THE THRONE ROOM OF GREAT KHAN MÖNGKE AND THE SILVER TREE OF QARAQORUM
The throne hall of Qaraqorum is one of our best described parts of the entire city. A particularly detailed account comes from the Franciscan Friar William of Rubruck, and mostly corroborated by other contemporaries like Juvaini. All agree in its splendour, and they mostly relate the appearance of the hall during the reign of Möngke (r.1251-1259) who refurbished much of it.
Möngke's throne sat on an elevated position at the northern end of the hall, facing south. His chief wife (Qutuqai Khatun) sat beside some, slightly lower. Three sets of stairs went to them, to which servants walk to bring them meals. To the Khan's left, sat the women of the court; to his right, the men.
Of course, the most famous feature of court is the Silver Tree; Rubruck is the main source for this, but it is alluded to by other sources and similar alcohol "fountains" were features of other Mongol courts (especially Khubilai's). The Silver Tree was a new part of the court; a Parisian goldsmith captured during the invasion of Hungary, William Bouchier, designed and built it (perhaps shortly after Möngke's enthronement). It consisted of a silver-covered trunk with conduits running through it that came out as gilded snakes twisting in the branches; qaraqumiss, bal, grape and rice wines pour from them into containers below. At the base, four lions pour airag/qumiss from their mouths. At the top was an angel, which would blow air through a horn to sound the signal for the drinking to begin.
On the banners behind Möngke, I have also placed his personal seal, his tamga. Finds of his coinage with the seal have been found in Qaraqorum's environs.
You can learn more about Qaraqorum's role in Mongolia's production networks in my latest video on nomadic blacksmithing:
