2017. Vol. 5, no. 1. István Vásáry

2017. Vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 56-73

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22378/2313-6197.2017-5-1.56-73

      MULTILINGUALISM AND CULTURAL INTERACTIONS
IN THE GOLDEN HORDE

István Vásáry
Eötvös Loránd University
Budapest Н–1053, Hungary
E-mail: vasaryi@gmail.com

Objectives: to examine linguistic and cultural interaction in the Golden Horde.
Research materials: while addressing the issues of linguistic and cultural interaction in the Golden Horde the author analyzes various documentary and narrative sources, numismatic materials and conclusions of Russian and Western historiography.
Results and novelty of the research: The author examines these issues in the case of two Western Mongol states: the Golden Horde and the state of Ilkhans in Iran. He defines the time frame of research as extending to the middle of the 14th century. The author concludes that despite the fact that the Mongolian language and writing became the official means of communication in the Empire they never replaced or supplanted the local languages since the established empire was multicultural and conquerors represented a linguistic minority within its boundaries. The author explains in turn the Golden Horde retardation from Iran in the process of Islamization with the fact that most of the conquered Turkic population (excluding the territories of the Volga Bulgars) had not yet undergone the Islamization or had undergone it only superficially, while in Iran, Islam had for centuries been an integral part of Islamic civilization. Therefore, cultural and religious assimilation of the conquerors of Iran, who were in the minority, occurred much earlier. The novelty of the article is displayed in the author’s conclusions that despite the Mongols became Muslims, over time they could not and did not want to give up many of the traditions and customs of their ancestors. They retained the essential elements of the Mongol religious and legal system of Yasa consecrated by its founder – Chinggis Khan. In the first place, the so-called “Golden Branch” (altan uruγ) of Chinggis’ dynasty retained the claim to universal world dominion, which for a long time remained in force even after the fall of the Mongol successor-states in the 14th century.

Keywords: history, culture, religion, Golden Horde, Iran, Mongol Empire, linguistic situation

For citation: Vásáry I. Multilingualism and Cultural Interactions in the Golden Horde. Golden Horde Review. 2017. Vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 56–73. DOI: 10.22378/2313-6197.2017-5-1/56-73

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About the author: István Vásáry – Professor Emeritus, Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Turkic and Central Asian Studies; corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Budapest Н–1053, Hungary). E-mail: vasaryi@gmail.com

Received  January 20, 2017
Accepted for publication  March 01, 2017
Published online March 30, 2017