Ancient History

Although it has a history of 3,000 years people worldwide associate the past of Mongolia with the great period when the Khans dominated huge parts of the known world through eastern, middle and western Asia and parts of Europe.

The great Khan, Chingis, created an empire the world had never seen or would again until the British Empire of the 19th century. Efficient organisation and brutal execution of plans enabled a small but determined group to dominate populations with far more resources and greater in size.

Chinese records of wandering groups of warriors from the steppes of Mongolia go back to the 5th century BC. The tough life in the steppes drove the warriors south and to the west in search of wealth and power. This area was where Attila the Hun sprung from, reigning terror and destruction across Asia to the Mediterranean.

On going wars and conquests between different tribal groups led to the creation and destruction of a number of kingdoms, states and confederacies over the 15 centuries up until Chingis Khan established a period of stability for the state of Mongolia.

The geographical significance of the region meant that whoever controlled it would have a platform for conquering to the south and the west, thereby controlling what would become a vital trade route to the Middle East and Europe.

In the beginning the first state in Mongolia was the Hunnu (Hun) and lasted from 209Bc to 150AD when it was forced into the first stage of disintegration by the Xianbei from the north and the Chinese from the South. Prior to this the Huns had successfully waged war against the Chinese and defeated them even though they were often vastly out numbered. The Chinese recognized the Hun state after once such defeat in battle. At its most powerful it empire stretched from the Yellow river in China and to Siberia in the north with regular campaigns as far west as Iran.

Internal fighting broke the state to two parts signaling the approach of the end. Groups of Huns went west or south or were assimilated by the Xianbei. Attila the Hun established a state in central Europe after creating havoc in this area. It lasted as long as he did, dissolving after his death.

The Xianbei empire was born at this time and can be thought of as Mongolians because of their origin. Under their first leader Tanshihuai they expelled or absorbed the Huns and engaged they engaged and defeated the Chinese in battle. So much so that the Chinese recognized the Xianbei’s dominion over much of Central Asia.

As their domination receded there was a period of 300 years to 550 AD where turmoil reigned with many changes of government with no cohesive and enduring power structures established.

The Joujan, established by one group of Xianbei, in the Mongolian steppes brought some order through a well developed government system to the area that is today known as Mongolia. Continual fighting with other Xianbei as well as internal dissent brought an end to the Joujan in 545 when the Turkics dispersed their nation and established its dominance.

With its heart in Central Asia the Turkic empire spread from the Yellow sea to the Caspian Sea. Inevitably it broke down into two regions due to in fighting, with the western region surrendering to the Chinese Tang dynasty by 630 AD.

A second Turkic empire emerged 60 years later and returned to the east to fight the Chinese and the western neighbors, the Karluks and Kyrgyz armies.

After success and the inevitable infighting the Turkic empire was replaced by the Uighurs in 745 AD. Remarkably the Uighurs held together through wars and treaties with their neighbors until when they were ousted from their capital by a secessionist group of Kyrgyz noblemen.

 Although all of the groups that had controlled the region believed in Shamanism, continual contact with the rest of the world gradually introduced Buddhism and middle eastern beliefs to their philosophy.

The Kidan period lasted from 916 to 1125 and with a higher degree of learning encouraged, established a dominion that covered Eastern Mongolia, Manchuria and China. The Liao Dynasty proclaimed by Deguan after the occupation of the Chinese Capital spent the rest of their time battling dissenters and invaders until it fell to the Manchu speaking Jurens.