ĀQĀ (or ĀḠĀ), Mongolian title, essentially meaning “elder brother” and by extension “senior member of the family.” It was in…

ĀLČĪ (“sealer”), a Turkish term (from āl “red seal”) designating an il-khanid chancery official. In Rašīd-al-dīn’s account of Ḡāzān’s administrative…

ALĀFRANK or ALA-FIRENG, the eldest son of the Il-khan Geiḵatu (r. 690-94/1291-95). His career is shrouded in a good deal…

AḴTĀJĪ, a term, Mongolian in origin, derived from aḵtā “gelding” and meaning “groom” or, more specifically in the context of…

ELČĪ (īlčī), envoy, messenger, or official traveling on government business during the Mongol period and thereafter. The Mongols were especially…

DASTŪR AL-KĀTEB FĪ TAʿYĪN AL-MARĀTEB, administrative manual written by Moḥammad Naḵjavānī (ca. 679/1280-after 768/1366), son of Faḵr-al-Dīn Hendūšāh b. Sanjar…

DASTJERDĀNĪ, JAMĀL-AL-DĪN, Il-khanid bureaucrat. He first came to prominence as inspector of awqāf (pious endowments) in Iraq in 683/1284. Later,…

ČENGĪZ (Mong. Chinggis) KHAN, probably born in 562-63/1167 in northeastern Mongolia, the founder of the Mongol empire, the most extensive…

BOKĀVOL (Büke’ül), a term used in the Il-khanid period and after for a royal food taster or, later and more…

ĀMOLI, ŠAMS-AL-DIN MOḤAMMAD B. MAḤMUD, Shiʿite scholar and author, died at Shiraz in 753/1352-53, when it was under the control…