| Khereit Хэрэйд ханлиг |
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| nomadic confederation | ||||
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| Khereit and their neighbours at 1200. | ||||
| Capital | centered on the site of nowadays city Ulaanbaatar in during Wang Khan | |||
| Religion | Nestorian Christianity | |||
| Government | Monarchy | |||
| Khan | ||||
| - 11th century | Markus Buyruk Khan | |||
| - 12th century | Saryk Khan (2nd) | |||
| - 12th century | Kurchakus Buyruk Khan (3rd) | |||
| - 12th century-1203 | Wang Khan (last) | |||
| Historical era | High Middle Ages | |||
| - Established | 10th century | |||
| - Markus Khan was first recorded khan. | 11th century. | |||
| - Genghis Khan unified the Kereit and then established the Great Mongol State. | 1203 | |||
| Today part of | Mongolia | |||
The Kereit (Mongolian: Хэрэйд; Kazakh: Керей) tribe was one of the five major tribal confederations (khanlig) in Mongolian plateau in the 12th century, and dominant in the area and, as allies of Genghis Khan, influential in the rise of the Mongol Empire. Converted to Nestorian Christianity in the 11th century, they were also a key example of prominent Christians among the Mongols.
They located between the mountain ranges of Khangai and Khentii and centered on the site of nowadays city Ulaanbaatar in the willow groves of the Tuul River, to the west of the Khamag Mongol, to the east of the Naiman.
The last ruler, Toghrul, gained fame as far away as Europe for his battles with Muslims, and several women from the Kereit clan became influential women in the Mongol court. Sorghaghtani Bekhi, the younger daughter of Toghrul's brother Jakha Khambu, married a son of Genghis Khan, and their four sons, including Great Khans Kublai Khan and Mongke Khan, became prominent leaders of the Empire.
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According to Mongol legend there was once an ancient Khan who had seven sons. These seven sons had unusually dark faces. That is why the tribal confederation they founded was called Khereed or 'Crows'. 'Kheree' means 'crow' in Mongolian. Others claim that the Keraits were named so because they originally lived at a place called 'Khereet' meaning 'crow-with' or 'place with crows'. Yet another theory maintains that the name 'Khereed' derives from the Mongolian word 'Kherees' meaning 'cross' and is connected to their Christian religion.
The Keraits first enter into history as the ruling faction of the Zubu confederacy, a large alliance of tribes that dominated Mongolia in the 11th and 12th centuries and often fought with the Liao Dynasty of northern China, which controlled much of Mongolia at the time. After the Zubu confederacy broke up, the Keraits retained their dominance on the steppe right up until they were absorbed into Genghis Khan's Mongolian state. They consisted of eight tribes, including the Khereit, Jirkhin, Khonkhoid, Sukhait, Albat, Tumaut, Dunghaid and Khirkh, although some histories say the Kereit had eight tribes.
Markus Buyruk Khan, Kerait leader who also lead the Zubu confederacy and was eventually killed by the Liao Dynasty in 1100. Kurchakus Buyruk Khan was a son and successor of Bayruk Markus, among whose wives was Toreqaimish Khatun, daughter of Korchi Buiruk Khan of the Naiman. Kurchakus's younger brother was Gur Khan. Kurchakus Buyruk Khan had many sons. Notable sons was Toghrul,Yula-Mangus, Tai-Timur, Bukha-Timur. After Kurchakus Buyruk Khan died, Ilma's servant Eljidai from Tatar was de-facto regent. Thus, since Toghrul was upset and killed younger brothers for claim throne. Then Gur Khan raided Toghrul. Yesugei Baghatur helped Toghrul.
By 13th century, there was a significant Mongolization process among the Kerait people (Khereyid in Mongolian). Although, the ruling aristocray was of Turkic stock, the general population of the khanate was Mongol.[1]
Keraits who joined western khanates became more Turkicized forming Tatars, Kazakhs and Khirgizs while there currently exists Kerayid clan of Mongols in present-day Mongolia.
