History glossary
Khanate
a state or territory ruled by a khan, especially in Mongol and Turkic political traditions.
- Category
- Political unit
- Region
- Eurasia
What it means
A khanate was a realm ruled by a khan. After the Mongol Empire expanded and fragmented, different khanates ruled areas such as China, Central Asia, Persia, and the western steppe.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Mughal Empire
From Babur's victory at Panipat to the sack of Delhi, the Mughals built a wealthy Indian empire whose power rested on conquest, administration, elite integration and court culture before central authority fractured.
The Abbasid Golden Age
From revolution and Baghdad to the House of Wisdom, science, medicine, trade and the fall of the city, the Abbasid Golden Age reshaped global knowledge.
Kievan Rus
The founding of the Rus’ state in the north.
The Mongol Empire
From scattered steppe tribes to the largest contiguous empire in history, the Mongols reshaped Eurasia through conquest, terror, and trade.
The Qing Dynasty
From Manchu conquest to republican revolution, the Qing dynasty built China's largest empire, oversaw centuries of prosperity, and then struggled to survive foreign intervention, rebellion, and the collapse of imperial legitimacy.
