Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 14, 2026

Khanate

A khanate or khaganate was a polity ruled by a khan, khagan, khatun, or khanum. Khanates were typically nomadic Mongolic and Turkic societies located on the Eurasian Steppe, and politically equivalent in status to kinship-based chiefdoms and feudal monarchies. Khanates and khaganates were organised tribally, where leaders gained power on the support and loyalty of their warrior subjects, gaining tribute from subordinates as realm funding. In comparison to a khanate, a khaganate, the realm of a khagan, was a large nomadic state maintaining subjugation over numerous smaller khanates. The title of khagan, translating as "Khan of the Khans", roughly corresponds in status to that of an emperor.

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A khanate (/ˈxɑːnt, -ət/ KHAHN-ayt, -⁠ət) or khaganate was a polity ruled by a khan, khagan, khatun, or khanum.12 Khanates were typically nomadic Mongolic and Turkic societies located on the Eurasian Steppe,345 and politically equivalent in status to kinship-based chiefdoms and feudal monarchies. Khanates and khaganates were organised tribally, where leaders gained power on the support and loyalty of their warrior subjects,3 gaining tribute from subordinates as realm funding.6 In comparison to a khanate, a khaganate, the realm of a khagan, was a large nomadic state maintaining subjugation over numerous smaller khanates.7 The title of khagan, translating as "Khan of the Khans", roughly corresponds in status to that of an emperor.4

Mongol khanates

The successor states of the Mongol Empire in 1335: the Ilkhanate, Golden Horde, Yuan dynasty and Chagatai Khanate source ↗

Turkic khanates

Early and Late Medieval Turkic khaganates and khanates

Khazar Khaganate, 650–850 CE source ↗
Cumania, c. 1200 CE source ↗
Tamgha of the Bulgar Turkic Dulo clan which ruled the First Bulgarian Empire source ↗

Central Asian Turkic khanates

Khanates of Azerbaijan

Khanates of the Caucasus

Other khanates

Hunnic Empire of Attila in c. 450 CE source ↗
See also

See also

References

References

  1. "Definition of KHANATE". merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  2. "khagan in Old Turkish – English-Old Turkish Dictionary | Glosbe". glosbe.com. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  3. "khanate". Oxford Reference. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  4. "What Is a Khan?". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  5. "The Mongol Khans". education.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  6. Cartwright, Mark (16 September 2019). "Genghis Khan". World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  7. Królikowska-Jedlińska, Natalia. Law and Division of Power in the Crimean Khanate (1532–1774).
  8. Morgan. The Mongols. p. 5.
  9. The Yenching Journal of Social Studies, Volumes 4-5. 1948. p. 68.
External links
  • Media related to Khanates at Wikimedia Commons