Islamization of The Mongol Khans

The Islamization of the Mongolian khans and aristocracy is a multidimensional and complex process. The importance of the Turkish religious figures in the conversion of the Mongols to Islam is known and frequently emphasized in contemporary historical sources. The narratives about the relations of Sufi sheikhs--most of whom were Turks-- with the Mongols presented in this study are based on hagiographies and other contemporaneous sources; they have been examined in their historical context to give a description of the activities of these Sufis whose religious influence over the Mongolian khans is obvious. . In the context of their political and cultural influences, priority is given to the sheikhs of Qubrawiyya and Qalandariyya, whose biographies and activities are discussed briefly. Moreover, the Turkish Sufi sheikhs, the Sufi circles, their activities, and the role of the Turkish consideration of religion in this process will be discussed.