List of medieval Mongolian tribes and clans
Encyclopedia
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
) united the different tribes under his control and established the Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
. There were 19 Nirun tribes (marked (N) in the list) that descended from Bodonchar and 18 Darligin tribes (marked (D) in the list), which were also core Mongolic tribes but not descending from Bodonchar. Besides the original Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
, many of those clans and tribes were of Turkic
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
, and some of Tungusic
Tungusic peoples
Tungusic peoples are the peoples who speak Tungusic languages. The word originated in Tunguska, an ill-defined region of Siberia.-Peoples:Tungusic peoples are:*Evenks*Evens*Jurchens *Manchu*Negidals...
or other origin. The unification created a new common social identity as Mongols.
From the Secret History of the Mongols
Tribes and clans mentioned in the Secret History of the Mongols:Khamag MongolKhamag MongolKhamag Mongol was a major tribal confederation in Mongolian plateau in 12th century. It is sometimes also considered a predecessor state to the Mongol Empire....
confederation included Temüjin's clan
- Khori Tumed, the people that Alun Goa descends from
- Khurilar clan descended from Alun Goa's father Khurilardai Mergen
- Dorben (four), descendants of Duva sokhor (the blind) (N)
- UriankhatUriankhai"Uriankhai" , also known as Urianhai or Uryangkhai, is a term applied to several neighboring ethnic groups...
, tribe of a man whom Dobun mergen (the wise) meets in the forest and who gives him a deer - Ma'alikh baya'utBayidThe Bayid is third largest subgroup of the Mongols in Mongolia and was a tribe in Four Oirats. Bayids were a prominent clan within the Mongol Empire. Bayids can be found in both Mongolic and Turkic peoples...
, clan of Dobun's servant (D) - Jarchi'ut AdangkhanUriankhai"Uriankhai" , also known as Urianhai or Uryangkhai, is a term applied to several neighboring ethnic groups...
, Uriankha clan that Alun Goa's five sons (Belgunotai, Bugunotai, Bukhu khatagi, Bukhatu salji, and Bodonchar, the Fool) subdue (D) - Belgunot, descendants of Belgunotai
- Bugunot, descendants of Bugunotai
- Khatagin, descendants of Bukhu khatagi (N)
- Salji'ut, descendants of Bukhatu salji (N)
- BorjiginBorjiginBorjigin , also known as the Altan urug , were the imperial clan of Genghis Khan and his successors....
, descendants of Bodonchar- Jadaran, descendants of Bodonchar's captive wife's first son, Jamukha's clan (N)
- Ba'arin, descandants of Bodonchar and his captive wife (N)
- Manan Ba'arin, descendants of Bodonchar's son with his captive wife
- Jaoret, descendants of Bodonchar's concubine
- Descendants of Bodonchar and his chosen wife:
- Noyakin (N)
- BarlasBarlasThe Barlas were a Mongol - later Turkicized - nomadic confederation in Central Asia and the chief tribe of the Timurids who ruled much of Central Asia, Iran, and South Asia in the Middle Ages.- Origins :According to the Secret History of the Mongols, written during the reign of Ögedei Khan, the...
(several clans) (N) - Buda'at (N)
- Adargin/Adarkin (N)
- ChinosChonos tribeChonos, one of the Mongolian tribes, can be found in Kalmykia, Buryatia and Irkutskaya province in the Russian Federation, in Mongolia, and in the People's Republic of China. The name of the tribe translates as "wolves" or "wolf's", and it is one of the most ancient Mongolian tribes. It is else...
, a tribe whose seventy princes are boiled to death by Jamukha. (N) - To'oles
- Telenggut
- Chinos
- Uru'ut (N)
- Manghut (N)
- Taichi'utTayichiudThe Tayichiud were one of the three core tribe Khamag Mongol confederation in Mongolia in 12th century. Though Khiyad Borjigids and Tayichiuds were closely related and shared a common ancestry Bodonchar, at times they were arch rivals for the rule of Khamag Mongol...
(N)- Suldus (D)
- 'Naked' Ba'arin
- BesutBesudhThe Besudh are one of the major tribes of the Hazara people of Hazarajat, central Afghanistan...
(N) - Oronar
- Khongkhotan (D)
- Arula
- SünidSonid Left Banner-References:*...
- Khabturkhas
- Geniges
- Yürki, descendants of Khabul Khan's oldest son
- Kiyat, YesügeiYesugeiYesügei Baghatur , was major chief of the Kiyad-Borjigin clan and the father of Temüjin , Hasar, Hachiun, Temüge, Temülen, Behter, and Belgutei. Yesügei was the son of Bartan Baghatur, who was the son of Khabul Khan, who was recognized as a khagan by the Jin Dynasty...
's subclan - Jurkin
- Khadagin
- Mangkhol or Mangghal, the Mongols
KeraitKeraitThe Kereit tribe was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in the 12th century, and dominant in the area and, as allies of Genghis Khan, influential in the rise of the Mongol Empire...
tribe
The KeraitKerait
The Kereit tribe was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in the 12th century, and dominant in the area and, as allies of Genghis Khan, influential in the rise of the Mongol Empire...
were a tribe of mixed Mongol and Turkic ancestry. However, names and titles of Kerait rulers imply that they primarily spoke a Turkic language
Turkic languages
The Turkic languages constitute a language family of at least thirty five languages, spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, and are considered to be part of the proposed Altaic language family.Turkic languages are spoken...
