Creation
Tamerkhan was created by Nick Cardy and Bob Haney.
Major Story Arcs
Aquaman
Tamerkhan was a Mongol sorcerer-scientist who once loyally served Genghis Khan (reigned 1206 – 1227). Once Genghis died, The Mongol Empire fell. (Historically the succession of Genghis was a relatively peaceful one and the Empire was mostly stable to c. 1260. Then the various constituent states of the Empire started gaining independence, led by various branches of his dynasty. The main branch was the Yuan dynasty which continued ruling China to 1368). Tamerkhan and associate Attucka fled to the oceans. He used his science to make them both effectively immortal and able to live and breathe underwater.
The duo turned to piracy and around the 1560s, Tamerkhan gained himself a wife. She was an unnamed princess captured in a raid. She died eventually but left behind a daughter, Liat. A daughter also rendered immortal by Tamerkhan. By the 1960s, the trio were living in a submarine. They located Atlantis and were conspiring on ways of conquering it when Aquababy entered their ship uninvited. Substances from Tamerkhan’s lab were used to age the baby to a teenage Aquaboy. Liat was quick to pick the cute guy as her mate. Tamerkhan had to comply and was properly introduced to his prospective son-in-law.
Learning the boy was a Prince of Atlantis, they figured a way to enter the Royal Family of the city. Arthur and Mera were a bit surprised their son was all grown-up and engaged to be married. But they reluctantly complied. Until finding out Tamerkhan kept Junior under control with hypnotism. (He had no objection to dating Liat. But resisted the idea of pledging to “love her alone”). The other three Royals reacted violently. but Aqualad was no match in unarmed combat for Aquaboy, taken down with a single move. Tamerkhan’s ring was able to dissolve the hard-water creations of Mera. Aquaman surrendered without a fight.
The Mongols were able to take over Atlantis with no further resistance. But where force failed, cunning succeeded. Mera started seducing Tamerkhan and even suggested methods of disposing Aquaman. A flattered Tamerkhan let his guard down and was unable to stop her from stealing his amulet. She quickly threw it to Arthur, who destroyed it. Tamerkhan was unable to hypnotize anyone. He still rushed the wedding of Junior and Liat. But Junior was de-aged as the chemicals wore off. He stole and swallowed the ring of his prospective father-in-law.
While Attucka was killed in battle with Aquaman, Tamerkhan and Liat crumpled away to dust, their bodies ageing to their actual ages. The ring was apparently the artifact keeping them alive.