They are believed to be the descendants of the
Kheshig, the
imperial guard of the
Mongol Empire. The Hishigtens were the main core of the
Mongol troops, subordinate only to
Genghis Khan and in wartime became the main regiment, and in peacetime they performed the duties of personal guard of the rulers and their headquarters led by Genghis Khan.
Mongol rulers revered the Hishigtens and showed them special trust. The descendants of the Hishigten, who represented the main core of the troops of the
Great Mongol State and the
Yuan State and were the main guardians of the rulers and their headquarters and palaces, formed the modern Hishigten ethnic group. == See also ==