Khamag Mongol
Encyclopedia
Khamag Mongol was a major tribal
confederation
(khanlig) in Mongolian plateau
in 12th century. It is sometimes also considered a predecessor state to the Mongol Empire
.
After the fall of Khitan Liao Dynasty
in North China
and eastern Mongolia
in 1125, the Khamag Mongols
began to play important role in the Mongolian plains. They occupied one of the most fertile lands of the country—the basins of the river Onon
, Kherlen
and Tuul
in the Khentii mountains
. Khamag Mongol consisted of the four core tribes Khiyad, Taichuud, Jalayir
and Jirukhen.
The first Khan of Khamag Mongol recorded in history is Khabul Khan
from Borjigin
clan. Khabul Khan successfully repelled the invasions of Jin Dynasty. Khabul Khan was succeeded by Ambaghai Khan
from Taichuud clan. Ambagai was captured by the Tatars
while he came to deliver his daughter as a bride to the Tatar confederacy
and was given to the Jurchens
of Jin Dynasty who cruelly executed him. Ambaghai was succeeded by Hotula Khan, a son of Khabul Khan. Hotula Khan was engaged in 13 battles with the Tatars endevouring to revenge for Ambagai Khan.
Khamag Mongol was unable to elect a Khan after Hotula died, however Khabul's grandson Yesukhei
who was a chief of the Khiyad tribe, was an effective and foremost leader of Khamag Mongol. Temujin, the future Genghis Khan, was born into Yesukhei's family as the first son in Deluun Boldog on the upper reaches of the Onon river in 1162.
When young Toghoril
asked help from Yesukhei, the ruler of the Khamag Mongol, to dethrone his brothers of the Kereit
tribe, the Mongols helped him defeat the Kereit leaders and put him on the throne in early 12th c.
Yesukhei was poisoned by the Tatars in 1170 and shortly after Yesukhei died. However, the Khamag Mongol began to disintegrate after Yesugei's death in 1171. Political anarchy and vacuum of power had lasted until 1189 when Temujin
became the Khan
of the Khamag Mongol. The war broke out between the latter and other Turco-Mongol
tribes soon. Temujin's friend Jamukha was recognized by the rival tribes as Gur-Khan (the universal ruler) in 1201 but he was defeated by the alliance of Khamag Mongol and Kereit.
When Wang Khan
refused to cement the alliance with the Khamag Mongols, Temujin's wars with the tribes nearly destroyed him. Temujin united all tribes on the Mongolian plateau at last in 1206 when he was regarded as Genghis Khan
(Chinggis Khan).
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
confederation
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
(khanlig) in Mongolian plateau
Mongolian Plateau
The Mongolian Plateau is part of the larger Central Asian Plateau and has an area of approximately 2,600,000 square kilometres. It is occupied by Mongolia in the north and Inner Mongolia in the south. The plateau includes the Gobi Desert as well as dry steppe regions...
in 12th century. It is sometimes also considered a predecessor state to the Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
.
After the fall of Khitan Liao Dynasty
Liao Dynasty
The Liao Dynasty , also known as the Khitan Empire was an empire in East Asia that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper between 9071125...
in North China
North China
thumb|250px|Northern [[People's Republic of China]] region.Northern China or North China is a geographical region of China. The heartland of North China is the North China Plain....
and eastern Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
in 1125, the Khamag Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
began to play important role in the Mongolian plains. They occupied one of the most fertile lands of the country—the basins of the river Onon
Onon River
The Onon is a river in Mongolia and Russia of length 818 km and watershed 94,010 km². It originates at the eastern slope of the Khentii Mountains. For 298 km it flows within Mongolia...
, Kherlen
Kherlen River
Kherlen River is a river of 1,254 km length in Mongolia and China.-Course:The river has its origin in the south slopes of the Khentii mountains, near the Burkhan Khaldun mountain in the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area, about 180 km northeast of Ulaanbaatar...
and Tuul
Tuul River
Tuul River is a river in central and northern Mongolia considered sacred by the Mongols. It is 704 km long and drains an area 49,840 square km. The river is called the "Duluo river" in the Suishu, a Chinese historical work completed in 636 AD...
in the Khentii mountains
Khentii Mountains
The Khentii Mountains are a mountain range in the Töv and Khentii Provinces in northern Mongolia. The chain overlaps the Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area and includes Mongolia's sacred mountain, Burkhan Khaldun, which is associated with the origin of Genghis Khan.The range forms the watershed...