. They were partly influenced by Nestorianism
Nestorianism
Nestorianism is a Christological doctrine advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428–431. The doctrine, which was informed by Nestorius's studies under Theodore of Mopsuestia at the School of Antioch, emphasizes the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus...
. Prominent Christian figures were Toghrul
Wang Khan
Wang Khan, also Ong Khan, was the title given to the Kerait ruler Toghrul by the Jurchen Jin Dynasty of China. Like the rest of their tribe he may have been Nestorian Christian...
and Sorghaghtani Beki
Sorghaghtani Beki
Sorghaghtani Beki or Bekhi , also written Sorkaktani, Sorkhokhtani, Sorkhogtani, Siyurkuktiti; , a Kereyid princess of the Nestorian Christian faith and daughter-in-law of Temüjin , was one of the most powerful and competent women in the Mongol Empire...
.
- Tumen Tubegun
- Dungkhait
- Ubchikh
- Jirgin
- Ongchijid
TatarTatar confederationTatar was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in 12th century. The name "Tatar" was first recorded in history in 732....
confederation
- Airi'ut, mentioned in connection with Ambakhai's death
- Buiri'ut, mentioned in connection with Ambakhai's death
- Juyin other Tatars, or maybe a military organization, mentioned in connection with Ambakhai's death
- Chakhan Tatar, mentioned in connection with the final destruction of the Tatar
- Alchi Tatar, mentioned in connection with the final destruction of the Tatar
- Duta'ut Tatar, mentioned in connection with the final destruction of the Tatar
- Alukhai Tatar, mentioned in connection with the final destruction of the Tatar
MergidMerkitThe Mergid was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in the 12th century.The Mergids inhabited in basins of the Selenge River and lower Orkhon River...
confederation
The MergidMerkit
The Mergid was one of the five major tribal confederations in Mongolian plateau in the 12th century.The Mergids inhabited in basins of the Selenge River and lower Orkhon River...
s were a Mongol tribe who opposed the rise of Temüjin, and kidnapped his new wife Börte
Börte
Börte was the first wife of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. Börte became the head of the first Court of Genghis Khan, and Grand Empress of his Empire. Little is known about the details of her early life, but she was betrothed to him at a young age, married at 17, and then...
. They were defeated and absorbed into the Mongol nation early in the 13th century. The ethnicity of the Mergids is somewhat obscure; most likely they were Turkic or Mongolic (related to Mongols, Naimans, Keraits, and Khitan), but it has also been postulated that they are more closely related to Paleosiberian, such as the Chukchi, or to Tungusic peoples, such as the Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
and the Evenks.
- Uduyid
- Uvas
- Khaad
Forest peoples
- Khoritumat
- OiratOiratsOirats are the westernmost group of the Mongols who unified several tribes origin whose ancestral home is in the Altai region of western Mongolia. Although the Oirats originated in the eastern parts of Central Asia, the most prominent group today is located in the Republic of Kalmykia, a federal...
- BuriyatBuryatsThe Buryats or Buriyads , numbering approximately 436,000, are the largest ethnic minority group in Siberia and are mainly concentrated in their homeland, the Buryat Republic, a federal subject of Russia...
- Barkhun
- Ursut
- Khabkhanas
- Khangkhas
- UriankhaiUriankhai"Uriankhai" , also known as Urianhai or Uryangkhai, is a term applied to several neighboring ethnic groups...
- Tuvas
- Kirgis
- Kesdiyin
- Bayit
- Tukhas
- Tenlek
- To'eles
- Tas
- Bajigit
- Tumat, identical to Khoritumat
- BarkhujinBarga MongolsThe Barga are a subgroup of the Mongol people who speak a Barga dialect of Buryat language and predominantly live Hulunbuir since 17th century under the Qing Dynasty....
Other smaller groups mentioned
Groups whose affiliation is not really made clear: these groups may or may not be related to any of the tribes and clans mentioned above:- Olkhuno'utOlkhunutOlkhunut was the tribe of Hoelun, the mother of Temüjin, more widely known as Genghis Khan. They helped Genghis to defeat the Naimans. The Olkhunut people were very closely related to the Khunggirad clan. Their descendants still live in Khovd Province of Mongolia and in Inner Mongolia....
, the clan of TemüjinGenghis KhanGenghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
's mother (D)
- OnggiratOnggiratThe Hongirat , also known as Qongirat is a Central Asian tribe, one of the major divisions of the Mongols. Variations on the name include Onggirat, Wangjila , Yongjilie , and Guangjila in Chinese sources and Ongrat or Kungrat in Turkish.The original pastures of the Hongirats were in eastern...
, the tribe BörteBörteBörte was the first wife of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. Börte became the head of the first Court of Genghis Khan, and Grand Empress of his Empire. Little is known about the details of her early life, but she was betrothed to him at a young age, married at 17, and then...
, TemüjinGenghis KhanGenghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
's first wife, descends from (D)
- some clans whose members join Temüjin after the first victory over the Merkit and the separation from Jamukha:
- Jalair'
- Tarkhut
- Bishi'ut
- Baya'ut
- Khinggiadai (D), Khinggit, subclan of Olhunoud
- Gorlos (D), subclan of Olhunoud
- Ikires
- Sakhait
- Arulat (D)
- Oronar
- some clans that take part in Sangums conspiracy:
- Khardakit
- Ebugedjin
- Kharta'at (N?)
- Khorulas, clan that joins Chinggis at the Baljun lake
- Tokhura'ut
- Negus, clan whose chief is killed together with the 70 Chinos princes