Going through my notes on Mongolia after failing to identify Möngke Khan as an answer. They don’t get much harder than these!
Questions
Particularly associated with another country, at 4% which is the second largest ethnic group of Mongolia?
KAZAKHS
Featuring a word also used in the legislatures for Tuva, Buryatia and Kalmykia, what three-word term is given to the Mongolian unicameral parliament?
STATE GREAT KHURAL
Who became Mongolian Prime Minister in 2021? He was 40 when he took over the role and gets his name from his Buddhist monk, chess-playing grandfather. His writings include “Vision”.
LUVSANNAMSRAIN OYUN-ERDENE
The supreme rulers of which Khaganate, which operated from 330 to 555, were the first to use the term Khagan, a title borrowed from the Xianbei, the empire that followed on from the Xiongnu?
ROURAN
Defeating the Rouran Khaganate following a rebellion that shares the nomadic confederation’s name, which first Turkic Khaganate from 552 to 603 initiated the subsequent rise of Turks in world history?
GÖKTÜRK
Also known as the Khitan empire, after the fall of which dynasty in 1125 did the Khamag Mongols become a leading tribe, sometimes considered to be a predecessor to the Mongol empire?
LIAO / GREAT LIAO
A major chief of the Khamag Mongol confederation from the Borjigin family, who was Genghis Khan’s father, his name meaning ‘like nine’, which indicated he has auspicious qualities of that Mongol lucky number?
YESUGEI
On UNESCO’s tentative list, which cave is called the ‘Lascaux of Mongolia’, with the paintings dating back to the Upper Palaeolithic of 20,000 to 15,000 years ago?
KHOIT TSENKHER
Giving part of the name of two Mongolian provinces, which mountains in central Mongolia lie 400km west of Ulaanbaatar? The World Heritage Site of the Orkhon Valley lies to its east, notable for representing the development of nomadic pastoral traditions in the area.
KHANGAI (The provinces are Arkhangai and Overkhangai – North and South Khangai respectively)
Ownership being currently disputed, which present-day city withstood a siege from the Gökturks in 576? Former names include Panticapaeum, a city founded by Greek colonists on Mount Mithridat which derived its lengthy title from the Scythian for ‘fish-path’.
KERCH
Starting as a result of the power struggle following the 1259 death of fourth Khagan Möngke Khan, which civil war from 1260 to 1264 fragmented the Mongol empire and resulted in a victory for Kublai Khan?
TOLUID CIVIL WAR
With modern related ethnic groups including the Tuvans, who are the westernmost group of Mongols whose ancestral home is in the Altai region of Siberia, Xinjiang and Western Mongolia?
OIRAT
After the Yuan were expelled from China, what was the Mongol dynasty that continued to rule known as, surviving until 1635 when Ejei Khan submitted to the Later Jin?
NORTHERN YUAN
Born as Batumöngke, who in the early 16th century reunited the Mongols under the Genghisids, becoming the longest reigning Khan of the unified Mongols? His queen Mandukhai gives her name to a novel by German author Tanja Kinkel, with him being an important background character.
DAYAN KHAN
Also holding the title of ‘Bogd Gegeen’, what are the spiritual heads of Tibetan buddhism in Mongolia called, with the first being Zanabazar who was reincarnated in 1635?
JEBTSUNDAMBA KHUTUKTU
The father of final Khagan Ejei Khan, what was the birth name of Khutugtu Khan who attempted to reunify the divided Mongol empire, though his unpopular reign generated violent opposition to his attempted reforms?
LIGDEN (KHAN)
A leader of the Tümed Mongols and grandson of Dayan Khan, who founded the city of Hohhot, helped introduce buddhism and initiated the title of Dalai Lama?
ALTAN KHAN
Giving their name to a republic of Russia, what did the Oirats who migrated to the Russian steppes become?
KALMYKS
Corresponding to a number of different official titles in the imperial government of Qing China, what was the term for a Manchu high official?
AMBAN
Also the 8th Jebtsundamba Khutuktu, the third most important role in Tibetan buddhism, which ruler declared Mongolia’s independence in 1911 following the Xinhai revolution in China?
BOGD KHAN
Born in Suzhou, which Chinese warlord invaded Mongolia after independence, temporarily bringing it back under Chinese control? While travelling from Beijing to Shanghai he was kidnapped and assassinated as revenge for killing the general Lu Jianzhang.
XU SHUZHENG
Later executed, which Russian general defeated the Chinese in 1921, restoring the monarchic powers of Bogd Khan? He was known as ‘the mad baron’ or ‘the bloody baron’ after the eccentric treatment of his enemies.
BARON UNGERN
The only time in modern Mongolian history that a leader has had complete power, which ruler from the 1930s until 1952 had an alliance with Joseph Stalin?
