Chronicles of the Golden Horde

The Rise of the Horde


The Golden Horde is best known as that part of the Mongol Empire established in Russia. Originally, however, it consisted of the lands Genghis Khan (1165-1227) bequeathed to his son Jochi (1184-1225): the territories west of the Irtysh River (modern Kazakhstan) and Khwarazm (consisting of parts of modern Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan). Jochi, however, did not have the opportunity to expand his realm as he died in 1225, two years prior to his father's death.

During the reign of the successor of Genghis Khan, Ogodei Khan (d.1240/41), the Jochid Ulus or realm greatly expanded in size. In 1237, Jochi's son Batu (1227-1255), assisted by the famous Mongol general Subedei, led a large army westward. In route they destroyed the Bulgar khanate on the Volga River, pacified the numerous Turkic tribes of the steppes, and conquered the Russian cities. Then in 1240, Mongol armies invaded Hungary and Poland, winning victories over the knights of Europe at Mohi in Hungary and Liegnitz in Poland. As news spread of the ferocity of the Mongols, Europe trembled in anticipation of an attack that never came. In 1241 Ogodei Khan died, which forced the Mongol armies to withdraw to Russia in order to elect a new khan.

Despite an intense rivalry with Güyük Khan, Ogodei's son, Batu established the Golden Horde as a semi-independent part of the Mongol Empire. The origins of the name Golden Horde are uncertain. Some scholars believe that it refers to the camp of Batu and the later rulers of the Horde. In Mongolian, Altan Orda refers to the golden camp or palace. Altan (golden) was also the color connoting imperial status. Other sources mention that Batu had a golden tent, and it is from this that the Golden Horde received its name. While this legend is persistent, no one is positive of the origin of the term. In most contemporary sources, the Golden Horde was referred to as the Khanate of the Qipchaq as the Qipchaq Turks comprised the majority of the nomadic population in the region (the Ulus Jochid). The empire had its capital first at Sarai Batu near Astrakhan on the lower Volga and later at Sarai Berke on the Volga near present-day Volgograd. Its ascendancy terminated the rise of Kievan Rus (Kiev was razed in 1240) and ultimately, although indirectly, contributed to the predominance of Muscovite Russia. Under the Empire of the Golden Horde, the Russian principalities retained their own rulers and internal administration. However, they were tributaries of the khan, who confirmed princely succession and exacted exorbitant taxes.

Batu died in 1255, and the next significant ruler was his brother Berke (1255-1267) who had converted to Islam and focused most of his energies against the Il-Khans of Persia. His conversion marked the first time an important leader among the Mongols abandoned the traditional shamanistic religion. Hulegu, the founder of the Mongol Il-Khanate, had sacked Baghdad in 1258 and killed the Caliph of Islam. Berke forged an alliance with the Mamluks of Egypt who were also enemies of the Il-Khans. The war with the Il-Khans lasted well into in the 14th century.

The third ruler was Mongke Temur (1266-1279), who continued much as his predecessors did: warring against the Il-Khans. In addition, the Golden Horde increasingly dominated trade and was the most powerful state in Europe, often exerting its influence with threats of invasion into Poland and Hungary, or through its vassal, Bulgaria. After Mongke Temur's death, many of the khans became puppets controlled by generals, such as Nogai (d. 1299).

Yet, it was between 1313 and 1340 during the rule of Ozbeg Khan that the Golden Horde reached its pinnacle in terms of wealth, trade, influence, and military might. It is in these days that our chronicle begins...

