Khatun
Encyclopedia
Khatun is a female title of nobility and alternative to male "khan
" prominently used in the First Turkic Empire
and in the subsequent Mongol Empire
. It is equivalent to "queen
" or "empress" approximately.
Although the title gained prominence among the Turko-Mongol tribes of Inner Asia
, it is – like the titles Tarkhan
, Beg
and Yabghu—not of Turko-Mongol, but of Indo-European
Sogdian
origin.
Before the advent of Islam
in Central Asia, Khatun was the title of the Queen of Bukhara
. According to the Encyclopaedia of Islam
:
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
" prominently used in the First Turkic Empire
Göktürks
The Göktürks or Kök Türks, were a nomadic confederation of peoples in medieval Inner Asia. Known in Chinese sources as 突厥 , the Göktürks under the leadership of Bumin Qaghan The Göktürks or Kök Türks, (Old Turkic: Türük or Kök Türük or Türük; Celestial Turks) were a nomadic confederation of...
and in the subsequent Mongol Empire
Mongol Empire
The Mongol Empire , initially named as Greater Mongol State was a great empire during the 13th and 14th centuries...
. It is equivalent to "queen
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
" or "empress" approximately.
Although the title gained prominence among the Turko-Mongol tribes of Inner Asia
Inner Asia
Inner Asia has a range of meanings among different researchers and in different countries. Denis Sinor defined Inner Asia broadly as the homelands of the Altaic peoples and the Uralic peoples .German makes a distinction between "Zentralasien", meaning Mongolia, Tibet, Xinjiang, and...
, it is – like the titles Tarkhan
Tarkhan
Tarkhan is an ancient Central Asian title used by various Indo-European Tarkhan (Old Turkic Tarqan; Mongolian: Darkhan; ; ; ; alternative spellings Tarkan, Tarkhaan, Tarqan, Tarchan, Tarxan, Tarcan or Targan) is an ancient Central Asian title used by various Indo-European Tarkhan (Old Turkic...
, Beg
Beg
Beg refers to:* Begging* Beg or Baig an alternative form of the Turkic title Bey . It is also used by Indian, Iranian, Afghan and Pakistani people....
and Yabghu—not of Turko-Mongol, but of Indo-European
Indo-European languages
The Indo-European languages are a family of several hundred related languages and dialects, including most major current languages of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and South Asia and also historically predominant in Anatolia...
Sogdian
Sogdian language
The Sogdian language is a Middle Iranian language that was spoken in Sogdiana , located in modern day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan ....
origin.
Before the advent of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in Central Asia, Khatun was the title of the Queen of Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
. According to the Encyclopaedia of Islam
Encyclopaedia of Islam
The Encyclopaedia of Islam is an encyclopaedia of the academic discipline of Islamic studies. It embraces articles on distinguished Muslims of every age and land, on tribes and dynasties, on the crafts and sciences, on political and religious institutions, on the geography, ethnography, flora and...
:
Notable Khatuns
- BorteBörteBörte 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...
- Toregene KhatunTöregene KhatunTöregene Khatun was the Great Khatun and regent of the Mongol Empire from the death of her husband Ögedei Khan in 1241 until the election of her eldest son Güyük Khan in 1246.-Background:...
- Doquz KhatunDoquz KhatunDoquz Khatun was a Turkic Kerait princess of the 13th century, who was married to the Mongol ruler Hulagu. Their son Abaqa succeeded Hulagu upon his death.She was known to accompany Hulagu on campaigns...
- Bulughan
- BuluganBuluganDowager Empress Khanum Bulugan was a Mongolian political leader and Empress of the Yuan Dynasty that ruled Mongolia, Tibet, Korea and China. She was born as Princess Bulukhan of the Baya'ud tribe. Her husband Great Khan Temur, ruled from 1294 to 1307....
- Mandukhai KhatunMandukhai KhatunMandukhai Khatun was the Empress of the Post-imperial Mongolia. She united the warring Mongols with her husband Batmunkh Dayan Khan.- Background :...