KHORLOOGIIN CHOIBALSAN
Featured in “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle”, which 1939 battle did the Mongolians help the Russians to a decisive defeat of Japan?
KHALKIN GOL / NOMONHAN
The longest serving leader of any Eastern Bloc country, who held various titles such as General Secretary and Chairman when he was in charge from 1952 to 1984?
YUMJAAGIIN TSEDENBAL
Known in China as Friendship Peak and situated in the Altai Mountains, which highest point of Mongolia with a name meaning ‘cold’ is on its western border with China?
KHUITEN PEAK
Found in Ulaanbaatar, what is the pretty skyscraper that is colloquially known as ‘the meat cleaver’ or ‘the sail boat’, being surpassed as Mongolia’s tallest structure by several other buildings since it was built in 2009?
BLUE SKY TOWER
Meaning ‘Turquoise hill’ and a source of copper, which mining project in the Gobi Desert is the largest financial undertaking in Mongolian history?
OYU TOLGOI
Because the new Ulaanbaatar international airport opened in 2021 has been named for Genghis Khan, what name has the former Genghis Khan airport reverted to?
BUYANT-UKHAA
Affiliated with the Gelug sect of Tibetan buddhism, what is probably the earliest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia? It makes up part of the Orkhon Valley world heritage site, near Karakoram.
ERDENE ZUU
Also known as the horsehead fiddle, the national string instrument of Mongolia is known as the morin what?
(MORIN) KHUUR
Traditionally eaten at home during the Tsagaan Sar – the Mongolian Lunar New Year – what is a meat filled steam dumpling that can be found throughout eateries in Ulaanbaatar?
BUUZ
Especially popular during the summer holiday of Naadam, what is the flicking of sheep ankle bones at a target called, with these objects also being used for fortune telling?
SHAGAI
Giving his name to the central square in Ulaanbaatar which lies just to the north of the Blue Sky Tower, who is the father of the Mongolian revolution, also known for his legendary ‘trick riding’? It was briefly renamed Chinggis square for dodgy political reasons, but reverted back to its original name after a change to the party controlling the council.
DAMDIN SÜKHBAATAR
Which judoka won Mongolia’s first gold in 2008? At London 2012 he improbably beat a South Korean athlete in the semi-final after suffering an injury, but succumbed to a Russian in the final.
NAIDANGIIN TUVSHINBAYAR
Jochi was the eldest son of Genghis Khan, and presumably which principal wife?
BÖRTE
Which of Jochi’s sons presided over the Islamisation of the Golden Horde? His reign from 1313 to 1341 was the longest of any of its rulers.
ÖZ BEG KHAN / UZBEG KHAN / UZBEK KHAN / OZBEG KHAN
Declared by Genghis Khan, what was the oral code of law among the Mongols, being kept secret and never made public?
YASSA
As well as being the Mongol oral code, yassa is a marinated rice dish in which country’s cuisine?
SENEGAL
In which city was the yassa declared, being given to Genghis Khan’s second son Chagatai to oversee?
BUKHARA (In Uzbekistan)
Originating from the nomadic way of life, what unique form of dance can vary among different ethnic groups, with the western Mongol or Oirat versions being particularly famous? The Hu have a song that includes this term in the title where they play traditional instruments like the morin khuur and everyone looks like they’re having a riot.
BIYELGEE
According to the writings of Marco Polo, what two-or-three stringed lute was played by the Mongols before a battle? It is one of the instruments often included in a biyelgee and particularly associated with the western Mongols or Oirat.
TOVSHUUR
Some Mongol ethnic groups carry out biyelgees with mugs filled with what mare’s or goat’s milk balanced on their heads and hands, that is more commonly known as kumis in neighbouring areas?
AIRAG
Möngke Khan died in 1259 while laying siege to the Diaoyu fortress, which is located on a namesake mountain in which Chinese city?
CHONGQING
Möngke Khan was the first Khagan of which line, named for a son of Genghis Khan and his wife Börte?
TOLUID
Under Möngke Khan the Mongols conquered what state in modern day Yunnan, which was named from the Chinese for ‘marble’ rather than an artist who came much later?
DALI
A relative footnote in history as he only reigned from 1246 to 1248, who was the third Khagan on the Mongol empire, being the eldest son of Ögedei Khan and preceding Möngke Khan?
GÜYÜK (KHAN)
Who claimed the title of Great Khan following the death of his brother Möngke Khan, taking power while Kublai and Hulagu were absent? Following an election on Kublai’s return rival factions could not agree, leading to the four-year Toluid Civil War with Kublai Khan ascending the throne in 1264?
ARIQ BÖKE
Möngke Khan is buried at Burkhan Khaldun in which range of mountains that share their name with a province in north-eastern Mongolia? It is also the possible birth and burial place of Genghis Khan, as well as the birthplace of the successful general Subutai.
KHENTII MOUNTAINS
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