Mongolian Khaganates
The Jochid Ulus and its fragmentary successors
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Case
After his western campaign, Batu governed from Sarai on the steppe and left the Rus princes in place as tribute-paying vassals. Control of outcomes can matter more than control of every territory.
Read the caseCase · Lesson in What to Avoid
After Berdi Beg's death in 1359, rival claimants seized and lost Sarai in rapid succession. Leadership churn drains authority faster than any outside rival.
Read the caseCase · Lesson in What to Avoid
Timur gave Tokhtamysh refuge and the army that won him the Golden Horde; Tokhtamysh then attacked Timur's lands and was destroyed in return. An ally who made your rise possible is rarely a safe first target.
Read the case13 Rulers
The unified Jochid Ulus under the Line of Batu
Eldest son of Genghis Khan, predeceased his father, ancestor of Golden Horde khans.
Read the profileFounder of the Golden Horde, conquered Russia and established Mongol rule in Eastern Europe.
Read the profileSon of Batu, converted to Christianity and maintained diplomatic relations with European powers.
Read the profileBrief reign, brother of Sartaq, maintained the western Mongol territories.
Read the profileFirst Muslim ruler of the Golden Horde, allied with the Mamluks against the Ilkhanate.
Read the profileConsolidated Golden Horde independence and issued the first Golden Horde coins.
Read the profileMaintained stability and continued the Islamic conversion of the Golden Horde.
Read the profileNominal ruler under the influence of powerful commander Nogai Khan.
Read the profileDefeated Nogai Khan and restored central authority to the Golden Horde.
Read the profileMade Islam the official religion and presided over the Golden Horde's golden age.
Read the profileBrief reign during succession crisis after Öz Beg's death.
Read the profileExpanded territory into Poland and Lithuania, but faced internal rebellions.
Read the profileLast strong ruler before the Golden Horde fragmented into competing khanates.
Read the profile20 Rulers
Period of chronic civil war and Mamai's dominance
Pretended son of Jani Beg, murdered after brief rule.
Read the profilePretended son of Öz Beg or Jani Beg, killed in succession struggles.
Read the profileDescendant of Shiban, murdered in civil war.
Read the profileSon and murderer of Khidr Khan, killed in further conflicts.
Read the profileDescendant of Tuqa-Timur, murdered in the chaos.
Read the profilePretended son of Jani Beg, killed in succession war.
Read the profileDescendant of Tuqa-Timur, protégé of Mamai, ruled three separate times.
Read the profileBrother of Khidr Khan, briefly expelled Abdallah.
Read the profileDescendant of Shiban, expelled in factional struggles.
Read the profileDescendant of Shiban, murdered in civil war.
Read the profileProtégé of Hajji Cherkes of Astrakhan, briefly held power.
Read the profileBrother of Khayr Pulad, expelled and likely killed.
Read the profileFemale ruler, daughter of Berdi Beg and wife of Mamai.
Read the profileProtégé of Mamai, ruled twice with interruptions.
Read the profileDescendant of Tuqa-Timur, briefly controlled western Golden Horde.
Read the profilePretended son of Jani Beg, protégé of Hajji Cherkes.
Read the profileBrother of Khayr Pulad, very brief reign.
Read the profileSon of Il Beg, abdicated under pressure.
Read the profileSon of Khayr Pulad, abdicated before Tokhtamysh's conquest.
Read the profileLast of Mamai's protégés, killed at Battle of Kulikovo.
Read the profile20 Rulers
Temporary reunification and subsequent fragmentation
Reunited Golden Horde, burned Moscow, defeated by Tamerlane and driven out by Edigu.
Read the profileSon of Urus Khan, rival to Tokhtamysh in early period.
Read the profileDescendant of Tuqa-Timur, protégé of Edigu who replaced Tokhtamysh.
Read the profileCousin of Timur Qutluq, continued under Edigu's control.
Read the profileSon of Timur Qutluq, ruled twice under Edigu's influence.
Read the profileSon of Tokhtamysh, ruled three times in succession struggles.
Read the profileSon of Timur Qutluq, overthrew Edigu but was expelled and killed.
Read the profileEldest son of Tokhtamysh, Lithuanian protégé, murdered by brother.
Read the profileSon of Tokhtamysh, Lithuanian protégé, killed by Karim Berdi.
Read the profileSon of Tokhtamysh, ruled twice before being killed by brother.
Read the profileDescendant of Tuqa-Timur, protégé of Edigu, went to Siberia with him.
Read the profileProtégé of Edigu, deposed after 45 days due to inexperience.
Read the profileDescendant of Tuqa-Timur, protégé of Edigu.
Read the profileSon of Tokhtamysh, killed in battle against Edigu, who also perished.
Read the profileDescendant of Shiban, protégé of Edigu's son Mansur.
Read the profileSon of Quyurchuq, Timurid protégé, father of Janibek Abu-Said (ancestor of Kazakh khans).
Read the profileRuled twice amid rivalry with Kuchuk Muhammad; expelled around 1437, he founded the Khanate of Kazan in 1438.
Read the profileLithuanian protégé in Crimea, died same year he took Sarai.
Read the profileDivided Golden Horde with Ulugh Muhammad, last ruler before final fragmentation.
Read the profileRuled between Dnieper and Don, lost Crimea in 1441, died in Lithuania.
Read the profile5 Rulers
Final remnant of the Golden Horde
Son of Kuchuk Muhammad, first Great Horde khan, founded Astrakhan Khanate.
Read the profileBrother of Mahmud, lost Russia in 1480 at Great Stand on Ugra River.
Read the profileSon of Ahmad, last Great Horde khan, defeated by Crimean Khanate in 1502.
Read the profileSon of Ahmad, briefly displaced Shaykh Ahmad before being deposed.