Özbeg Khan - 1313 to 1340



The Later Reign of Özbeg Khan

It was upon what the Franks call Wednesday, 28 Jumaada al-awal 737 AH (that being 737 years after the Prophet's escape from Mecca) that his most excellent Majesty, Özbeg Khan, Khan of Golden Horde, Lord of the Steppe, entreated I, Abul Khayr al-Iraqi, lately come to Sarai from Damascus, to take up my pen in praise of his Majesty and his house. I replied to his Majesty saying, "I am no poet and know not the way to string together words pleasing to all ears. I only know how to write facts and happenings plainly, as Allah allows mine eyes to see them or mine ears to hear of them." The Great Khan fell silent after that for the space of a minute, contemplating my words and, perhaps, trying to conjure up a worthy rebuke to my clam but insolent reply. At the end of the minute the wisdom of my words took hold of his Majesty and he said, "Take up you pen then, and make a true report of myself and my heirs so that we shall have a name among the living hereafter. Our cities and our deeds in war cannot last forever, but if it is written, it shall, Inshallah." So, that is how I, humble Abul Khayr, did become chronicler of the Great Khan while being only twenty-two years old.


The Great Khan, Ozbeg Khan, was, perhaps, the greatest ruler of the Mongols since the death of Kubali Khan, the Khan of Khans, a few years before Ozbeg's rise to power. Chief among his achievements was the codification of Islam as the religion of the Horde. While many previous Khans had practice the true faith, none until Ozbeg brought it unto the people of the realm, as the Prophet would have wanted. At Sarai, the captial of the Khans upon the river Volga, Ozbeg called the learned men of the umma to come unto Sarai and set up places of learning. These schools were not only for the teaching of the Quran and the saying and deeds of the Prophet, nor just for the learning of the law, but also there were teachers of medicine, astronomy, caligraphy, and all sorts of arts from as far away as Granada. This was the power and the wisdom of Ozbeg Khan in those days.


Another blessing to that Khan was his marriage, for he had had the fortune of being able to wed the daughter of the Emperor of the Romans, Maria Komnene Paleologina. Theirs was a happy marriage and was blessed to produced good heirs. It also provided for good relations with the Romans as long as Ozbeg sat on the throne. There was at least one less enemy for the Horde to face.

Ozbeg carried this diplomacy beyond the Romans in an effort to find allies and to bring lasting peace to the realm of the Horde. While his vassal dukes in Muscovy and Suzdal pounced upon the Repulic of Novgorod in the spring of 737 (1337), the Khan sent his diplomats to Cairo.

1337-03-17 : April 18, 1337 : We entered a Royal Marriage with Mameluks.
1337-06-18 : July 19, 1337 : Golden Horde entered a Military Alliance with Mameluks, Hedjaz, Black Sheep and Il-Khanate.

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While the marriage of the Khan's daughter to Sultan Muhammad al-Nasir of Egypt was praised by all at court, most spoke against the Khan's decision to join the Sultan's alliance, which included the ancient enemy of the Horde the Il-Khanate. Two generals even told the Khan to his face that he was stupid for having joined the Horde to such an 'unholy league.' Ozbeg did not punish these men but only said, "Are not we and the Il-Khans of the same blood and of the same faith! Wisdom says that a house divided against itself cannot stand. So it is with our house and the spilling of more blood cannot be afforded." Thus, the opposition was silenced and said no more against the alliance.

1337-00-04 : January 5, 1337 : Suzdal declared war upon Novgorod.
1337-00-05 : January 6, 1337 : Muscowy declared war upon Novgorod.
1337-01-10 : February 10, 1337 : Ryazan declared war upon Muscowy.
1337-11-27 : December 28, 1337 : Ryazan accepted peace with Muscowy on the following terms : Full Annexation of Ryazan by Muscowy

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The Rus, on the other hand, minded little spilling the blood of their cousins and destorying their homes with pleasure. In the space of this one year, the Dukes of Muscovy and Suzdal had invaded Novgorod and put her armies to flight. Ryazan, thinking that Muscovy would be bleed dry by their war, invaded and layed seige to the Kremlin. But, by the end of the year, the tables were reversed and Grand Duke Ivan led the sack of Ryazan, looting and killing and raping so much that Mongols that saw the event shook their heads in shame. Such was the brutality of Russian against Russian in this year and the lands of Ryazan were no more.


