Society of the Mongol Empire

[6] In the Mongolian Empire the office of ba’urchi, generally translated as “cook,” or sometimes as “steward” or “commissary,” had a closeness to the ruler and his right to act on his behalf.

Under Ögedei Khan the Mongol government issued paper currency backed by silk reserves and founded a department that was responsible for destroying old notes.

[8] In 1253, Möngke established a Department of Monetary affairs to control the issuance of paper money to eliminate the overissue of the currency by Mongol and non-Mongol nobles since the reign of Great Khan Ögedei.

His authority established a united measure based on sukhe or silver ingot, however, the Mongols allowed their foreign subjects to mint coins in the denominations and use the weight they traditionally used.

Turkic–Mongol military bands in Iran, after some years of chaos were united under the Saffavid tribe, under whom the modern Iranian nation took shape under the Shiite faith.

The Chinese silver ingot was accepted universally as currency throughout the empire, while local coins were also used in some western areas, such as the modern day Iran.

[19] As loyal allies, the Kublaids in East Asia and the Ilkahnids in Persia sent clerics, doctors, artisans, scholars, engineers and administrators to and received revenues from the appanages in each other's khanates.

After Genghis Khan (1206–1227) distributed nomadic grounds and cities in Mongolia and North China to his mother Hoelun, youngest brother Temüge and other members and Chinese districts in Manchuria to his other brothers, Ögedei distributed shares in North China, Khorazm, Transoxiana to the Golden Family, imperial sons in law (khurgen-хүргэн) and notable generals in 1232–1236.

Ögedei decreed that nobles could appoint darughachi and judges in the appanages instead direct distribution without the permission of Great Khan thanks to genius Khitan minister Yelu Chucai.

[22] Kublai's successor and Khagan Temür abolished imperial son-in-law Goryeo King Chungnyeol's 358 departments which caused financial pressures to the Korean people,[23] whose country was under the control of the Mongols.

[29] After a peace treaty declared among Mongol Khans: Temür, Duwa, Chapar, Tokhta and Oljeitu in 1304, the system began to see a recovery.

[30] Tugh Temür was also given some Russian captives by Chagatai prince Changshi as well as Kublai's future khatun Chabi had servant Ahmad Fanakati from Fergana Valley before her marriage.

[32] H. H. Howorth noted that Ozbeg's envoy required his master's shares from the Yuan court, the headquarters of the Mongol world, for the establishment of new post stations in 1336.

Men and unmarried women tied their caftans with two belts, one thin, leather one beneath a large, broad sash that covered the stomach.

For women of higher rank, the overlapping collar of their caftan was decorated with elaborate brocade and they wore full sleeves and a train that servants had to carry.

During large festivities held by the Khan, he would give his important diplomats special robes to wear with specific colors according to what was being celebrated.

[45][46] This distinction, symbolized in terms of "elder" and "younger" or "bigger" and "smaller", was carried into the clan and family as well, and all members of a lineage were terminologically distinguished by generation and age, with senior superior to junior.

Nilgün Dalkesen wrote in Gender Roles and Women's Status in Central Asia and Anatolia between the Thirteenth and Sixteenth Centuries: "It is apparent that in many cases, for example in family instructions, the yasa tacitly accepted the principles of customary law and avoided any interference with them.

Children of concubines also received a share in the inheritance, in accordance with the instructions of their father (or with custom)"[48] After the family, the next largest social units were the subclan and clan.

By the Chingissid era this ranking was symbolically expressed at formal feasts, in which tribal chieftains were seated and received particular portions of the slaughtered animal according to their status.

Genghis Khan's decree exempting Buddhists (toyin), Christians (erke'üd), Taoists (xiansheng) and Muslims (dashmad) from tax duties were continued by his successors until the end of the Yuan dynasty in 1368.

[55][note 2] In the Mongol Empire, Buddhist, Christian, Confucian, Daoist and Muslim priests, monks and scholars (later Jewish clergy) were initially exempted from all kinds of taxes and forced labor.

[56] According to Juvaini, Genghis Khan allowed religious freedom to Muslims during his conquest of Khwarezmia "permitting the recitation of the takbir and the azan".

He was initially pleased with Wahid-ud-Din but then dismissed him from his service saying "I used to consider you a wise and prudent man, but from this speech of yours, it has become evident to me that you do not possess complete understanding and that your comprehension is but small".

Furthermore, Mongol women were riding horseback, they fought in battles, tended their herds and influenced their men on important decisions for the Mongolian Empire.

Marriages in the Mongol Empire were arranged, however Genghis Khan's later nokoger (literally "women friends" but seen as wives usually and later) and those of his officers were not ever paid for with any bride price, but men were permitted to practice polygamy.

The first known yurt was seen engraved on a bronze bowl that was found in the Zagros Mountains of southern Iran, dating back to 600 BC, but the felt tent probably did not arrive in Mongolia for another thousand years.

The yurts' size and the felt walls made them relatively cool in the summers and warm in the winters allowing the Mongols to live in the same dwelling year-round.

Some travelers, like Marco Polo, did mention them in their writings: "They [the Mongols] have circular houses made of wood and covered with felt, which they carry about with them on four wheeled wagons wherever they go.

Today, yurts follow the same basic design though they are usually covered in canvas, use an iron stove and stovepipe, and use a collapsible lattice work frame for the walls.