Read the profileSon of Ahmad, rival of Shaykh Ahmad until final defeat.
Read the profile45 Rulers
Longest-lived successor to the Golden Horde
Founder of Crimean Khanate, established independence from Golden Horde.
Read the profileSon of Haji Giray, ruled twice with Ottoman support.
Read the profileMost important early khan, allied with Muscovy, sacked Sarai in 1502.
Read the profileNephew of Akhmat Khan of the Great Horde who briefly seized Crimea while the Giray dynasty was out of power.
Read the profileSon of Mengli Giray, maintained Crimean-Ottoman alliance.
Read the profileBrief reign, nephew of Mengli Giray.
Read the profileSon of Mengli Giray, strengthened ties with Ottoman Empire.
Read the profileCompeted with Ivan IV for control of Kazan and Astrakhan, ultimately lost.
Read the profileBurned Moscow in 1571, defeated by Ivan IV, lost Astrakhan to Russia.
Read the profileSon of Devlet Giray, maintained Ottoman vassalage.
Read the profileBrother of Mehmed II, brief reign during succession crisis.
Read the profileRuled twice, strengthened Crimean military organization.
Read the profileVery brief reign, quickly deposed.
Read the profileBrief reign during political instability.
Read the profileShort reign, continued Ottoman vassalage.
Read the profileRuled twice, faced Cossack raids and internal strife.
Read the profileInterrupted Janibek's rule, continued conflicts with Cossacks.
Read the profileBrief reign during mid-17th century instability.
Read the profileStrengthened Crimean defenses against Cossack raids.
Read the profileRuled twice, participated in Ottoman-Polish wars.
Read the profileTen-year reign, faced increasing Russian pressure.
Read the profileFaced growing Ottoman control over Crimean affairs.
Read the profileRuled four times, the Crimean khan the Ottomans trusted most during their wars with Austria, Poland and Russia.
Read the profileFive-year reign during Ottoman-Habsburg conflicts.
Read the profileBrief reign, deposed by Ottomans.
Read the profileVery brief reign during succession disputes.
Read the profileBrief, unpopular reign; the nobility refused to follow him to war and asked for Selim I Giray to return.
Read the profileRuled twice during Great Northern War period.
Read the profileBrief reign, continued Ottoman vassalage.
Read the profileRuled three times, longest-serving 18th century khan.
Read the profileBrief reign during Ottoman succession period.
Read the profileSeven-year reign, maintained traditional Crimean governance.
Read the profileRuled twice, faced increasing Russian expansion southward.
Read the profileBrief reign during Russo-Turkish War.
Read the profileFour-year reign during mid-18th century Ottoman reforms.
Read the profileFive-year reign, continued traditional policies.
Read the profileRuled twice, faced growing Russian influence in Black Sea.
Read the profileTwo-year reign between Arslan Giray and Qirim Giray, in the calm years before the Russo-Ottoman wars.
Read the profileRuled twice, last effective independent Crimean khan.
Read the profileRuled twice during increasing Russian pressure.
Read the profileBrief reign on the eve of the Russo-Ottoman War of 1768-1774; named khan again in 1771 but never reached Russian-occupied Crimea.
Read the profileRuled during Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca negotiations.
Read the profileRuled twice; returned in 1775 as the pro-Ottoman khan after the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca.
Read the profileLast Crimean khan, attempted reforms, overthrown by Russia in 1783.
Read the profileVery brief reign during final Crimean independence struggle.
Read the profile15 Rulers
Volga Bulgarian successor state founded by Ulugh Muhammad
Founder of Kazan Khanate, former Golden Horde khan.
Read the profileSon of Ulugh Muhammad, consolidated Kazan's independence.
Read the profileSon of Mahmud, brief reign during succession disputes.
Read the profileBrother of Khalil, twelve-year reign, strengthened the khanate.
Read the profileSon of Ibrahim, ruled twice with Russian interference.
Read the profileRussian protégé, ruled twice under Moscow's influence.
Read the profileVery brief reign, quickly overthrown.
Read the profileRussian-backed ruler, maintained vassalage to Moscow.
Read the profileLong restoration, attempted to assert independence from Russia.
Read the profileRussian protégé, ruled three times, last khan before Russian conquest.
Read the profileCrimean prince, brought Crimean influence to Kazan.
Read the profileCrimean prince, ruled twice, resisted Russian expansion.
Read the profileRussian protégé during brief occupation.
Read the profileThird reign: returned with Nogai support after a brief deposition in 1546 and ruled until his death in 1549.
Read the profileSon of Safa Giray, last independent Kazan khan, overthrown by Ivan IV.
Read the profile7 Rulers
Lower Volga successor state
Son of Mahmud bin Kuchuk, founder of Astrakhan Khanate.
Read the profileSon of Qasim I, strengthened control over Volga trade.
Read the profileSon of Abd ar-Rahman, longest-reigning Astrakhan khan.
Read the profileSon of Husayn, maintained independence amid growing Russian pressure.
Read the profileMaintained Astrakhan's autonomy during mid-16th century.
Read the profileFaced increasing Russian and Crimean interference.
Read the profileLast khan of Astrakhan, conquered by Ivan IV in 1556.
Read the profile7 Rulers
Siberian successor state conquered by Russian Cossacks
Founder of Sibir Khanate, killed Ahmad Khan of Great Horde in 1481.
Read the profileSon of Ibak, brief reign during succession disputes.
Read the profileStrengthened Siberian tribal confederation.
Read the profileLongest reign, consolidated Sibir Khanate's territorial extent.
Read the profileSon of Qasim, faced increasing Russian expansion into Siberia.
Read the profileLast effective Sibir khan, defeated by Yermak and Russian Cossacks in 1582.
Read the profileSon of Kuchum, nominal ruler after Russian conquest.
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