Quriltai
Also called: Kuriltai · Topic: Nomadic Empires: The Mongols · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "An Empire Across Three Continents"
Meaning
A quriltai was a gathering of Mongol chieftains and princes. Genghis Khan meant his sons to rule the empire together. The quriltai was where they made shared decisions on war campaigns, sharing of plunder, use of pastures and the choice of the next ruler. It was a key institution of the Mongol state.
Example
The quriltai of 1206 proclaimed Temujin Great Khan of the Mongols (Qa'an), with the title Genghis Khan, meaning "Oceanic Khan" or "Universal Ruler". The same assembly issued the yasaq, a set of rules for the hunt, the army and the postal system.
Don't confuse with
- Yasa: the yasa was the law code later credited to Genghis Khan. The quriltai was the assembly that made decisions.