The Khan was sorely grieved by the wrecklessness of Grand Duke Ivan of Muscovy and that he had added the lands of Ryazan unto those of Muscovy without the permission of the Khan. Yet, Ozbeg Khan did forbear, for he had not just cause to attack the Duke and the Horde was not yet ready for a big war, as one against Moscow would certainly be. The Khan's good and loyal general, Suwaida, said that the needed men and arms would be ready by the latter spring of the coming year, 740 (1340).

In the all-knowing wisdom of Allah, it was willed that Ozbeg Khan, the Great Khan of the Golden Horde, not end his days on earth in blood. So, on Saturday, as the Franks do call it, 1 Rajab 740 AH (New Year's Day), Özbeg Khan did leave from amongst the living and ascended unto Paradise. His son, Jani Beg, did rule in his father stead and under his hand would Mars work his bloody way on the plains of Rus.

Hello...

Is there anybody out there...

Just not if you here me... is anyone home?

Always wanted to say. Anyway, I hope someone is reading. You're welcome to comment. Is the style to chroniclish? Too many pics? Just let me know...

ET

Jânî Beg - 1340 to 1356


The Early Days of Jânî Beg

Upon the death of his father, Muhammad Özbeg, Khan of the Horde and righteous servant of Allah, Jani Beg rose to the throne, eventhough he was the second-born of Ozbeg's sons. The first-born, Tini Beg, was a strong man, fierce in battle and in wrestling, but not at all interested in the ways of learning and the proper way of ruling, as his father had been. Jani Beg was the opposite; he was skilled the arts of mathematics and adminstration but he was never strong and had a distaste for battle. He over came his enemies at court by use of his cunning and worked his way in the shadows. How strange then was it to see how war and blooshed filled his days as Khan.

This bloodletting began in Sarai only two weeks after the death of Ozbeg. Tini Beg returned from a hunting expedition upon hearing of his father's death and expected to be invested as the next Khan. Jani Beg caused confusion in the court, saying that Ozbeg's last words had been that the empire should past to Jani, not Tini. Even the elders of the court were not sure who to believe. This confusion continued for a fortnight until one morning the court awoke to find that Tini Beg had been strangled by one of his concubines. All suspected Jani Beg to be behind the murder, but none would say a word against him, for the fear of his spies and his retribution was great. Thus, Jani Beg was invested that day as the new Khan of the Horde, proud descendant of Jochi Khan, son of the blessed Genghis, Khan of Khans. It was on that day that Jani Beg was heard to say, "The will of Allah is made manifest this day before you!" The Khan's mother died shortly thereafter, heartbroken over the fight between her sons (relations with the Romans were never good after that).

1339-06-19 : July 20, 1339 : Novgorod accepted peace with Muscowy on the following terms : Novgorod pays 7$ in indemnities. Olonets to Muscowy.
1339-08-05 : September 6, 1339 : Muscowy cancelled the Vassalization she had with Golden Horde.
1340-00-00 : January 1, 1340 : Semyon Gordyi rose to the throne in Muscowy.

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Muscovy was rising slowly, but surely to challenge their master. In the past year, Grand Duke Ivan, knowing that Ozbeg Khan was ill, finished his war with Novgorod and refused to send his payment of tribute unto Sarai. The Khan's good and loyal general, Suwaida, said at the time that the needed men and arms would be ready by the latter spring of the coming year, 740 (1340). It was up to Jani Beg now to carry out the task of humbling the Muscovites and their new Duke, Semyon, for Ivan had also passed at the beginning of the year (and onto Hell for his sedition).


20,000 horsemen of Crimea and Azow, mostly Turks and Bulgars, were raised for the war, in addition to the 25,000 men of the Horde itself, which until this time had been occupied with putting down peasant revolts along the upper Volga and the middle Dnieper.

1340-01-08 : February 8, 1340 : Golden Horde has arrived in Kazan.
1340-01-12 : February 12, 1340 : Muscowy declared war upon Tver.
1340-02-03 : March 4, 1340 : Suzdal refuses to grant us military access.
1340-03-05 : April 6, 1340 : Golden Horde declared war upon Muscowy.

