Mongol Imperial Seal and Credential System

Timeline

1. 1241–1245Great khan's ordo on the Mongolian Plateau · Mongolian PlateauThe imperial great khans used the great seal to stamp edicts, while regional princes held their own seals to handle the affairs of their ulus; in the 1240s, during the period of rival khans, seals and tallies became the core documentary instruments for confirming khanly authority and transmitting the empire's will.
2. 1246–1250Along the imperial postal relay network · Mongol Empire postal relay systemDuring Güyük Khan's reign, gold and silver tallies stamped with imperial seals and documents bearing credentials allowed envoys to travel throughout the khanates; the seal system, combined with the postal relay network, became an important institutional tool for diplomacy and the protection of merchants and travelers.