Gurkhan

Gurkhan (simplified Chinese: 菊儿汗; traditional Chinese: 菊兒汗; pinyin: Jú'erhán) was a Mongol title meaning "Universal Ruler" and roughly equivalent to the older term khagan. It was held by the rulers of the Qara Khitai (Western Liao dynasty) in the 13th century. The title was first recorderd in history after Yelü Dashi (Emperor Dezong of Western Liao) founded the Qara Khitai.[1] It comes from the Middle Mongol word "Gür" or "Kür", meaning "wide" or "general". Christopher I. Beckwith claims that the title has the meaning "the ruler of the earth" in his book Empires of Silk Road.

Notes
  1. Biran, p. 38

References
  • Biran, Michal, The Empire of the Qara Khitai in Eurasian history, Cambridge University Press, 2005.

See also


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