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Jani Beg and Suwaida had marched to Kazan with the Horde Army early in the year, as soon as things were settled at Sarai. The Grand Duke payed no heed to this warning and continued the bellicose policies of his father by making war against Tver. This same Semyon, infidel and devils spawn as he was, inspired to the once loyal Duke of Suzdal to refuse the Khan passage through his lands. The Khan was thus vexed by his vassal, but could not raise a sword against him, as he had not rebelled yet. After waiting a few weeks more, a message was sent from Kazan unto the Kremlin, arriving upon 8 Shawwal 740 (a Thursday by Frankish reckoning). This messenger came before the Grand Duke and handed him a red silk banner. The Grand Duke knew well its meaning; the Golden Horde as of that moment was at war with Muscovy.

Thanks guys! Its always great to get some comments.

Karasuman - Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad I finally got a Photobucket account so I can post all this screenies.

To honest, I don't think I've ever seen an AoI aar before. It is definately a cool mod; good changes, new scenarios (1337, 1520, 1568, 1816, 1861), using flags instead of shields, etc. It does indeed look cool and I find I play it more than vanilla EUII, but Im not trying to sell it you.

Stroph1 - Never played the Horde in 1419. If I'm in a rebel-killing mood, I go with the Timurids 1419.

stnylan - Thanks. I just did not want to put people to sleep with my aar. Thats what Aristotle is for.

Jânî Beg - 1340 to 1356


The War against Muscovy
First Blood, First Defeats

Upon 8 Shawwal 740 (6th of April, 1340), the Golden Horde declare war on Muscovy, once its strongest vassal and now one of its strongest enemies. Yet, this strength would not be focused on fighting the Horde as the new Grand Duke, out of his demonic greed, had made war against Tver. This poor choice would haunt Duke Semyon for those seven long years of war. It was not to be easy, for him or the Horde.


The first battle of the war was fought at Nizhgorod, a heavily forrested district east of Moscow itself along the upper Volga. The nature of the province should have convinced the Khan not to fight there, but the trustworthy General Suwaida pointed out that it was the direct road to Moscow and that the towns of the district should be taken as soon as possible, before harvest so as not to fill the garanies of the enemy. He also related how scout report there only 7,000 men there to oppose them. Thus, the Khan, relying on the words of his general (for he lacked a martial nature, strange for a Mongol), ordered the Horde into the province while he remained at Kazan awaiting reports. The battle in Nizhgorod was joined at a clearing not far from the main castle of the district and all seemed to be in favor of the Horde. So it was for ten days; reinforcement arrived for the Muscovites upon the 6th day of battle, but their numbers were still cut down by the arrows of the Mongol archers. In fact, most of the battle was fought by missle, the Rus throwing their javelins and the Mongols firing their bows without pity. Thus the ground was littered with moaning men shot full of arrows, some pinned to the trees and others stuck fast to their shields by the arrow which rained on them. Despite this heavy fire, Suwaida could gain no advantage over the Rus and when he charged them, they would raise their pikes and repulse the charge. Such fighting disheartened the warriors of the Horde and by the 10th day they refused to fight in that bloody field anymore. Suwaida was forced to fall back to Kazan and report his repulse to the disappointed Khan. The Rus of all the principalities hailed it as a great victory; truly, it was but a minor setback. Of both armies, about 5,000 were slain.

1340-04-15 : May 16, 1340 : Azow Regiment has arrived in Ryazan.
1340-04-15 : May 16, 1340 : We have initiated a siege in Ryazan.
1340-04-20 : May 21, 1340 : Golden Horde has arrived in Kazan.
1340-05-09 : June 10, 1340 : We are attacked by hostile armies of Muscowy in Ryazan.
1340-05-10 : June 11, 1340 : We went with Ignore them in Corruption.
1340-05-11 : June 12, 1340 : We won a battle against Muscowy in Ryazan.
1340-05-12 : June 13, 1340 : Crimea Regiment has arrived in Ryazan.

