Ilkhanid

The Ilkhanid, also known as the Ilkhanate, was a Mongol-ruled khanate established in Persia and neighboring regions as a division of the Mongol Empire. It was founded by Hulagu Khan in the mid-13th century, with campaigns that culminated in the sack of Baghdad in 1258 and the overthrow of the Abbasid Caliphate. The rulers of this realm are collectively referred to as the Ilkhans.

Geographically, the Ilkhanate controlled Iran and parts of Azerbaijan, Armenia, eastern Iraq, and western Afghanistan at various times, with its political center shifting among cities such as Maragha and later Tabriz. The administration combined Mongol imperial structures with Persian bureaucratic practices, and taxation, land tenure, and coinage were adapted from preexisting systems to the Mongol framework.

Religiously, the Ilkhanate initially pursued a policy of tolerance toward multiple faiths, but Islam became the dominant faith during Ghazan Khan’s conversion in 1295 and was reinforced by subsequent ilkhans. The empire supported science and the arts, including the Maragha Observatory founded under Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, and it helped foster a flourishing Persianate cultural milieu within a Mongol political framework.

Decline began after the death of Abu Sa'id Bahadur Khan in 1335, leading to fragmentation into rival states such as the Jalayirids in Iraq and western Iran, and the Kara Koyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu in the region. The Ilkhanate ceased to exist as a unified polity by the mid-14th century, though its institutions and cultural influence persisted in successor regimes.

Legacy: The Ilkhanate positioned Persia at the crossroads of Mongol and Persianate civilizations, promoting Persian language and administration within a Mongol imperial framework and leaving a lasting impact on the political and cultural development of Iran and its neighbors.