Welcome to Qaghan
We study the decisions of 520 rulers across 23 khaganates, from 265 AD to 1925, and turn them into clear, practical lessons for the choices leaders face today.
Our Coverage
Supreme rulers of the Mongol Empire and their successors who governed China as the Yuan Dynasty.
First Turkic empire to spread the Qaghan title from China to the Byzantine frontier.
The vast western khanate stretching from the Urals to the Danube, dominating Eastern Europe.
Khaganate of the Pontic and Caspian steppe whose ruling elite adopted Judaism; it stood between the Caliphate and Byzantium.
Bulgar founders of the Bulgarian state on the Danube; the Nominalia preserves the earliest Bulgarian ruler list.
Ottoman sultans included hakan in their titles, styling themselves "sultan son of sultan, khaqan son of khaqan".
Who We Are
The Qaghan title passed from the proto-Mongolic tribes of 265 AD to Göktürks, Khazars, Bulgars, Mongols, Ottomans, Safavids and the Qing. We study the people who held it so that their successes and their failures can inform the leaders of the next era.
Learn more about QaghanHow We Work
We profile all 520 rulers who held the Qaghan title, across 23 khaganates and seventeen centuries.
We examine what each ruler faced, the options they had, what they chose, and what followed.
We draw out what worked and what failed, so today's leaders can learn from both.