. Khamag Mongol consisted of the four core tribes Khiyad, Taichuud, Jalayir
Jalayir
Jalayir is one of the Darliqin Mongol tribes according to Rashid-al-Din Hamadani's Jami' al-tawarikh. After the Mongol conquest in the 13th century many Jalayirs spread over Central Asia and the Middle East. Jalayirs are one of the founding tribes of Mongolia's largest ethnic group Khalkha....
and Jirukhen.
The first Khan of Khamag Mongol recorded in history is Khabul Khan
Khabul Khan
Khabul Khan was the first known Khan of the Khamag Mongol confederation and great-grandfather to Genghis Khan.Khabul Khan was a son of Tumbinai Setsen and great-grandson of the Khaidu....
from Borjigin
Borjigin
Borjigin , also known as the Altan urug , were the imperial clan of Genghis Khan and his successors....
clan. Khabul Khan successfully repelled the invasions of Jin Dynasty. Khabul Khan was succeeded by Ambaghai Khan
Ambaghai
Ambaghai Khan was a khan of Khamag Mongol in 1149-1156, one of the great grandson Khaidu Khan and the cousin and predecessor of Hotula Khan. During his rule, he was captured by the Tatars under the commands of the Chinese Jin Dynasty in response to the Mongols' growing power.In 1211 Genghis Khan...
from Taichuud clan. Ambagai was captured by the Tatars
Tatar confederation
Tatar was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in 12th century. The name "Tatar" was first recorded in history in 732....
while he came to deliver his daughter as a bride to the Tatar confederacy
Tatar confederation
Tatar was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in 12th century. The name "Tatar" was first recorded in history in 732....
and was given to the Jurchens
Jurchens
The Jurchens were a Tungusic people who inhabited the region of Manchuria until the 17th century, when they adopted the name Manchu...
of Jin Dynasty who cruelly executed him. Ambaghai was succeeded by Hotula Khan, a son of Khabul Khan. Hotula Khan was engaged in 13 battles with the Tatars endevouring to revenge for Ambagai Khan.
Khamag Mongol was unable to elect a Khan after Hotula died, however Khabul's grandson Yesukhei
Yesugei
Yesügei Baghatur , was major chief of the Kiyad-Borjigin clan and the father of Temüjin , Hasar, Hachiun, Temüge, Temülen, Behter, and Belgutei. Yesügei was the son of Bartan Baghatur, who was the son of Khabul Khan, who was recognized as a khagan by the Jin Dynasty...
who was a chief of the Khiyad tribe, was an effective and foremost leader of Khamag Mongol. Temujin, the future Genghis Khan, was born into Yesukhei's family as the first son in Deluun Boldog on the upper reaches of the Onon river in 1162.
When young Toghoril
Wang Khan
Wang Khan, also Ong Khan, was the title given to the Kerait ruler Toghrul by the Jurchen Jin Dynasty of China. Like the rest of their tribe he may have been Nestorian Christian...
asked help from Yesukhei, the ruler of the Khamag Mongol, to dethrone his brothers of the Kereit
Kerait
The Kereit tribe was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in the 12th century, and dominant in the area and, as allies of Genghis Khan, influential in the rise of the Mongol Empire...
tribe, the Mongols helped him defeat the Kereit leaders and put him on the throne in early 12th c.
Yesukhei was poisoned by the Tatars in 1170 and shortly after Yesukhei died. However, the Khamag Mongol began to disintegrate after Yesugei's death in 1171. Political anarchy and vacuum of power had lasted until 1189 when Temujin
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
became the Khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
of the Khamag Mongol. The war broke out between the latter and other Turco-Mongol
Turco-Mongol
Turko-Mongol is a modern designation for various nomads who were subjects of the Mongol Empire. Being progressively Turkicized in terms of language and identity following the Mongol conquests, they derived their ethnic and cultural origins from steppes of Central Asia...
tribes soon. Temujin's friend Jamukha was recognized by the rival tribes as Gur-Khan (the universal ruler) in 1201 but he was defeated by the alliance of Khamag Mongol and Kereit.
When Wang Khan
Wang Khan
Wang Khan, also Ong Khan, was the title given to the Kerait ruler Toghrul by the Jurchen Jin Dynasty of China. Like the rest of their tribe he may have been Nestorian Christian...
refused to cement the alliance with the Khamag Mongols, Temujin's wars with the tribes nearly destroyed him. Temujin united all tribes on the Mongolian plateau at last in 1206 when he was regarded as Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
(Chinggis Khan).