イルハンの冬營地・夏營地

Abstract

The Mongols kept their nomadic life even after their conquest of Iran and the establishment of Hulagu Ulus there. The Il-khans, sovereigns of Hulagu Ulus, had their own pasture lands and set up their winter- and summer-quarters there. They usually made seasonal migrations between the headquarters. These winter- and summer-quarters, respectively qishlaq and yaylaq in the Persian written sources, were founded in Azerbaijan, the northwestern province of the Land of Iran. The main winter-quarters were located in Arran and Mughan on the lower reaches of the Rivers Aras and Kur, in Jaghatu on the lower reaches of the River Jaghaturud, and in Baghdad later. The main summer-quarters were located in Alatagh at the watershed of the Rivers Euphrates and Aras, in Siyahkuh on the upper reaches of the River Jaghaturud, in Sughurluq ( = Takht-i Sulaiman) on the River Saruq, and in Sultaniyya at the watershed of the Rivers Zanian and Abhar. The Il-khans visited Tabriz and Maragha only on the way to and from the headquarters. However, they never entered cities and had no intention to settledown there. Furthermore, all the important state affairs and ceremonies of the Il-khans were carried out either at the winter- and summer-quarters or on their way of seasonal migrations. We may now say that Azerbaijan, where both the headquarters of the Il-khans and the military fiefs of the Mongol tribes were set up, was the Qol-un Ulus (the Land of the Middle) of Hulagu Ulus. That is why Azerbaijan became the Land of Turks in due course of time after the Mongol domination.