356 UNKNOWN MONGOLIA 



who could claim to be the original Prester John is of little 

 consequence, as the question can never be decided ; but, 

 taking the accumulated evidence into careful considera- 

 tion, the Khans of the Kirei in the eleventh and twelfth 

 centuries seem to accord very closely with the accounts 

 of this priestly king. 



It appears certain that early in the eleventh century 

 a great wave of Nestorian Christianity spread itself 

 across Asia, and, amongst other conversions which are 

 known to have taken place, was that of the Khan of 

 the Kirei and of many of his subjects. On this point 

 all medieval writers agree. No doubt the missionaries, 

 eager to show the magnitude of their conversions and 

 the importance of their converts, wrote these very 

 exaggerated accounts in the name of the Khan ; they 

 were doubtless products of their own imagination, and, 

 although attributed to the Khan, it is probable that 

 he was unaware of their contents. The Nestorians were 

 a great political power throughout Inner Asia in those 

 days, and the conversion of so powerful a tribe as the 

 Kirei would carry great weight ; it is noteworthy that 

 the date of their conversion marked an increase in their 

 power and prestige, this being the starting-point of 

 those conquests and invasions which brought their 

 name into prominence, and which spread their reputation 

 far and wide. 



The Kirei supremacy continued until the Tartar 

 tribe, of which Jenghis Khan was chief, became their 

 rivals, and finally their conquerors. Thus the Kirei 

 disappeared off the field of Central Asian politics, and 

 the Mongols became the leading race. The subsequent 

 history of the two races shows clearly the manner in 

 which the Mongols rose to power, became Buddhists, 



