Golden Horde: Map & History
The Golden Horde, or Ulus of Jochi, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, was originally a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century, originating from the northwestern part of the Mongol Empire.
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The Golden Horde, or Ulus of Jochi, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, was originally a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century, originating from the northwestern part of the Mongol Empire. After the division of the empire in 1259, it became a functionally independent khanate. It is also known as the Kipchak Khanate, and replaced the earlier, less organized Cuman–Kipchak confederation.
Modern Countries Once Part of Golden Horde
At its mapped extent, Golden Horde covered territory in 12 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Mongolia1547–1695 CE · nearly all
- Moldova1294–1449 CE · nearly all
- Ukraine1294–1501 CE · most
- Kazakhstan1294–1449 CE · most
- Azerbaijan1385–1394 CE · a large part
- Georgia1294–1332 CE · a large part
- Russia1294–1690 CE · a large part
- Turkmenistan1294–1401 CE · a small part
- Romania1294–1362 CE · a small part
- Uzbekistan1294–1401 CE · a small part
- China1547–1682 CE · a small part
- Iran1385–1394 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
- Nei Mongol, China
- Aqmola, Kazakhstan
- Chita, Russia
- Chelyabinsk, Russia
- Rostov, Russia
- East Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan
- Heilongjiang, China
- Krasnodar, Russia
- Orenburg, Russia
- Bashkortostan, Russia
- Qaraghandy, Kazakhstan
- Qostanay, Kazakhstan
- Saratov, Russia
- Volgograd, Russia
- Xinjiang Uygur, China
- Altay, Russia
- Stavropol', Russia
- Tatarstan, Russia
- Belgorod, Russia
- Qyzylorda, Kazakhstan
- Samara, Russia
- Tula, Russia
- Aqtöbe, Kazakhstan
- Atyrau, Kazakhstan
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Golden Horde's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Golden Horde in Depth
Mongol origins (c. 1225 – 1241)
Genghis Khan divided the Mongol Empire amongst his four sons as appanages. Jochi (d. 1225) was given the lands (an ulus) around the Irtysh River. As the eldest son, he was given the lands that were farthest away from his father's native land, according to the Mongol custom. However, the territory was not fixed and Jochi died before he could significantly expand it. Batu Khan was designated as his primary heir. Jochi's eldest son Orda founded a separate power in the east (the eastern wing). Both agreed they could not claim each other's territories and that Batu's descendants had precedence over Orda's descendants.
In 1229, at Ögödei's enthronement, the kurultai decided to subdue the Kipchaks and Batu was tasked with military operations in the west, having won Ögödei's favor.
Decline
Berdi Beg was killed in a coup by his brother Qulpa in 1359. Qulpa's two sons were Christians and bore the Slavic names Michael and Ivan, which outraged the Muslim populace of the Golden Horde. In 1360, Qulpa's brother Nawruz Beg revolted against the khan and killed him and his sons. In 1361, a descendant of Shiban (5th son of Jochi) was invited by some grandees to seize the throne. Khidr rebelled against Nawruz, whose own lieutenant betrayed him and handed him over to be executed. Khidr was slain by his own son, Timur Khwaja, in the same year. Timur Khwaja reigned for only five weeks before descendants of Öz Beg Khan seized power.
In 1362, the Golden Horde was divided between Keldi Beg in Sarai, Bulat Temir in Volga Bulgaria, and Abdullah in Crimea.
Geography and society
Genghis Khan assigned four Mongol mingghans: the Sanchi'ud (or Salji'ud), Keniges, Uushin, and Je'ured clans to Jochi. By the beginning of the 14th century, noyans from the Sanchi'ud, Hongirat, Ongud (Arghun), Keniges, Jajirad, Besud, Oirat, and Je'ured clans held importants positions at the court or elsewhere. There existed four mingghans (4,000) of the Jalayir in the left wing of the Ulus of Jochi (Golden Horde).
The population of the Golden Horde was largely a mixture of Turks and Mongols who adopted Islam later, as well as smaller numbers of Finno-Ugric peoples, Sarmato-Scythians, Slavs, and people from the Caucasus, among others (whether Muslim or not). Most of the Horde's population was Turkic: Kipchaks, Cumans, Volga Bulgars, Khwarezmians, and others.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Golden Horde (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Golden Horde: Key Facts
| Official language | Mongolian |
|---|---|
| Religion | Tengrism |
| Form of government | elective monarchy, monarchy |
| Founded | 1243 |
| Dissolved | 28 June 1502 |
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q79965 (CC0).
Golden Horde Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Golden Horde appears, with the other states of the time.
Golden Horde Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 4,933,986 km² in 1299 CE.
Golden Horde: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Golden Horde exist?
Golden Horde is dated to 1294 CE – 1695 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Golden Horde?
The capital of Golden Horde was Sarai (Western wing, later overall), Sighnaq (Eastern wing).
How large was Golden Horde at its peak?
At its peak in 1299 AD Golden Horde covered about 4,933,986 km².
How did the map of Golden Horde change over time?
Golden Horde appears on 4 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1300 CE to 1600 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
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Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Cusco