KHITAN AMBUSH, 10TH-12TH CENTURY MONGOLIA
After the fall of the Uyghur Khaganate in 840, the Mongolian plateau went through a new period. From Xiongnu times through to the Uyghurs, it had been the centre of great empires. After 840, the eastern steppes became a more fragmented region, which over the following centuries was dominated or heavily influence by states based in north China or Central Asia: the Khitan-ruled Liao Dynasty, the Jurchen-ruled Jin Dynasty, and the Qara-Khitai.
Of these states, the Khitan Liao (916-1125) exerted the most power over Mongolia proper, incorporating most of it into their empire and ruling it directly, establishing networks of garrisons, settlements and forts across the region. They divided the peoples of the plateau into a number of bu 部, often translated as "tribes" but more akin to "unit." These were administered by a Khitan xiangwen, a Khitan form of the Chinese title xianggong 相公 (chancellor). In time this was Mongolized into senggüm, and a common name component by 12th/13th century Mongolia. (Most famously born by Ong Khan's son Senggüm-Nilqa).
As a part of this process of consolidating their rule (and controlling the potential threat of the northern nomads) the Liao and their successors sought to control the access the iron in the steppes, either by minimizing and forbidding trade of iron implements and even coins from North China to Mongolia.
Yet archaeologically the Khitan period is rather rich in findings of iron tools and even cast-iron in Mongolia (especially in the Khitan forts). I suspect the Khitan did not ban it entirely, but tried to control its distribution as well to make the nomads dependent on them, keeping an eye on it in order to ensure they weren't stockpiling weaponry. And I suspect as well, they took it upon themselves to break up local metallurgy networks that would have challenged this, as I have shown here.
You can learn more about the Khitans and metallurgy in the Mongol Empire in my latest video
