Circular piece of silk with Mongol images; Ilkhanid; early 14th century. Silk; cotton and gold.

The Ilkhanate; also spelled Il-khanate or Il Khanate was a Mongol khanate established in 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 initially sympathetic to Buddhism and Nestorian Christianity. Later Ilkhanate rulers; beginning with Ghazan in 1295; embraced Islam.