Merkit
Three Merkits ᠮᠡᠷᠬᠢᠳ | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11th century–1200 | |||||||
Mongol Empire c.1207 | |||||||
| Status | Nomadic confederation | ||||||
| Capital | Not specified | ||||||
| Religion | Shamanism, Syriac Christianity | ||||||
| Government | Elective monarchy | ||||||
| Chieftain/Beki | |||||||
• ? - 1200 | Toqto'a Beki | ||||||
| Historical era | Post-classical history | ||||||
• Established | 11th century | ||||||
• Disestablished | 1200 | ||||||
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| Today part of | Mongolia, Buryatia | ||||||
| Part of a series on the |
| History of Mongolia |
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The Merkit (/ˈmɜːrkɪt/; Mongolian: [ˈmircɪt]; lit. 'Wise Ones') was one of the five major tribal confederations of Mongol or Turkic origin in the 12th-century Mongolian Plateau.
The Merkits lived in the basins of the Selenga and lower Orkhon River (modern south Buryatia, Bulgan Province and Selenge Province). After a struggle of over 20 years, they were defeated in 1200 by Genghis Khan and their lands were incorporated into the Mongol Empire.