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The armies from the Crimea had been given the task of taking the city of Ryazan and then joining the main army at Moscow, which was suppose to be under seige by the time Ryazan fell. The men of Azow, under one Azzer, arrived first and surrouned the city so as to let none go in or come out. On 13 Thw al-Hijjah (June 26, 1340), the sabbath day of the Jews, the Rus attacked and for two more days thereafter fought with the men of Azow. They were in the end driven of with little loss. The day after that, the men of Crimea under Jem finally arrived and joined the seige. All seemed set for the quick fall of the city until another army arrived to raise the seige. At dawn on 29 Thw al-Hijjah, the army of the Muscovites, 21,000 strong (mostly foot), attacked the camp of the Mongol army, which was awake, but at rest. The Mongols, though, were not shaken and took to battle easily, despite being victims of an ambush. Still, once again, the will of the warriors was found lacking and the seige was lifted for the time being. Of the Rus, about 4,000 were slain and of the Mongols, about 7,000. All the Rus spoke of another 'great' victory and Grand Duke Semyon, the inbred cur, sent letters unto the Duke of Suzdal, trying to get him to join the rebellion against the Khan, his rightful lord.

Jânî Beg - 1340 to 1356


The War against Muscovy
"We shall avenge our blood and cleanse our shame!" - Jani Beg I upon hearing of the defeat at Ryazan

In the wake of the reverse at Ryazan, the Khan was greatly perplexed. The Horde had been bested two times in one year by the Rus. Never had such a thing happened in the history of the rule of the Mongols over the Rus and the news of such defeats were sure to make things untenable for the Horde and Jani Beg himself. There was always the threat that one of his generals or the Khan of the White Horde, the seed of Orda Khan (Jochi's second son), might emerge to overthrow him for a throne all thought he had killed to sit upon in the first place. Knowing the critical nature of the situation, the Khan took it upon himself to solve the problem, if their was one, with the armies of the Horde. The faction that struck him was the Horde's lack of infantry in these battles. While it had usually been to the benefit of the Horde to rely upon cavalry, especially for the quickly put down of rebellion across such a wide dominion, the Khan realised that horsemen were not enough to fight the Rus anymore. So, he commissioned the governors of Tambow, Saratow, and Ufa to draft foot soldiers from among the Rus and via the Genoese at Kaffa the services of 'German' mercenaries were obtained (though most of them seemed to be Italian and Turk rather than German).

1340-05-12 : June 13, 1340 : We have initiated a siege in Nizhgorod.
1340-07-07 : August 8, 1340 : We have initiated a siege in Ryazan.

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In addition to the rebuilding of the army, the summer of 740 also saw the cities of Nizhgorod and Ryazan again under seige by the Mongols. In the month of Safar (August), the Horde, numbering about 18,000, repulsed an attack at Nizhgorod by a Muscovite army half their size. Still greater victory was to come a few months later at Ryazan.


By 26 Jumaada al-awal 741 (November 17, 1340), the Mongols' second seige of Ryazan had been going for over three months and was progressing well. The city was predicted to fall by the Frankish new year and reinforcement were on the way for the already strong force of about 19,000 (9,891 foot, 10,501 horse). It was then that the satanic prince of the Rus, the Grand Duke Semyon Gordyi (all called him Proud now, as he was, like Lucifer when he rose against the Almighty), gathered his armies at Moscow and marched on Ryazan. It was a move of desperation rather than of sound strategy, for the troops he used were mostly fresh concripts. Yet, the dog was full of pride and arrogance and thought he would make the troops of the Horde fly again. He would pay for this hubris, as the Greek called it.

