Who was the Mongol prince who invaded Tibet in 1240?

Köden, also known as Godan, was the Mongol prince who ordered the invasion of Tibet in 1240.

Köden was a son of Ögedei Khan and a grandson of Genghis Khan. He governed Mongol territories in northern China and the Tangut region, giving him responsibility for campaigns west and south of the Mongol heartland. In 1240, he authorized an expedition into Tibet, usually described as the first confirmed Mongol invasion of the region.

The troops were led in the field by the Tangut general Doorda Darkhan. This is a common source of confusion: Köden was the prince who directed the expedition, while Doorda Darkhan was its operational commander. The campaign attacked monasteries and demonstrated Mongol power but did not immediately create direct administration over Tibet.

Köden later summoned the Sakya religious leader Sakya Pandita to his court. Their relationship helped establish the Mongol-Tibetan patron-priest connection, which became politically important under later Mongol rulers.