The First Traces of Life in the Golden Horde State: The City of the Sarai

Abstract

completed successfully and as a result, the western lands, including the Azerbaijan lands, were left to Cuci Khan. His son Batu Khan and those who came after him took care of the lands of Cuci Khan, who died before Genghis Khan. After the death of Genghis Khan, the Second Western Expeditions were initiated during the time of Ogetei Han, who took over the Mongol Khanate. These expeditions took place under the commander of Cuci Nation. This time, Batu Khan was at the head of the Mongol armies, and Cebe and Subetei Noyan were next to him. The Mongolian Khanate, which spread over a large area as a result of the second Western expeditions, captured a large part of Russia. As a result of this expedition, Batu Khan laid the foundations of the Golden Busaqan Ak-Horde, which he obtained from him while his ancestor Genghis Khan was alive, with the city he called Sarai in today's Aqtube region in Russia. This state was called the Golden Horde. This state, which is referred to by different names in various sources, was referred to many times as the Cuci Nation, sometimes with the name of the ruler who led it. When Batu Khan founded the city of Sarai for the first time, he established a structure similar to the Horde of Great Mongolian Khanate in Qaraqorum. After Batu Khan, who made important attempts for urbanization, his brother Berke Khan, who gave importance to development and expansion, became the ruler. The cities of the Golden Horde were significantly influenced by both the influence of the steppe culture and the urbanization culture of the Bulgarian civilization settled here. As a matter of fact, although Bulgarians were eliminated in the first Mongolian expeditions, urbanization and cultural activities continued to exist significantly. The Golden Horde, which continued its urbanization structure in the form of the Great Mongol Khanate in the first years of its establishment, continued to differentiate at the intersection of East-West trade in the Northern territories. It contained signs of high civilization cities such as Khwarazm and Gurgenc from the Eastern countries, and was also influenced by the architectural and urban settlements of the Bulgarian and Kipchak peoples who previously settled in these regions. It is clearly seen that the Mongols did not lag behind their contemporary states with the importance given to urbanization by the Golden Horde State, which dominated the northern lands of its central branch. Communities living the steppe life also maintained their nomadic living conditions even when they settled down. As a matter of fact, highlands and winter quarters show that they do not live in a single center. Although there are many sources on the destructive activities of the Mongols, their contribution to the settled life as a result of their integrity with the settled civilizations should not be ignored. In this study, information will be given about urbanization, which are the first signs of the Golden Horde State's transition from steppe culture to settled life. In particular, the structure of the c...