tribal confederation · China, Tibet and Mongolia

Merkit confederation

1100 CE – 1218 CE (approx.)

A confederation of forest-steppe tribes south of Lake Baikal, sworn enemies of Genghis Khan after they kidnapped his wife Börte.

Origins

The Merkits lived along the lower Selenga river south of Lake Baikal, on the edge of the Siberian forest. They are known from the 12th century as three allied tribes, the Uduyit, Uwas and Qa'at, speaking a Mongolic language.

Rule and society

Merkit society combined herding with hunting and forest resources, under tribal chiefs with no permanent central government; Toqto'a Beki of the Uduyit was their most powerful leader. According to the Secret History of the Mongols, Temüjin's father Yesügei had stolen his wife Hö'elün from a Merkit, and in revenge the Merkits abducted Temüjin's bride Börte, who was rescued with help from Toghrul of the Keraite Khanate and Jamukha.

Decline and legacy

Temüjin defeated the Merkits repeatedly from 1204. Toqto'a Beki was killed on the Irtysh in 1208, and his sons fled west towards the Qipchaks. Mongol forces under Subutai and Jochi destroyed the last Merkit groups in 1217 to 1218, absorbing the survivors into the Mongol Empire.

Connections (1)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Merkit confederation. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/merkit-confederation
MLA
“Merkit confederation.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/merkit-confederation. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Merkit confederation.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/merkit-confederation.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Merkit confederation’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/merkit-confederation (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