How did the Khitan Liao dynasty control Mongolia’s tribes?

The Liao dynasty (907–1125) controlled the tribes of Mongolia primarily by employing a strategy of playing different tribal groups against one another. By maintaining these divisions, the Liao ensured that no single group could challenge their authority, often utilizing various tribes as transfrontier allies or military auxiliaries.1

To manage their broader empire, the Khitan implemented a dual system of administration:

• Northern Government: This administration was organized on a tribal basis to rule over the nomads of the Inner Asian steppes, enforcing traditional tribal laws and rites.23
• Southern Government: This administration governed the farming regions of their empire using the administrative techniques of the Tang dynasty, including Chinese-style taxation and civil service structures.23

Within their own ranks, the Liao incorporated subdued tribes into a confederation that was eventually transformed into a hereditary monarchy, with leadership strictly maintained by the ruling Yelü tribe. This dual approach allowed the Khitan to exert control over the Mongolian steppes while simultaneously managing the sedentary populations of northern China.32