The traditional termins authority, power, legitimation in Turkic-Mongolian sources: power, strength, sacredness

This article explores the nature of the traditional terms “bilik,” “kush,” and “kiye” in Turkic-Mongolian written texts, which are associated with concepts such as power, strength, and sacredness. The idea of noble origin and the unquestioned authority of a leader in the Kok-Turkic era (the era of the “Heavenly Turks”) and during the rise of Genghis Khan’s state share certain similarities. The relevance of this topic stems from the need to uncover the essential content and inner motives of traditional culture and interpret the civilizational characteristics of the steppe Turkic-Mongol peoples of Central Asia. This scholarly analysis is based on a study of information from various sources on the history of the Turkic-Mongol peoples, namely, Turkic epitaphs and the “Secret History.” The object of this study is the texts of the Kök-Türk epitaphs and the “Secret History of the Mongols,” the primary historical sources narrating the origins of the Khaganate, the ruler’s political strength and power, his rise and enthronement, and the creation of Genghis Khan’s state. The primary subject of this study is the traditional concepts of “bilik,” “kush,” and “kiye,” viewed as complex categories related to the nature of political power, reflecting key aspects of the worldview, as well as the order and principles of legitimization, enthronement, and the raising of Khagans, Khans, and steppe rulers on a white felt mat. The issue of special status clothing, belts, ceremonial adornments (in the form of ram’s horns), and associated traditions is raised in a new light.

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