aoe2DE Friar Tuck ยท Monk render Harold Haardraade (removed) ยท Hunting wolf aoe2DE Hunting Wolf ยท Ornluthewolf aoe2DE Ornlu the Wolf ยท Shah aoe2DE Shah
Infantry Aethelfrith aoe2DE Aethelfrith ยท Charlemagne aoe2DE Charlemagne ยท Charlesmartel aoe2DE Charles Martel ยท El cid campeador aoe2DE El Cid ยท Erikthered aoe2DE Erik the Red ยท Hrolf the ganger aoe2DE Hrolf the Ganger ยท Joan maid aoe2DE Joan the Maid ยท King arthur aoe2DE King Arthur ยท Kitabatake aoe2DE Kitabatake ยท Lahire aoe2DE La Hire ยท Minamoto aoe2DE Minamoto ยท Sheriff nottingham aoe2DE Sheriff of Nottingham ยท King arthur aoe2DE Siegfried ยท Ataulf aoe2DE Theodoric the Goth ยท William wallace new aoe2de William Wallace
Foot archer Archereyes aoe2DE Archer of the Eyes ยท Lorddegraville aoe2DE Lord de Graville ยท Robin hood aoe2de Robin Hood
Cavalry Belisarius aoe2DE Belisarius ยท Gawain aoe2DE Constable Richemont ยท Dukedalencon aoe2DE Duke D'Alenรงon ยท Frankish paladin aoe2de Frankish Paladin ยท Gawain aoe2DE Gawain ยท Guyjoesselyne aoe2DE Guy Josselyne ยท Joan arc aoe2DE Joan of Arc ยท Kushluk aoe2DE Kushluk ยท Lancelot aoe2DE Lancelot ยท Alexandernevski aoe2DE Master of the Templar ยท Lancelot aoe2DE Mordred ยท Reynaldde aoe2DE Reynald de Chatillon ยท Lionheart aoe2DE Richard the Lionheart ยท Roland aoe2DE Roland ยท Sieurbertrand aoe2DE Sieur Bertrand ยท Sieurdemetz aoe2DE Sieur de Metz ยท Sirjohnfastolf aoe2DE Sir John Fastolf ยท Gawain aoe2DE The Black Prince
Mounted archer Genghiskhan aoe2DE Genghis Khan ยท Subotai AoE2DE Subotai ยท Tamerlane aoe2DE Tamerlane
Siege Hero trebuchet packed aoe2DE Bad Neighbor ยท Hero trebuchet packed aoe2DE God's Own Sling ยท Jeanbureau aoe2DE Jean Bureau ยท Jeandelorrain aoe2DE Jean de Lorrain ยท Saboteur aoe2DE Saboteur
Building Wonder aoe2DE Dome of the Rock ยท Pyramid aoe2DE Great Pyramid ยท Accursed tower aoe2DE The Accursed Tower ยท Accursed tower aoe2DE The Tower of Flies
AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors
Non-military Aoe2 Imam Imam ยท Kingalfonso aoe2DE King Alfonso ยท Kingsancho aoe2DE King Sancho ยท Popeleoi aoe2DE Pope Leo I
Infantry Erikthered aoe2DE Harald Hardrada ยท Minamoto aoe2DE Nobunaga ยท Scythianwildwoman aoe2DE Scythian Wild Woman
Cavalry Alexandernevski aoe2DE Alexander Nevski ยท Attilathehun aoe2DE Attila the Hun ยท Bledathehun aoe2DE Bleda the Hun ยท El cid campeador aoe2DE El Cid Campeador ยท Henryv aoe2DE Henry V ยท Scythian scout aoe2DE Scythian Scout ยท Williamconq aoe2DE William the Conqueror
Ship Yisun aoe2DE Admiral Yi Sun-Shin
AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten
Non-military Chand bardai aoe2DE Chand Bardai ยท Queen aoe2DE Queen (formerly) ยท Sanyogita aoe2DE Sanyogita
Infantry Cuauhtemoc aoe2DE Cuauhtemoc ยท Fransforza aoe2DE Francesco Sforza ยท Fredbarb aoe2DE Frederick Barbarossa
Foot archer Prithvi aoe2DE Prithvi
Cavalry Jarl aoe2DE Jarl ยท Saladin aoe2DE Saladin ยท Savar aoe2DE Savar (removed) ยท Vladdracula aoe2DE Vlad Dracula
Mounted archer Franciscode aoe2DE Francisco de Orellana ยท Pizarro aoe2DE Gonzalo Pizarro ยท Khosrau aoe2DE Khosrau ยท Osman aoe2DE Osman ยท Prithviraj aoe2DE Prithviraj
Building Wonder aoe2DE Quimper Cathedral
AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms
Non-military Yodit aoe2DE Princess Yodit
Infantry Gidajan aoe2DE Gidajan ยท Henry ii aoe2DE Henry II ยท Itzcoatl aoe2DE Itzcoatl ยท Little john aoe2DE Little John ยท Pachacuti aoe2DE Pachacuti ยท Yekuno aoe2DE Yekuno Amlak ยท Yodit aoe2DE Yodit
Foot archer Guglielmo aoe2DE Guglielmo Embriaco ยท Huayna capac aoe2DE Huayna Capac ยท Mustafa pasha aoe2DE Mustafa Pasha ยท Pacal ii aoe2DE Pacal II ยท Su dingfang aoe2DE Su Dingfang
Cavalry Abraha elephant aoe2DE Abraha Elephant ยท Babur aoe2DE Babur ยท Miklos toldi aoe2DE Miklos Toldi ยท Richarddeclare aoe2DE Richard de Clare ยท Sumanguru aoe2DE Sumanguru ยท Sundjata aoe2DE Sundjata ยท Miklos toldi aoe2DE Tristan ยท Zawisza DOTD Zawisza the Black
Mounted archer Dagnajan aoe2DE Dagnajan ยท Musa ibn aoe2DE Musa ibn Nusayr ยท Tariq aoe2DE Tariq ibn Ziyad
Building Accursed tower aoe2DE Fortified Tower
AoE2-DLCicon-4 Rise of the Rajas
Non-military Buibi aoe2DE Bui Bi ยท Jayanegara aoe2DE Jayanegara ยท Udaya aoe2DE Udayadityavarman I
Infantry GajahMada aoe2DE Gajah Mada ยท Jayaviravarman aoe2DE Jayaviravarman ยท Lelaiicon Le Lai (removed) ยท Leloi aoe2DE Le Loi ยท LeTrien aoe2DE Le Trien ยท Sunda aoe2DE Sunda Royal Fighter
Foot archer Luu Nhan Chu aoe2DE Luu Nhan Chu
Cavalry Bayinnaung aoe2DE Bayinnaung ยท DinhLe aoe2DE Dinh Le ยท Envoy aoe2DE Envoy ยท RadenWijaya aoe2DE Raden Wijaya ยท Suryavarman aoe2DE Suryavarman I ยท Wangtong aoe2DE Wang Tong
Mounted archer Tabinshwehti aoe2DE Tabinshwehti
Building Wonder aoe2DE Gol Gumbaz ยท Wonder aoe2DE Sanchi Stupa
AoE2-DLCicon-5 The Last Khans
Non-military King bela iv aoe2de King Bela IV
Infantry Ataulf aoe2DE Ataulf ยท Cusi yupanqui aoe2de Cusi Yupanqui ยท Sosso guard aoe2de Sosso Guard ยท Topa yupanqui Topa Yupanqui
Cavalry Ataulf aoe2DE Alaric the Goth ยท Cuman chief aoe2de Cuman Chief ยท Henrythelion aoe2DE Henry the Lion ยท Ivaylo aoe2DE Ivaylo ยท Lelai aoe2DE Le Lai ยท Tokkhan aoe2DE Tokhtamysh Khan ยท Tsar aoe2DE Tsar Konstantin ยท Vytautus the great aoe2de Vytautas the Great
Mounted archer Girgen khan aoe2de Girgen Khan ยท KotyanKhan aoe2DE Kotyan Khan ยท UrusKhan aoe2DE Urus Khan
Ship Erikthered aoe2DE Leif Erikson ยท The middlebrook aoe2de The Middlebrook ยท Pizarro aoe2DE Vasco da Gama
AoE2Icon-LordsWest Lords of the West
Non-military Jacqueline of hainaut aoe2de Jacqueline of Hainaut
Infantry Dafydd ap gruffydd aoe2de Dafydd ap Gruffydd ยท Llywelyn ap gruffydd aoe2de Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
Cavalry Bernard darmagnae aoe2de Bernard d'Armagnac ยท Bohemond aoe2de Bohemond ยท Edward longshanks aoe2de Edward Longshanks ยท Gilbert de clare aoe2de Gilbert de Clare ยท John the fearless aoe2de John the Fearless ยท Philip the good aoe2de Philip the Good ยท Robert guiscard aoe2de Robert Guiscard ยท Roger bosso aoe2de Roger Bosso
Siege Hero trebuchet packed aoe2DE Warwolf Trebuchet
Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the Dukes
Non-military Jadwiga aoe2de Jadwiga
Infantry Young Jadwiga aoe2de Young Jadwiga
Cavalry Algirdas aoe2de Algirdas ยท Dmitry of Moscow aoe2de Dmitry of Moscow ยท Emperor Sigismund aoe2de Emperor Sigismund ยท Jan Zizka aoe2de Jan Zizka ยท Jogaila aoe2de Jogaila ยท Kestutis aoe2de Kestutis ยท Mikhail of Tver aoe2de Mikhail of Tver ยท Ulrich von Jungingen aoe2de Ulrich von Jungingen
AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India
Infantry Aoe2de amoghavarsha Amoghavarsha
Cavalry Aoe2de General Araiyan General Araiyan ยท AoE2DE Mihira Bhoja icon Mihira Bhoja ยท AoE2DE Rajendra Chola icon Rajendra Chola ยท Aoe2de Young Babur icon Young Babur
Mounted archer AoE2DE Ibrahim Lodi icon Ibrahim Lodi ยท AoE2DE Qutlugh Icon Qutlugh ยท Aoe2de shaybani khan icon Shaybani Khan
AoE2Icon-MountainRoyals The Mountain Royals
Non-military AoE2DE Tamar icon Tamar
Infantry Yury icon AoE2DE Yury ยท Zakare icon AoE2DE Zakare ยท Stephan icon AoE2DE Stephan ยท Mleh icon AoE2DE Mleh
Cavalry AoE2DE Ismail icon Ismail ยท AoE2DE Shah Ismail icon Shah Ismail ยท Selim icon AoE2DE Selim the Grim ยท AoE2DE Thoros icon Thoros ยท Ivane icon AoE2DE Ivane
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