Taiji (, 台吉, originally from zh, 太子) was a title of the nobility among the

Mongols Mongols are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, China ( Inner Mongolia and other 11 autonomous territories), as well as the republics of Buryatia and Kalmykia in Russia. The Mongols are the principal member of the large family o ...

from the 16th century. The title originated from Chinese Taizi (heir apparent son of the emperor) and was first used for the proliferating

aristocracy Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense Economy, economic, Politics, political, and soc ...

composed of sons and descendants of Batu-Möngke Dayan Khan (1480?–1517?).Junko Miyawaki, “Birth of the Khong-Tayiji Viceroyalty in the Mongol-Oyirad World,”in Altaica Berolinensia: The Concept of Sovereignty in the Altaic World, ed. Barbara Kellner-Heinkele (Wiesbaden:Otto Harrassowitz, 1993), pp.150 This is the same as Khong Tayji and after the 15th century, the Mongolians used its short form Taiji and, unlike the previous period, princes of the Oirats held the title as well at the same time. It is not to be confused with taishi, which was always given to non-royal blood nobles.

References

{{reflist Mongolian nobility Noble titles category:Chinese royal titles Culture of the Yuan dynasty