tarkhan

• Tarkhan

From a descendant of Proto-Turkic *tarkan, ultimate origin uncertain. See Chinese 單于 (chányú) and the Wikipedia page for more. Doublet of chanyu.

tarkhan (plural tarkhans)

1. (historical) An ancient Central Asian title used by various Turkic, Mongolic and Indo-European (Scythian and Tokharian) peoples, especially in the medieval era, and prominently among the successors of the Mongol Empire; it generally conferred exemption from taxation.
   • 2007 May 6, Michael Chabon, “‘Gentlemen of the Road’”, in New York Times‎^[1]:

     The tarkhan, leader of the Khazar army, meets Amram, Zelikman and a green-eyed young person who claims to be Alp, the brother of Filaq.

   • 1980, Manfred Späth, “Beiträge zur 4. Internationalen Konferenz über Altrussische Geschichte. Begunov, "Weisse Rus".”, in Forschungen zur osteuropaischen Geschichte, Bd. 27, page 164:

     Already by the time of Genghis Khan, tarkhans were exempt from taxes and various economic services; they later became a privileged estate or class. In the Kazanian society, the tarkhans constituted a privileged, landowning, and conditionally hereditary nobility which was exempted from taxes and most other obligations.