the new Emperor, Temuder remained in power until his death, which came only two years later. The return to power of Temudar was signalised by fresh excesses, and by the execution of several of those whom he suspected of having been the cause of his late trial. At length the young prince began to feel the leading strings of the Empress Dowager and Temudar rather irksome, and determined to speed on his inauguration. From the beginning of his reign, Shidebala showed a political independence and resolution beyond his years. In a masterly move to counter the influence of the grand empress dowager and Temüder, Shidebala appointed the 21-year-old Baiju, a Jalayir and grandson of Antong, who had illustrious family background and good Confucian education, as the grand councillor of the left in the summer of 1320, which gave Shidabala several political advantages. Temuder was on the high-road to the attainment of supreme power when Baiju. However, Baiju, the commander of the kheshig, who was descended from Muqali, the renowned general of Genghis Khan, and was a man of high character, gained great influence over the Emperor, and displaced that of Temuder. Shidibala, the young emperor, however, did not sit with folded hands. The throne soon became the focus of loyalty for the Confucian scholar-officials in their struggle against the powerful Temüder. Shidibala was prepared for such a role, for he had been as well educated in Chinese as his father had been. Deeply affected by Confucianism as well as by Buddhism, Shidebala could cite Tang poems from memory and also was a creditable calligrapher. Besides Confucianism, Shidibala was also devoted to Buddhism. In 1321 Shidbala built a Buddhist temple in honor of 'Phags-pa Lama on the mountains west of Dadu, and when the censors reproached him he had several of them put to death; among them a very distinguished officer, named Soyaoelhatimichi, whose ancestors had been faithful dependents of the Mongol Imperial house. On the other hand, Islam suffered particularly severe discrimination during his reign. It is said that the Emperor destroyed a temple built by the Muslims, at Shangdu, and prohibited them from buying slaves from the Mongols and selling them again to the Chinese. The growing influence of Baiju greatly disgusted Temuder. Baiju went to Liau tung to put up a monument to his ancestors. Temudar thought this a favourable opportunity of regaining his influence at the Yuan