Börte was the primary empress of the Mongol Khan Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire and the largest empire in world history. Borte is often portrayed as a beautiful woman dressed in a white silken gown, with gold coins in her hair, holding a white lamb, and riding a white steed. She mothered Jochi, Chagatai, Ögedei and Tului. She was decided to marry Timujin (later Genghis Khan), perhaps by others at the marriageable age of 14, when Timujin's father was murdered by the Tartars, enemy at the time of Timujin's father's tribe, while returning home from her house after leaving Timujin with her. She was abducted by her captors and Timujin with his best friend rescued her from her captors. The time of birth of Jochi right after she was rescued caused doubt of who Jochi's father was and therefore him and his successions were never considered for successor of his father Genghis Khan. This had an effect on later Mongol history. Jochi's son Batu later in the Mongol Empire became a sort of kingmaker. It was he who assisted in a coup within the Mongol ruling family that threw the House of Ogedei out of power and replaced it with the House of Tului.

Few historical facts are known about her life, but Mongolians have many legends about her.