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Iran: Flag of the Ilkhanid State (1236-1335) as represented in the Catalan Atlas (1375). Actual use of this flag by the Ilkhanate is not confirmed by other sources.

Iran: Flag of the Ilkhanid State (1236-1335) as represented in the Catalan Atlas (1375). Actual use of this flag by the Ilkhanate is not confirmed by other sources.

The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate or Il Khanate was a Mongol khanate established in Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire. The Ilkhanate was based, originally, on Genghis Khan's campaigns in the Khwarezmid Empire in 1219–1224, and founded by Genghis's grandson, Hulagu, in territories which today comprise most of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and some regions of western Pakistan. The Ilkhanate initially embraced many religions, but was initially sympathetic to Buddhism and Nestorian Christianity. Later Ilkhanate rulers, beginning with Ghazan in 1295, embraced Islam.

The Catalan Atlas (1375) is the most important Catalan map of the medieval period. It was produced by the Majorcan cartographic school and is attributed to Cresques Abraham, a Jewish book illuminator who was self-described as being a master of the maps of the world as well as compasses.It has been in the royal library of France (now the Bibliothèque nationale de France) since the late 14th century.

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