Hulagu Khan giving a feast and dispensing favor upon the amirs and princes, from a Chingiz-nama (Book of Chingiz Khan) of the Jami al-tavarikh (Compendium of Chronicles)

Seated on a lapis-blue floral carpet is Chingiz (Genghis) Khan’s grandson, who ruled Iran from 1256 to 1265. This painting is from an illustrated copy of the history of Chingiz Khan and his family that the Mughal emperor Akbar commissioned toward the end of the latter’s life. <em>Mughal </em>is the Persian word for Mongol, and Akbar traced direct genealogical descent from Chingiz Khan on his mother’s side.<br> <br>The nomadic Mongols created court settings using portable platforms and elegant carpets and tents. Multilevel canopies of imperial crimson mark the position of the khan, which means “ruler” in Mongolian.