Toghrul (Wang Khan), son of Kurchakus by Ilma Khatun and reigned in 1160s-1204. His palace was located at present-day Ulaanbaatar and become Blood-brother (ceremonial) of Yesugei. Genghis Khan called him khan etseg ('khan father'). The Tatars already rebelled against the Jin Dynasty in 1195. Jin commander sent a emissary to Temujin. In fight Tatars broken and Kereit-Mongol alliance defeated them. In 1196, Jin awarded the title of the "Wang" (king). Toghrul Khan enjoyed it. Then he is recorded under Wang Khan title. In 1203, Temüjin defeated the Kerait, who were distracted by the collapse of their own coalition. Toghrul tried to escape to the Naimans, but was killed by a Naiman warrior who didn't happen to recognize him. The remaining Kerait submitted to Temüjins rule, but out of distrust he dispersed them among the other Mongol tribes. Toghrul's younger brother was Jakha Khambu,lifelong ally of Genghis Khan and father of Sorghaghtani Bekhi. Tohrul's son was Nilkha Sengum. Sorghaghtani Beki, daughter of Jakha Khambu becomed the Tolui's khatun. She was mother of Great Khans Kublai Khan, Mongke Khan, and Ilkhanate-founder Hulagu Khan.[2] In court of Ilkhanate, Rinchin, protected Christians when Ghazan began to presecute them. But he was executed by Abu Said when fighting against his custodian Chupan of the Suldus clan in 1319.
The Kereit tribe is named both Mongolian and Turkic by different accounts, though names and titles of Kereit rulers imply that they primarily spoke a Turkic language. But as a coalition of many subtribes they seem to have included elements of both Turkic and Mongol ancestries, which makes an unambiguous categorization difficult.[2][3][4][5][6]
The Kereit were converted to Nestorianism, a sect of Christianity, early in the 11th century.[2][7] Other tribes evangelized entirely or to a great extent during the 10th and 11th centuries were the Naiman and the Ongud.
An account of the conversion of the Kerait is given by the 13th century Jacobite historian Gregory Bar Hebraeus. According to Hebraeus, in early 11th century, a Kereit king lost his way while hunting in the high mountains. When he had abandoned all hope, a saint (Mar Sergius or Saint Sergius) appeared in a vision and said, "If you will believe in Christ, I will lead you lest you perish." He returned home safely. When he met Christian merchants, he remembered the vision and asked them about their faith. At their suggestion, he sent a message to the Metropolitan of Merv for priests and deacons to baptize him and his tribe. As a result of the mission that followed, the king and 20000 of his people were baptized.[4][8] Rashid al-Din says in the Jami al-Tawarikh that the Kereit "are given over to the worship of Jesus". William of Rubruck, who encountered many Nestorians during his stay at Mongke Khan's court and at Karakorum in 1254-1255, notes that Nestorianism in Mongolia was tainted by shamanism and Manicheism and very confused in terms of liturgy. He attributes this to the lack of teachers of the faith, power struggles among the clergy and a willingness to make doctrinal concessions in order to win the favour of the Khans.
The legend of Prester John, otherwise set in India or Ethiopia, was also brought in connection with the Nestorian rulers of the Kerait. In some versions of the legend, Prester John was explicitly identified with Toghrul.[2] But Mongolian sources say nothing about his religion.[9] The Chinese series "Genghis Khan" depicts Wang Khan Toghrul as a devout Christian, with a cross mounted on top of his royal yurt which has a Christian altar inside and shows him regularly making the sign of the cross. The Naiman are also depicted similarly, as a literate Christian tribe looking down on the 'filthy Mongols'. Jamukha, politically motivated, hastily receives a baptism from them. A brief scene of the Chinese "Genghis Khan" series on Youtube shows the Khan of the Naiman (with helmet) in front of his cross-crowned royal yurt ([1]). The Japanese-Mongolian film "Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea" also depicts Wang Khan Toghrul of the Kerait as Christian, with a church bell behind his royal yurt and Christian cross signs on his flag, his throne as well as covering his yurt. This can be seen starting from "3:00" minutes on this Youtube video of the film (dubbed Thai) which shows a young Genghis Khan presenting a gift to Wang Khan Toghrul ([2][dead link]).
People with clan name Khereit are still found among the Ordos and the Baarin in Inner Mongolia as well as among northern Khalkha and Torguud people in Mongolia.
Another descendants of Kerait are the Karaylar or Kerey tribe within the Middle Juz of the Kazakhs.
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