The "khagan" title as a marker of supreme power in the Mongolian chronicle tradition

Abstract

The hierarchy of power relations was of prime importance when a special title was used to designate the supreme rulers. In Mongolian political culture, the khagan title, adapted from the ancient Turkic khaganates tradition, was applied. Already known in the 13th c., e. g. the early stage of Mongolian history, this title legitimized the right of the claimant upon supreme power in the Mongolian society, i. e., right to be considered "the one being in charge of the Mongols". Since the establishment of the Mongol Empire by Chinggis Khan, the title was retained by the senior descendants of the Golden Lineage (altan urug). This practice confirmed the genealogical continuity and legitimacy of their power over the Mongols. Thus, for example, regardless of the Oirats success in conquering the Mongols and their claim for the supreme power, they were never called khagans in Mongolian chronicles. The Mongolian chronicle tradition provides only two examples when the khagan title was applied to people non-representatives of the Chinggisid dynasty. The first one is related to Khalkha, which was given by Dayan Khan to his youngest son Geresenze. The fact that his descendants, starting from his grandson, were called khagan akhai, i. e., senior khagans, denotes that by the beginning of the 17th c. Khalkha had become an independent political actor. The title was also applied to the Manchu emperors, which confirmed the Mongols recognition of their subordinate position.