Khalkha (region)

The concept of "Khalkha" appeared in Mongolia in the XV-XVI centuries and meant the land located north of the Gobi desert. Khalkha was a territory divided into possessions of many small eastern Mongol khanates, which were at enmity with each other. An attempt to unite them into a single state was made by Dayan Khan (the Great Khan in 1479-1543), however, shortly after his death, the country again turned into a group of fragmented principalities. According to the Mongolian chronicles, in the XV century Khalkha was divided into 5 otoks (destinies), in the XVII century it consisted of 7 khoshuns, or 13 otoks.

In the 1660s, a bloody internecine war broke out in Khalkha, as a result of which two warring factions formed in the country. One of them was supported by the Dzungar Khanate , on the side of the other the Manchu empire Qing came forward. As a result, in 1688, a war broke out between Dzungaria, headed by Khan Galdan Boshogtu , and Khalkha, led by Tushetu Khan Chihuhndorj and the first Mongolian Bogdo-gegan Dzanabadzar . At the same time, the ruler of the Dzungaria pursued the goal of uniting all of Mongolia under his authority in order to confront the Qing armies. However, most of the Khalkha khans opposed the unification plans of Galdan Boshogtu, and when they were defeated in armed struggle, they did not want to obey the Oirat khans and turned to the Qing emperor Kansi to accept Khalkha into Manchu citizenship. In 1691, a ceremony was held at Lake Dolonnor , marking the entry of Khalkha into the Qing Empire.

In 1755-1758, in Khalkha, which was received by the Manchus in the middle of the 17th century, was called Outer Mongolia , anti-Manchu revolts took place under the leadership of Prince Amursana and Noyon Chingunzhava , but they were suppressed. Under Qing rule, Khalkha was administratively divided first into three, and then into four aimaks , headed by khans.

In 1911, a committee of the largest Mongolian noyons was established in Urga , proclaiming the independence of Outer Mongolia . The head of the Mongolian state was elected the spiritual head of the country - Bogdo-gegan VIII . However, the independence of the country was not supported by world powers, and in 1915 the Kyakhta agreement provided for Outer Mongolia only autonomy within the Republic of China , which laid claim to the entire “legacy” of the former Qing empire. In 1919, this autonomy, in violation of the Kyakhta agreement, was unilaterally abolished by China. In February 1921, the Chinese were expelled from Outer Mongolia by the Asian Equestrian Division of Baron Ungern . Mongolia has again become an independent state. In 1924, the Mongolian People's Republic was formed on the territory of historic Khalkha.

• History of the Mongolian People's Republic, Moscow, 1967.
• Natsagdarzh S. “Manzhiyn Ershsheld Baysan Ueyin Khalkhin Khuraangui Tuuh (1691-1911)”, Ulaanbaator, 1963.