Kaghan
/ˈkɑːɡən/noun
A supreme ruler or emperor among certain ancient and medieval Turkic and Mongolic peoples.
Did you know?The title was used by powerful Turkic rulers such as the Göktürk khagans and later became associated with the Mongol imperial title Great Khan.
Etymological Timeline
Early Medieval period
Proto-Turkic
qağan
“A supreme ruler or sovereign; the ultimate origin is debated, but the title is securely documented in Turkic contexts.”
6th–8th Century
Old Turkic
𐰴𐰍𐰣 (qağan)
“Imperial title used by the rulers of the Göktürk Khaganate.”
6th–10th Century
Chinese
可汗 (kèhán)
“A Chinese transcription of the Turkic imperial title.”
13th Century
Mongolian
qaɣan / ḳaγan
“Supreme imperial title adopted in the Mongol political tradition.”
14th–17th Century
Persian and Arabic
ḵāqān / qāġān
“A title for a great Turkic or Mongolic ruler in Islamic historical writing.”
Modern English
English
kaghan
“A scholarly English form referring to a supreme Turkic or Mongolic ruler, alongside khagan and khan.”