Mongol Taxation and the Tarkhan Tax Exemptions

In this episode of The Mongol Invasions, Lucas and Luna explore the Mongol system of taxation, focusing on the tarkhan grants — tax exemptions awarded for service to the empire. Drawing from the Secret History of the Mongols, Juvayni, and Rashid al-Din, they discuss how Genghis Khan and his successors used tax policy to reward loyalty, encourage trade, and maintain control over a vast, multicultural empire. The episode covers the qubchuri tax, the tangha commercial levy, and the role of Muslim merchants as tax farmers. They also examine how the Mongol fiscal system evolved under Ögedei and Möngke, and how tarkhan grants created a privileged class that sometimes undermined central authority. Specific examples include the Uighur merchants of Beshbalik and the tax revolts in Khorasan. The conversation ends with a reflection on how taxation shaped the empire's rise and its eventual fragmentation. #MongolTaxation #Tarkhan #Qubchuri #Tangha #Juvayni #RashidAlDin #SecretHistoryOfTheMongols #Ogedei #MongkeKhan #GenghisKhan #Khorasan #Beshbalik #Yam #CentralAsia #History #FexingoHistory #MongolEmpire #TaxationHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo