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Mongols

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The Mongols are a large East Asian ethnic group. They share a common heritage and ethnic identity. Most Mongols live in the Mongol heartland. This area includes Mongolia and parts of China. They also live in the Russian republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia.

Mongols-map
Mongols-map

The Mongols are the main members of the Mongolic peoples. This family includes subgroups like the Oirats and the Buryats. The term "Mongol" can also include the Southern Mongols. This group includes many specific tribes like the Chahars and the Ordos.

MongolicLanguagesGraph
MongolicLanguagesGraph

They are united by their shared history and the Mongolian language.

The origins of the Mongolic peoples are complex. Some scholars link their development to the expansion of Ancient Northeast Asians. Their lifestyle is often linked to Western Steppe Herders. This may have happened through cultural transmission. Some historical texts connect Mongolic ancestry to the Donghu. The Donghu were a nomadic confederation. They lived in eastern Mongolia and Manchuria.

They lived near the Xiongnu, who were a multi-ethnic group. The Donghu are mentioned in Chinese records as early as 699–632 BCE.

Several important groups followed the Donghu in history. The Xianbei were part of the Donghu confederation. They were a nomadic people with a formidable military. A leader named Tanshihuai ruled them from 156 to 181.

YuanEmperorAlbumKhubilaiPortrait
YuanEmperorAlbumKhubilaiPortrait

The Xianbei eventually split into different groups. These included the Rouran, the Khitan, and the Shiwei. The Rouran ruled much of eastern and western Mongolia. The Khitan were located in eastern Inner Mongolia. The Shiwei lived north of the Khitan. Some of these groups, like the Shiwei, are linked to the later Mongols.

The Khitan people established the Liao dynasty. A leader named Abaoji founded this dynasty in 916. The Liao ruled until 1125. After the Liao fell, the Khamag Mongols became a leading tribe. However, wars with the Jin dynasty and the Tatars weakened them.

Anonymous - Tartar Huntsman - 19.166 - Metropolitan Museum of Art
Anonymous - Tartar Huntsman - 19.166 - Metropolitan Museum of Art

In the thirteenth century, Genghis Khan changed everything. He united many Mongolic-speaking tribes under his rule. The word "Mongol" then became an umbrella term for this large group.

The Mongol Empire became one of the largest in history. It stretched across almost all of Eurasia.

Mongols-map
Mongols-map

Their military campaigns reached the Adriatic Sea and Japan. They also reached as far as Palestine and Indonesia. The Mongols held many different titles in different lands. They were Emperors of China during the Yuan dynasty. They were also Padishahs of Persia. Some even became the Sultan of Egypt.

YuanEmperorAlbumKhubilaiPortrait
YuanEmperorAlbumKhubilaiPortrait

By 1240, the Golden Horde helped govern Russia. By 1279, they controlled all of China proper.

Even after the empire broke up, the Mongols remained influential. Many Mongolic peoples settled in new areas. Some adopted Turkic cultures after the empire split. However, their distinct identity stayed strong. You can still see their culture in their traditional homes. These are called gers.

Mongoliërs in een tent in Mongolië, KITLV 152237
Mongoliërs in een tent in Mongolië, KITLV 152237

Their history shows how nomadic tribes can shape the entire world. From the ancient Donghu to the great Khans, their story connects many distant regions.

The legacy of the Mongols is seen in many fields today. Their history is studied through DNA and ancient texts. For example, DNA from Avars in Hungary suggests they may have come from Mongolia.

Genomic evidence from Avar period human remains
Genomic evidence from Avar period human remains

This shows how far their influence traveled. Their story is not just about wars. It is about how people, languages, and cultures move across vast distances. Today, the Mongol people continue to live in their ancestral heartlands.

Mongolia, near Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia, near Ulaanbaatar
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🖼️ Images & Media (30)
File:Map of the Rouran Khaganate.png
Map of the Rouran Khaganate.png
File:元骑马武士俑1.jpg
元骑马武士俑1.jpg
File:Genomic_evidence_from_Avar_period_human_remains.png
Genomic_evidence_from_Avar_period_human_re...
File:YuanEmperorAlbumKhubilaiPortrait.jpg
YuanEmperorAlbumKhubilaiPortrait.jpg
File:Anonymous - Tartar Huntsman - 19.166 - Metropolitan Museum of Art.jpg
Anonymous - Tartar Huntsman - 19.166 -...
File:Northern Yuan and Golden Horde.svg
Northern Yuan and Golden Horde.svg
File:Qing Dzungar wars.jpg
Qing Dzungar wars.jpg
File:Langshining mao.jpg
Langshining mao.jpg
File:Battle of Oroi-Jalatu.jpg
Battle of Oroi-Jalatu.jpg
File:Mongolia, near Ulaanbaatar.jpg
Mongolia, near Ulaanbaatar.jpg
File:A Mongolian lady sits for her portrait before a Chinese photographer (cropped).png
A Mongolian lady sits for her portrait...
File:Khalkhin Gol George Zhukov and Khorloogiin Choibalsan 1939.jpg
Khalkhin Gol George Zhukov and...

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