Khitan Towns in Late X - Early XI centuries in Central Mongolia and Social Processes on the Liao Empire Periphery

By middle of X century, being at the heigh of its power the Liao Empire entered a phase of stagnation during the so called "sleeping governors" period (emperors Muzong and Jingzong). The Kitan elite losing their solidarity, dissonance between the governors' behaviour and the existing image of a nomadic leader, defeats and losing territories - all this means that in 960 - 970 the Liao Empire was on the threshold of a typical for Central Asia empires crisis. However the grow of internal conflicts was being blocked due to rich Empire resources that allowed the elite of the ruling dynasty to stay loyal. The empress Dowager Longyu and the emperor Shengzong played an important role in the Empire Liao development. Their politics aimed the straightening of the government, restoration of monadic basis and military and political hegemony of Khitans in Eastern Asia. The status of nomadic empire of Liao depended on preserving its power in steppe and increasing of control on rebel tribes (Dadan, Zubu etc.). For this purpose, during the Shengzong governing period and following decades in Mongolia they built towns and strongholds in Kherlen and Tuul rivers basin, a huge defense line which included so called northern Genghis Khan vallation and strongholds near it. The most powerful town network was constructed in Central Mongolia where four large cities were built (Harbuhyn-balgas, Chintolgoi-balgas, Ulaan-herem, Khermen-denj), the stronghold with stones vallations Emgetiyn-herem, a range of small towns and manors. The 2004-2012 research of Chintolgoi-balgas, Em-getiyn-herem, and Khermen-denj showed that the population of those towns included different ethnosocial groups besides Khitans (Chinese, Balhae, Uyghur, Jurchen). The town building principles show this mixing of cultural traditions (Chinese and Balhae traditions), forms of ceramics, their ornamentation, different additional elements (ribbon type handles, cauldrons) etc. Regarding social aspects, the multi-ethnic population of Central Mongolia towns favoured their closer cooperation while they were at distance from the metropole and suffered from regular raids of the northern nomads. The social integration of nomads and farmers was more intensive here than in other regions of the Liao Empire. This also accelerated the social differentiation and worsening of some nomads' life. As can be seen from the above, local town communities on the Khitan Liao Empire periphery knew specific social changes due to more intensive interaction of nomads and agricultural groups.

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