Keraites

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Keraites Хэрэйд (Khereid)
11th century–13th century
Status	Subjects to: Liao dynasty, Qara Khitai (Western Liao), Genghisids
Religion	Church of the East
Government	Khanate
Khan
• 11th century	Markus Buyruk Khan
• 12th century	Saryk Khan
• 12th century	Kurchakus Buyruk Khan
• –1203	Toghrul Khan (last)
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Established	11th century
• absorbed into the Mongol Empire.	13th century
Preceded by Succeeded by Zubu Kara-Khanid Khanate Mongol Empire
Today part of	Khalkha Mongols,[1][2] Buryats,[3][4] Kalmyks[5] and some other Mongol and Turkic peoples

The Keraites (also Kerait, Kereit, Khereid; Mongolian: Хэрэйд; Chinese: 克烈) were one of the five dominant Mongol or Turkic tribal confederations (khanates) in the Altai-Sayan region during the 12th century. They had converted to the Church of the East (Nestorianism) in the early 11th century and are one of the possible sources of the European Prester John legend.

Their original territory was expansive, corresponding to much of what is now Mongolia. Vasily Bartold (1913) located them along the upper Onon and Kherlen rivers and along the Tuul river.^[6] They were defeated by Genghis Khan in 1203 and became influential in the rise of the Mongol Empire, and were gradually absorbed into the succeeding Turco-Mongol khanates during the 13th century.