Final answer:
The Il-Khanate was initially centered in Persia and was influenced by Mongol traditions. After the conversion of Ghazan Khan to Islam, the Il-Khanate rulers embraced Islamic culture, leading to a flourishing of arts and scholarship. Despite prosperity under Ghazan, the Il-Khanate faced conflicts and succession issues that eventually led to its fragmentation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Following the Mongols' conquest of parts of the Middle East and Central Asia, the Il-Khanate emerged with Hulagu, a grandson of Chinggis Khan, at its helm. Initially, the Il-Khanate was principally centered in Persia where the rulers, while trying to maintain Mongol nomadic ways, often clashed with their Muslim subjects' way of life. However, the seventh ruler, Ghazan Khan, who reigned from 1295 to 1304, converted to Islam, after which the Il-Khanate rulers became more embedded within the local culture. Ghazan's conversion marked a significant shift in the governance of the region, as Islamic law and customs, enforced by the ulama, religious scholars, became more integrated into the administration of the Il-Khanate.
Under Ghazan and later rulers like his brother Oljaitu, there was a concentrated effort to foster a cultural renaissance. This was aided by their patronage of the arts, including the production of magnificent illustrated manuscripts, and by the construction of schools, mosques, and bazaars, which helped to rehabilitate the devastated urban and agricultural infrastructures. This approach allowed the Il-Khanate to experience a generation of prosperity and cultural flowering, particularly in cities like Maragha and Tabriz.
Negotiating trade deals, including with Venice and Genoa, and securing trade with Mongolian China were also key to this prosperity. Despite this, the Il-Khanate was frequently embroiled in conflicts with neighboring powers and suffered from internal civil wars over succession. After Ghazan's son died without an heir, the Il-Khanate descended into a civil war, eventually fragmenting into several successor states. The influence of Persian culture and the integration of Islamic customs under the Il-Khanate represent this era's legacy.