Khanate or Chanat is a Turkic origined word used to describe a political entity ruled by a Khan. In modern Turkish the word used is hanlık, and in Azeri, xanat. This political entity is typical for people from the Eurasian Steppe and it can be equivalent to tribal chiefdom, principality, kingdom and even empire.
Khanates before the Mongol empire
Mongol Khanates
When Genghis Khan died he divided his empire into four sections for each of his sons and grandsons. After the death of Mongke Khan in 1259, the succession war between Kublai Khan and Ariq Boke essentially marked the end of a unified empire and the emergence of four separate Khanates, which were:
Post Mongol khanates
Examples of other, humbler Tatar khanate dynasties made vassals of Muscovy/ Russia are:
- the Qasim Khanate (hence modern Kasimov), named after its founder, a vassal of Moscovia/Russia
- the nomadic state founded in 1801 as the Inner Horde (also called Buqei Horde, under Russian suzerainty) between Volga and Yaik (Ural) rivers by 5,000 families of Kazakhs from Younger Kazakh Zhuz tribe under a Sultan was restyled by the same in 1812 as Khanate of the Inner Horde; in 1845 the post of Khan was abolished);
- the Kalmyk khanate (established c.1632 by the Torghut branch of the Mongolian Oirats, settled along the lower Volga River (in modern Russia and Kazakhstan)
- Nogai Khanate
- the khanate of Tuva near Outer Mongolia.
- Khanate of Baku in current Azerbaijan.
- Besh Tau El
Further east, in imperial China's western Turkestan flank:
- Dörben Oyriad ('Four Confederates') or Dzungar (Kalmyk or Kalmuck people branch) Khanate formed in 1626, covering Xinjiang region of China, Kyrgyzstan, eastern Kazakhstan and western Mongolia; 2 December 1717 - 1720 also styled Protector of Tibet; 1755 tributary to China, 1756 annexed and dissolved in 1757
- Khanate of Kashgaria founded in 1514 as part of Djagataide Khanate;
17th century divided into several minor khanates without importance, real power going to the so-called Khwaja, Arabic islamic religious leaders; title changed to Amir Khan in 1873, annexed by China in 1877.
See also
