Il Khan (also il-khan, ilkhan, elkhan, etc.),[1]inTurkic languages and Mongolian, is a title of leadership. It combines the title khan with the prefix el/il, from the word ulus – 'tribe, clan', 'the people', 'nation', 'homeland', 'state', 'tribal union', etc.[2]
The exact meaning depends on context:
In the context of the Hulaguid dynasty, commonly known as the Ilkhanate, the title Ilkhan was borne by the descendants of Hulagu and later other Borjigin princes in Persia, starting from c. 1259-1265.[5] Two interpretations have been proposed:
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link), citing Kolbas, Judith G. (2006). The Mongols in Iran : Chingiz Khan to Uljaytu, 1220-1309. London: Routledge. 172–4 and n. 168 at 189. ISBN 0-7007-0667-4. OCLC 57344095. for 1265, and Amitai, Reuven (1991). "Evidence for the Early Use of the Title Ilkhan among the Mongols". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. 1 (3rd Ser., 1): 353–362. doi:10.1017/S1356186300001176. S2CID 162308410., for 1259.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
