The Ilkhanate; also spelled Il-khanate (Mongolian: H黮eg?yn Ulus; Mongolian Cyrillic: ???????? ???; Persian: ????? ???????); was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century; considered a part of the Mongol Empire.The Ilkhanate was based; originally; on Genghis Khan's campaigns in the Khwarezmid Empire in 1219-1224; and founded by Genghis's grandson; Hulagu; in territories which today comprise most of Iran; Iraq; Afghanistan; Turkmenistan; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Georgia; Turkey; and some regions of western Pakistan. The Ilkhanate initially embraced many religions; but was particularly sympathetic to Buddhism and Christianity. Later Ilkhanate rulers; beginning with Ghazan in 1295; embraced Islam.