Choros

The Choros were a ruling clan among the western Mongol Oirats, whose pastures lay around Khovd and the Black Irtysh.

In the fifteenth century Mahamud, Toghon and Toghon's son Esen expanded Oirat power. Esen proclaimed himself khagan but was overthrown in 1455. Raids in 1552–1628 scattered the clan, but the Choros recovered around 1620 and helped found the Dzungar Khanate in the Black Irtysh and Ili country. Its ruler Galdan was defeated by the Qing in 1696 and died in 1697; the Qing destroyed the khanate in 1755–1758.