Semyon used no guile this time, but instead challenged the Mongol general, Jem of Crimea, to battle on 26 Jumaada al-awal. Jem accepted and Semyon made a great show of beating drum and blowing horns as his 17,000 spearmen advanced in three squares with his own noble guard of 2,050 horse holding the wings and the center-rear. At the time, Jem only about 10,000 each of foot and horse, still outnumbering the Rus, but he took the defensive and let the Rus charge repeatedly. This was agreeable to the mercenaries who fought for the Horde, for men who fight for hire prefer to live to be paid, and the several attacks of the Muscovites only worsened the condition of their army, sapping their discipline and morale. On the 4th day of battle, 6,000 foot and 1,000 horse arrived to reinforce the Mongols; the foot were mostly the 'Germans' of Gunther's Band. It was then that Jem went on the offensive, pushing back the Rus from the city and causing them the loss of many valiant men. Soon, the army fell into absolute panic as Jem led a charge of the heavy cavalry. Grand Duke Semyon tried to rally his troops and then led the rearguard as the Rus fled, losing half his cavarly (many of the great nobles of Moscow fell that day) and recieving three arrows in his left arm. At that point, the fiend gave up all pretense of fighting and fled the field faster than the rest of his men that day. Of the Rus were slain 5,000 and many thousands more wounded while the loses of the Mongols were minor.

1340-10-25 : November 26, 1340 : Golden Horde has arrived in Moscow.
1340-10-25 : November 26, 1340 : We have initiated a siege in Moscow.

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Suwaida, in the meantime, had abandoned the seige of Nizhgorod in favor of a strike at Moscow herself. The Khan approved of the plan, hope to capture the city and end the war, a prospect that seemed all the closer when the news of the second battle at Ryazan reached him. Yet, the plan to take Moscow was ruined by the arrival of the army of Tver, who wished to sack the Kremlin themselves and would not share the spoils or the glory with 'foreign tyrants,' as they considered the Horde (when in fact it was the Horde that brought any peace and order to Rus). Suwaida promptly marched backed to the district of Nizhgorod, defeating a Muscovite army there and laying seige to the city, again.

The Khan was happy as the Christian new year dawned. The Horde had recovered its reputation and looked to be on the way to victory within the year. The vassal were silent and humble, paying their tribute on time. Ryazan was going to be sacked and ruined again by Mongols, as in the days when Batu Khan first entered Rus and became her master, and the dogs of Moscow and Tver bit and scratched at each other with full fury, making the job of the Khan all the more easy. There was only one thing that could ruin the chance of the war ending soon and that one thing happened due to the hard efforts of one man... Grand Duke Semyon Ivanovich Gordyi of Muscovy.

stnylan said:

Excellent. Winter's going to be a killer though.

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As the Mongols, I ignore winter attrition. In fact, unlike most other invaders of Russia, General Winter helped the Mongols. Frozen rivers made travel faster and their horses just dug through the snow to get at the frozen grass under it.

Henry v. Keiper said:

So any plans on reaching all the way to the Atlantic?

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It would have been nice, but I don't see that coming.

Jânî Beg - 1340 to 1356



The War against Muscovy
The Great Treachery

With the spring thaw, the war continued apace and Victory blessed the Great Khan. On 21 Shawwal (8th of April), by chance a Sunday, Ryazan fell. The inhabitants all ran to their church or into their root cellars for fear of fire and massacre. Yet, the soldiers of the Horde showed mercy. The Khan would not make the innocent pay for the mistakes of their lawless ruler. Suwaida and the Horde again came to lay seige to Moscow herself and this time it seemed that they would take it in short order, ending the war and teaching the Rus a wonderful lesson. It was not to be.

1341-04-20 : May 21, 1341 : Suzdal cancelled the Vassalization she had with Golden Horde.
1341-04-22 : May 23, 1341 : Golden Horde declared war upon Suzdal.

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The poisoned words of Semyon Gordyi infected the heart of the once loyal Duke of Suzdal, turning him slowly against his master, the Great Khan. So it was now that the bastard chose to send a letter to Kazan, where the Khan was still holding court, saying that he would longer pay tribute. War was the only answer one could give to such a silly communication. Suzdal would be punished and ground to dust, but this would mean that Grand Duke Semyon would have all the more time to plot and delay his day of judgement. The Khan for many day after the letter from the Duke had nothing to say but curses upon Suzdal and he talked like that all the time, except during his prayers, until his second wife pacified him.