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Merkit people

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The Merkit (; ; ) was one of the five major tribal confederations of Mongol or Turkic origin in the 12th-century Mongolian Plateau.

Key facts

Country.conventional_long_name
Three Merkits
Country.common_name
Merkit
Country.era
Post-classical history
Country.status
Nomadic confederation
Country.today
Mongolia, Buryatia
Country.year_start
11th century
Country.year_end
1200
Country.s1
Khamag Mongol
Country.image_map
Mongol Empire c.1207.png
Country.image_map_caption
Mongol Empire c.1207
Country.capital
Not specified
Country.religion
Shamanism, Syriac Christianity
Country.government_type
Elective monarchy
Country.title_leader
Chieftain/Beki
Country.leader1
Toqto'a Beki
Country.year_leader1
? - 1200

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Religion
shamanism
Continent
Asia
Form of government
elective monarchy
Legislature
kurultai
Show 1 more fact
dissolved, abolished or demolished date
1200-01-01
Sources (4)

via Wikidata · CC0

~4 min read

Encyclopedic overview

7 sections
Contents
  • Etymology
  • Three Merkits
  • Relations
  • Conflict with Genghis Khan
  • Late Merkits
  • Notes
  • References

The Merkit (; ; ) was one of the five major tribal confederations of Mongol or Turkic origin in the 12th-century Mongolian Plateau.

The Merkits lived in the basins of the Selenga and lower Orkhon River (modern south Buryatia, Bulgan Province and Selenge Province). After a struggle of over 20 years, they were defeated in 1200 by Genghis Khan and their lands were incorporated into the Mongol Empire.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Merkit people” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.