What was the first capital of the Ilkhanate?

The first capital of the Ilkhanate was Maragheh. After Hulagu Khan captured Baghdad in 1258, he established his residence at Maragheh in northwestern Iran, making it the Ilkhanate’s first principal capital.

Maragheh’s location made it a practical base for Hulagu’s campaigns and administration. The city also became an important intellectual center: Hulagu sponsored an observatory there under the direction of the Persian scholar Nasir al-Din al-Tusi. Its famous astronomical instruments and library attracted scholars from across the region.

The Ilkhanate’s capitals later shifted. Tabriz became especially important under Ghazan Khan, who converted to Islam and reorganized the state in the late 13th century. Soltaniyeh became the principal capital under Öljaitü in the early 14th century. Hamadan was also significant in Iranian history, but it was not the first Ilkhanate capital. The early Ilkhan rulers retained semi-nomadic habits, so “capital” sometimes means the ruler’s main residence rather than a permanently fixed administrative city.