Historical Processes Influencing the Relations between the Ilkhanids and the Chagataids

Historical Processes Influencing the Relations between the Ilkhanids and the Chagataids

The emergence of Genghis Khan in the early thirteenth century brought about significant transformations in world history. Over nearly twenty years, Genghis Khan, accompanied by his armies, managed to conquer more than half of the inhabited world of that time. In 624 AH (1236 AD), before his death, he divided his conquered territories among his four sons. Among these, the lands between the Balkh and the Jeyhun River were granted to Chagatai, his second son, who held them under the title of "Ulus Chagatai" for nearly 130 years.

On the other hand, when Mongke Khan ascended the throne as the Great Khan of the Mongols, he dispatched his brother Hulegu Khan along with a massive army to the east, aiming not only to overthrow the Abbasid Caliphate and conquer the Levant but also to completely subjugate Iran. In this context, Hulegu entered Iran in 654 AH (1256 AD) and, in 656 AH (1258 AD), simultaneously with the overthrow of the Abbasid Caliphate and with the support of his brother Mongke Khan, established the Ilkhanate around the year 656 AH (1258 AD).

The formation of the Ilkhanate along the eastern borders of the Ulus Chagatai led to a constant state of conflict and confrontation between these two dynasties due to various factors.

Shideh / N. Azimi