qurultai

A qurultai is a traditional political and military council or assembly among the Mongol and some Turkic peoples. The term, which has several spellings including kurultai and qurultay, derives from Turkic-Mongolic roots meaning an assembly or council. Historically it functioned as a formal gathering of tribal chiefs, aristocrats, and high-ranking military leaders to decide major matters, elect leaders, approve campaigns, and coordinate policy for a confederation or state.

In the Mongol world, kurultais were central to succession and governance. Notable examples include the kurultai that elected Temujin as Genghis Khan in 1206, establishing the Mongol Empire, and later assemblies that confirmed successors such as Ögedei Khan. Kurultais could authorize campaigns, approve treaties, or resolve disputes between rival factions within the confederation. Attendees typically included senior princes, nobles, and commanders, and decisions were often reached through consensus or the support of the leading lineages; ritual elements and oaths could accompany the proceedings.

The practice spread and adapted across Central Asia, influencing similar assemblies among successor khanates and allied groups. In modern usage, the term persists in several Turkic languages to denote large deliberative gatherings, political congresses, or national assemblies. In contemporary Mongolia and Kazakhstan, forms of kurultai or similarly named councils appear in cultural or political contexts, serving as forums for consultation, leadership selection, or policy discussion. The concept remains a historical reference point for collective decision-making within Mongol and Turkic political culture.