The Foundations of Legitimacy of Mongol Khātūns and Their Role in Their Actions
Subject Areas : • Literature and political thought
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Keywords:
Abstract :
The acquisition of legitimacy has always been an important matter for the establishment and continuity of a government, and the Mongol Empire was no exception to this rule. Among the Mongol Khans, the sanctity of Genghis Khan's ancestors, his divine legitimacy, and his affiliation with the Chinggisid family were considered foundational elements of legitimacy. In the Mongol political system, in addition to the Khans, the Khātūns also held extraordinary power. During the tribal period or pre-empire era of the Mongols, women held a special significance. After the establishment of the empire, they, as the Khātūns of the court, attained a higher status than before. In fact, Khātūns played an active and influential role in many of the decisions of the government in political, military, social, religious, and other areas, and they easily exercised power in any field. It must be said that behind this influence and authority of the Khātūns, there were certainly important and powerful foundations that enabled them to wield power and exert influence across various domains.
Literature Review
In some studies and articles, general information about the Mongol Khātūns and their exercise of power can be found. These include: the book Women in Iran during the Mongol Era by Shirin Bayani (2018), and articles such as "The Political, Social, and Cultural Status of Women during the Mongol and Ilkhanid Periods" by Elham Malekzadeh (2006), or the article "Examining and Studying the Status of Women and Khātūns in the Mongol Era Based on Historical Evidence and Archaeological Data" by Yadollah Heydari et al. (2012), as well as the article "The Administrative and Political Role of Mongol Khātūns" by Ahmad Faroughbakhsh (2010), the article "Evaluating the Legitimacy of the Mongol Tribes" by Morteza Nouri (1993), and the article "Power and Legitimacy during the Ilkhanid Period" by Hassan Ansari Qomi (1999). Furthermore, the book Mongol Women in Iran: Khātūns by Bruno di Nicola (2017), the thesis Women among the Mongols by Somayeh Melik Onjel (2019), the article Women in the Mongol Empire by Mark Cartwright (2019), and the article Women in Mongol Society by Per Jange Ostermun (2000) are relevant. This study aims to discuss the sources of legitimacy and power of the Khātūns, as well as their actions and decisions.
Methodology
The considerable power and authority of the Mongol Khātūns led the authors of this study to conduct a thorough and in-depth investigation into the origin and source of such power, as well as to discuss the nature and details of their actions and the factors related to them. The goal of this research is to identify and examine the origins and foundations of the Mongol Khātūns' power. The study aims to provide substantiated and reasoned answers to the following questions: What were the foundations of legitimacy and the exercise of power by the Mongol Khātūns? How did they use these foundations in the advancement of their goals? The research methodology is descriptive-analytical in terms of execution and fundamental in terms of purpose. The study utilized documentary (library) data collection methods, with the tool being note taking.
Findings
The findings of the research indicate that, in addition to secondary issues, there are at least three main sources of legitimacy for the exercise of power by the Khātūns. These are: the sacred status of women in Mongol traditions, lineage and tribal base, and the role of motherhood or marriage. According to the sources, women held a special place and significance among the Mongols, and one of the reasons for this is the story of the Mongols' ancestor, Alankua. She became pregnant by the will of God without a husband and gained a celestial and virtuous sanctity. In some historical texts, Alankua is considered to have the same sacred status as the Virgin Mary. Therefore, powerful Khātūns also regarded this issue as an important basis for obtaining and maintaining their position. The preservation of lineage and having a clear family tree held particular importance among the Mongol tribes. This important concept was also a strong foundation for the powerful Khātūns. Any Khātūn who came from a famous and important tribe had a solid backing for exercising power. The role of motherhood or marriage was also an important basis, and Khātūns who played the role of mothers were highly influential and significant.
Conclusion
The results of the paper show that Khātūns were one of the key and influential elements in the Mongol political system, and through their decisions and actions, they brought about fundamental changes in the Mongol government system. They were able to make generals, nobles, princes, and even Khans subordinate to them by exercising power, and with the influence they gained, they could even change the succession process in favor of themselves and their family. Although the Mongol Khans were very powerful, sometimes the Khātūns were the true rulers of the state and engaged in political activities behind the scenes. The influence that the Khātūns had over the Khans and their entourages is evident in the significant actions that took place. Dismissing and appointing ministers, transferring power from one family to another, ordering the execution or exile of enemies, and appointing relatives and co-religionists to important governmental positions were some of the actions of the Khātūns, backed by the foundations of their power and legitimacy. The status and position of women in Mongol beliefs and traditions reflected the power of the Khātūns in political matters, and this position and value had a significant impact on the political, social, and religious dynamics of Mongol society. Furthermore, with the establishment of the Ilkhanid government in Iran, the status and importance of Mongol Khātūns continued and even influenced the position of women who were not of Mongol origin, leading to the governance of powerful women in areas under Mongol domination.
Keywords: Sacred Tradition of Women, Legitimacy, Power, Mongols, Khātūns.
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