Title: The Mongol Conquest and Rule in Iran: The Ilkhanate from Hleg to Ab Sad,

1256-1335
-

I have been specifically looking at the cultural changes and melding that occurred
between the Mongol invaders and the Iranian natives from the time of the
founding of the Ilkhanate in 1256 through the death of Abu Said in 1335. I am
particularly focusing on the Mongol armor of the period.
o Ilkhanate = sub-khanate
o Il-khan = subordinate/lesser khan in service to the Great Khan.
Basically, prince who serves the king.
o Chose this time frame because:
Hulegu founded the Ilkhanate.
Abu Said was the first Ilkhan to be given an Islamic name at birth.

Thesis: The cultural melding that occurred between the Mongol conquerors and the
Iranian natives during the Ilkhanate, can be seen through the changes in the armor
and art of the period.
The basis for this thesis is uncontested among historians. It is a widely accepted fact that
the cultures of the Mongols and Iranians influenced each other during the period of
Ilkhanid rule.
- What I am hoping to contribute through my research is the connection between
these accepted cultural changes and the armor of the period.
- To do this, I have looked at:
o For historiographical element of paper:
Primary sources such as Rashid al-Dins Compendium of
Chronicles, and The Secret History of the Mongols (13th century
text, author unknown).
Various secondary sources, namely:
David Morgan: The Mongols
Jack Weatherford: Genghis Khan and the Making of the
Modern World
Thomas Allsen: Mongol Imperialism: The Policies of the
Grand Khan Mongke in China, Russia, and the Islamic
Lands
Timothy May: The Mongol Art of War: Chinggis Khan and
the Mongol Military System; and
The Training of an Inner Asian Nomad Army in the PreModern Period (article)
o For armor element:
Secondary sources:
Witold Swietoslawski: Arms and Armour of the Nomads of
the Great Steppe

Manouchehr Khorasani: Arms and Armor from Iran

Russell Robinson: Oriental Armor
Primary sources:
Photos of extant armor pieces
Illustrated manuscripts
o Rashid al-Dins Illustrated History of the World
Note: illustrations are subject to artistic license, so care must be used when using
them for primary sources for armor. But by comparing them to written primary
sources as well as extant armor pieces, it is possible to check their accuracy, and
therefore use them as sources.

Primary armor sources were very difficult to find for this research.
- There is a gap of about 200 years, around the time of the Ilkhanate, from which
there are very few armor artifacts available.
o I think that this is likely because this part of the world has seen so much
destruction over the centuries.
- Contacted museums worldwide but did not hear back.
The Mongol Empire:
- 1206: Genghis Khan unified the tribes of what is now modern-day Mongolia, and
was declared Great Khan. (Ruler over all of the unified tribes.)
o The reason it is called the Mongol Empire is because Genghis Khan was
of the Mongol tribe.
- 1227: Genghis Khan died
- Succeeded by: Ogedei, Guyug, (with regents in between)
o 1251: Mongke was elected Great Khan
This paper focuses on period beginning with Mongkes reign.
Ilkhanate:
- Mongke turned his conquering gaze towards the Middle East
o Appointed his brother, Hulegu, as leader of an army to conquer Persia
Main objective was the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad.
First conquered the Ismaili Assasins in Iran (1256)
Established the Ilkhanate in Iran (1256)
Sacked Baghdad in 1258
Ilkhanid Rule:
- Factors for cultural melding between the Mongols and Iranians:
o Following the Mongol practice, Hulegu conscripted 1 out of every 10 men
to serve in the Mongol military.
o Used Persians as advisors and governmental administrators.
These practices led to the eventual melding of the two cultures.
o Turning point for cultural melding:
Ghazan Khans conversion to Islam
He openly embraced Islam, naming it the official religion.

o After this, Mongols are depicted in Persian

manuscripts as wearing turbans instead of their
traditional hats.
Armor:
- There are very few scholars of Mongol armor.
Mongol:
- There is stereotype of Mongols as being poorly armored and poorly equipped.
This stereotype is WRONG.
-

Swietoslawskis 3 warrior stratum

- Commonality: silk undertunic worn under their deel, or outer-tunic.
Provided additional protection because it would catch an
arrowhead. It left a cleaner wound, and made extracting the
arrow easier as they would pull the cloth out and the head
would come with it cleanly.
o Lower class:
If they wore armor, mostly quilted cloth
Consisted of a khalat, long loose gown, padded with animal
hair or possibly cotton fibers.
No archaeological evidence remains, but appears in Persian
paintings (such as Figure 1 of handout) and 16th century
Lithuanian written sources discussing the Tatars.
o Middle Class
Found in grave sites:
Helmets (Figures 2 & 3) with spherical tops, although
occasionally a conical has been found.
Armor scales, but rare.
o Elite Class
Lamellar armor common (Figure 4)
Small plates laced together with rawhide or sinew
Leather cuirasses
Chain mail tunics
Used, but rare
Usually waist length with sleeves that reached to the
elbows.

Persian:
- Body armor similar to Mongols
o Lamellar
o Chain mail
o **Arabic script as decorations**
- Bazubands

o Forearm armor
Usually leather
Mongols adopted it
-

Helmet
o Distinctive pointed top (Figure 1: A, C, E; and Figure 5 (photo ex.))

Ilkhanid:
- Armor changed with the culture.
- when Ghazan converted, not only are Mongols depicted wearing turbans, but their
armor changed as well.
o Adopted the bazuband, a Persian style of forearm armor.
o Arabic designs are depicted on their armor as decoration
o **Helmets changed.
The shape went from a round dome or spangen-top to having a
similar peak to the Persian helms. (Figure 6)
There is still a slight difference in most of the pieces, which shows
the likelihood of a gradual change.
The peak of the Ilkhanid helms is slightly less (on average,
with one exception in the sources that I have found, where
the helms peak is very exaggerated.) (Figure 7)
Conclusion:
- Based on my analysis of written primary sources, archaeological findings, and
photographs of extant armor pieces, it becomes apparent that the Ilkhanid armor
does indeed reflect the cultural melding that occurred between the Mongol
invaders and the Iranian natives.