During the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the Mongols were geographically divided into Southern, Northern, and Western Mongols. Southern Mongolia was situated in the region now known as Inner Mongolia, Northern Mongolia covered Outer Mongolia and the areas further north, and Western Mongolia was primarily active around Xinjiang and Kazakhstan.
There were twenty-four Mongol tribes of varying sizes in the south, the most powerful of which were the five tribes stretching from west to east: the Ordos, Western Tumet, Chahar, Khorchin, and Eastern Tumet. Northern Mongolia was primarily comprised of the Khalkha tribe, while Western Mongolia consisted of the Oirat.
After the fall of the Yuan Dynasty, the nomadic tribes remained in a state of chaos. One day they would be warring with one another, and the next, they might join forces to attack the Great Ming. Following the death of the last Great Khan of the Golden Family (the lineage of Genghis Khan), Ligdan Khan, his son Ejei surrendered the Heirloom Seal of the Realm to Hong Taiji and was enfeoffed as the Prince of Chahar under the Qing. From that point on, the Golden Family lost its rule over the other tribes and abandoned the hope of unifying the Mongols. After Ejei died without an heir, his brother Abunai was tasked with managing all affairs of the Chahar tribe.
Chapter 578