The Mongol Empire

The first real known Mongolian is Bodonchar, who in 970 AD began to fight for his people and established a line that would lead to the great Khan, Chingiis. Born in 1162 and orphaned early he soon became a focus for his people as a young man. His power to unify soon led him to be proclaimed by a council of Mongolian noblemen as the khan of Mongolia. After a trouble period he destroyed all his opposition and gradually unified all of the tribe. In 1206, at a grand assembly he was recognized as the supreme leader and then commenced the state of what is now known as Mongolia and the beginning of the Mongolian Empire, which lasted for 162 years and covered territory from Korea through Central Asia to Russia in the north down though Central Europe, and across the Middle East.

By 1300 the Mongolian Empire covered most of the Eurasian continent - the great khan’s realm (Mongolia, China), the Golden Horde (Russia and Urals), the Chagatay realm (Central Asia) and the Ilkhan kingdom (Iran and Middle East).

Over the next 45 years, the task of controlling such a vast dominion proved impossible and rebellion forced the end of this dynasty, linked back to Chiingis.

From then to 1691 Mongolia was ruled in fragments by various warlords and it fell into regional control. 22 khans ruled until 1634 in a time when Buddhism replaced Shamanism as the principal belief. At this time the Manchu had taken established control over China and made inroads into Mongolia. At this time the lords of Inner Mongolia accepted the rule of the Manchu and by 1691 the Outer Mongolians had likewise capitulated.

Pockets of resistance continued and were suppressed by the Manchurian sovereigns. This time was also a period of learning and development for the Mongolians in the areas of philosophy, literature, law and government. Notwithstanding, it remained a repressed dominion of the Qing Dynasty.