Chinggisid pluralism and religious competition: Buddhists, Muslims, and the question of violence and sovereignty in Ilkhanid Iran

Abstract This article argues that the Mongol empire's famous religious tolerance cannot be explained solely through its adoption of Inner Asian imperial political traditions ruling over ethnically and religiously diverse subjects. Instead, this pluralism can ascribed to a wider pattern Mongols. The first part analytical category immanentist religions explains not only inter-cultic transparency exhibited by courts, but also few explicit instances where Chinggisid rulers reacted with ‘religious’ violence. further explores strategies employed vectors, mainly Buddhists Muslims, address, accommodate, subvert Chinggisids’ patterns religiosity primarily their pluralism, Mongols’ deified mode sacralizing kingship. Focusing on Mongol-Ilkhanid court in Iran, examines how representatives used conceptual affinities equivalences between certain principles own frameworks gain influence favour, persuade khans convert or retain earlier commitment new affiliation. Employing assimilative approach, they manoeuvred within religious, paradigm nomadic patrons while moulding manipulating it transcendentalist ends. demonstrates ‘translation’ process became an arena Buddhist–Muslim rivalry competition, cross-cultural fertilization.